The N-Word
by Darrell Holmes
Recently I was perusing some of the hip hop websites I scan regularly for news & info and came across a new posting about the “n word”. That word has gotten much internet play since the NAACP has decided to formally “bury” it at their national convention in Detroit this year. Few words in the American dialect illicit a wider range of emotions depending on the user and the context in which it’s used. You know how Black people use it like an unlimited debit card but get real possessive when folks of non-African decent throw it in the air. Though I could use the actual word for reference in this article, I’ll pass since I’ve vowed to cease using the word anymore going forward. Yes…it’s THAT serious. I was an addict. I may consider myself to be an educated, higher thinker and a daily unwilling participant in “the struggle”, but I wore that word out y’all. I’ve since realized that I really had no reason behind doing so. Most of the time it just felt like the word to say at the time. I even heard the good Deacon Holmes (my Pops) use the word a couple of times recently which was unusual for him. Maybe he thought it was a good way to bridge the generation gap.
There are presently several movements to limit the use of the N-word primarily by African-Americans, but in general, all peoples. Par for the course is that someone using the word is targeting peoples descended from the continent of Africa. The alternative trend is that there are much larger travesties being committed against those of African decent worldwide than a moniker that no longer carries the social degredation it once did because of the evolution and over-exposure that word has gone through the last 15 years. Real talk. There are most definitely larger offenses being committed against darker skinned peoples than a socially-outdated moniker. Having said that, I don’t fault the NAACP for their efforts at all. I do agree that making a big deal out of any situation many times can give it more power than it may have had already. However, we’re talking about a word that was used in reference to our people as they were being hung in public effigy. There were people that marched from Selma to Montgomery on Bloody Sunday with that word yelled at folks as protesters were beat and killed. Ask one of them how they feel about that word? Even a symbolic attempt to stop the use of the n-word is better than nothing at all.
I understand that my views may be “old school”; they probably are. Heck, old school gave us cornbread and collard greens…can’t be all bad. I also realize that this could easily spawn efforts to abolishment MANY, many more words that once made some little kid cry. So be it. After visiting Africa, Richard Pryor once stated that he saw no n!88#*$ while he was there and that they must be figments of White people’s imaginations. Time to end the collective schizophrenia.
July 26th, 2007 at 12:05 pm
Darrell, good post. I too once was a user and have kicked the habit. It was a word that I used without really thinking about it. Going to black schools it was commonplace among everyone, so I guess I’ll blame it on the environment.
The word has more sting I think to the older generations. It was a term used out of hatred, so I could understand how they would get upset when hearing it. For us, it was more of a term of endearment (if you have the ‘a’ at the end) or frustration amongst our own people. For me was also a description for a particular type of black person (because Ni**as do exist).
I’m not a strong believer in banning words with laws and regulations. Like you, a personal pledge to myself worked good enough.
July 26th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
Thanks Theo. I really enjoyed writing that post, as you can see. My thought is that many will disagree, but everyone can recognize the impact that word once had which is reason enough to at least give thought to weening yourself off of it.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:11 am
Darrell Holmes your post is most commendable. Though many may disagree with you it’s very important that articles of this type are written. If there are ten people in a room and just one of them decides to stop using the n-word…that’s progress. More than anything else the NAACP’s mock funerals will help to raise the conscious level of the people.
It is human nature for people to resist change, but nonetheless, exposure is key and it is important that the NAACP follow up and not just be content with a few burials. Also, if more and more people were to write articles such as you have done here the planting of an idea will take root and grow.
The next step will be providing people with the Why? this word needs to be eradicated from the vocabulary of all African Americans. We are perhaps the only race of people on the face of this earth who do not show any respect for our ancestors. Our ancestors being classifed as n**gas were looked upon as a thing, an object to be used, manipulated and disposed of at its owner’s pleasure. Considered to be worthless and valueless, no status or rights other than those the marketplace arbitrarily assigned to them.
There is more much more, but the bottomline, the n-word is a word that brought nothing but terror, fear and bodily harm to our ascendants and in most cases the last words they would hear before drawing their last breath from the severe beatings and other atrocities were the jeers of n**ga, n**ga, n**ga. We should not be desecrating their memories by taking and embracing this very same word and using it endearingly and affectionately towards one another. This is tantamount to a slap in the face or even worse, it makes us no different from those who wielded the whips and ropes to brutally slay our ascendants with. In short we need to come to our senses and stop making FOOLS out of ourselves.
The NAACP’s actions are a step in the right direction, so are articles such as yours Darrell, the next step is going to have to be an educational one as to why this needs to be done.
H. Lewis Smith
Author - Bury that Sucka
http://www.burythatsucka.com
July 27th, 2007 at 6:38 am
I think the commitment to the personal discipline of removing the word from our personal vocabularies along with the NAACP’s public pledge against the use of the word are both great steps forward.
I’ll take it another step though guys. What about a public blogger movement to kill the n-word, similar to the public outcries to free Shaquanda Cotton and Genarlow Wilson and to put the hip-hop movement back on an acceptable track? (Steve Harvey was talking about the Genarlow Wilson situation on his show yesterday morning so that’s how hot that story has gotten).
A virtual Afrosphere movement against an evil word. Just a thought. What do you think?
July 27th, 2007 at 11:04 am
Thanks for your words. Lewis I appreciate your thoughts. I thing I know the bottomline you alluded to and I agree that we’ve allowed self-degredation to be the maincourse for our African-American experience. The n-word is only a very small part of a much more insignificant problem but it also represents a great starting point.
Martin, I’d be for supporting any movement aimed raising awareness but in respect for Theo’s space I’d defer to him.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:05 am
Mr. Smith & Marty, thanks for your comments. Education is the best way to rid this word from our vocabulary. If the younger generations knew how this word came about, I think it would curb it’s usage. I’m talking about giving them concreate facts that chronicle how it came into existence.
Marty, you know I’m down for something like that. I want to make this blog available to those type of movements. I’ve thought about doing something similar where we give everyone participating a set statement and have them blog on it. It could be a weekly or bi-monthly thing.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:21 am
“What about a public blogger movement to kill the n-word”
Me personally, I think that’s a great idea. What needs to be done to get a public blogger going? I have written blogs in the past but never quit understood how to get the most mileage out of them therefore they have remained in somewhat obscurity.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:26 am
Mr. Johnson, I think your idea is an excellent one and I wholeheartedly support Darrell Holmes idea of deferment.