I want my own "N" Word!
I was watching some news show on MSNBC this evening and these African American fellows were debating who should and shouldn't be able to use the "N" word. They also showed clips from "The View" where Whoopi Goldberg, and whoever the other ladies are on that show, were having the same discussion. The black people all pretty much agreed that only black people should be able to use the "N" word.
This got me to thinking. What about people who are 1/2 black, can they use that word? Probably so, because like Barak Obama, they are generally referred to as black. So then, what about people who are 1/4 black? Can they use that word? What if a person is half black but looks whiter than a person who is 1/4 black....who should have priority over who in being able to use that word? What if a person is white but grew up with a black family thru adoption? Can they use that word? Would they have priority over a black person who was adopted by a white family and grew up in a white culture? And what if a person is black, but say their roots are from some country other than Africa? Do they get to use that word? What if your 1/4 black, and you look white, would it be acceptable to use part of the word, like say....igger?
All races and cultures seem to have certain words or phrases that are politically incorrect for anybody else to use that is outside of that race or culture. Women can call each other bitch, but men can't. Gays can call each other queers but straight people can't. I'm feeling a little left out. I am a straight white American male and I cannot think of one word that I can call another straight white American male that any other race, gender, or culture cannot use also. I want my own dirty word that is privy to just my people, the straight American white male. I want to be able to freely use a word that will offend me if anybody outside of my race, gender, or culture uses it.
After giving it much thought I have come up with the perfect word for my people. It is a word that we can use in reference to or about each other, the straight white American male, in a derogatory yet jovial or playful way. The word I chose is "Dude". Women, gay's, black's....from this day forward, none of you can use that word without offending me or my people.
Now when a white person, such as Michael Richards, uses the "N" word, he has to apologize to The Reverend Jesse Jackson, who is obviously, or at least he must be, the conscience of the African American community. If The Reverend Jesse Jackson is not available, it is acceptable use The Reverend Al Sharpton for the same purpose. So I also want a straight white American male who will serve as the conscience of the straight white American male community. I want a white guy with a very serious face, one who will be good at acting indignant, to hear the confessions, and then forgive, any person other than a straight white American male, who uses the word "Dude". There are a few men who would be well suited for this job. I'm thinking Ben Stein because he's got that stoic Abe Vigoda thing going, and besides, Abe's dead, at least I know he was dead when he was filming "Barney Miller". No wait, Ben Stein's Jewish. Now that I think about it, all the white guys who have the right look, the kind of face you just want to apologize to, are all Jewish. Well, I'll think of somebody, but until I do, don't any of you black, gay, or women folk be dissin on me or my Dudes with the "D" word. We got feelings too you know!
Comments
The 'N' word is just a word. It's given such power that it literally stops a race from progressing. If you don't take ownership of the word, then it shouldn't matter who uses it. It can only be offensive if one takes ownership and feels that this word is descriptive of who they are. This is not only for Blacks, but words used against Hispanics, Asians, Whites, etc... It's time to move forward and stop dwelling in the past. There have been many other races who have been put through a lot of pain and suffering. It's time we move on as a people and stop blaming what happened yesterday on today's society. We can not progress as a nation if we refuse to step out of the box. My daughter and her mother were killed by a drunk driver. This doesn't mean that this mans family should pay the price as long as they exist. Let's move forward and stop all this nonsense.
Joe's reply....Jose, thanks for responding, very good points, I agree totally. So sorry about your family, I couldn't imagine such a thing.
Posted by: Jose Perez | July 18, 2008 05:28 AM
Whatever happened to "cracker?" Isn't that a derogatory word for whites, or maybe just white men (I'm not sure). Also "honky" and "whitey." I prefer "cracker."
Listen, dude. May I call you dude ;-)? Remember what Lenny Bruce said about these kinds of labels (and as Jose mentioned also) they only have the power you give them.
Gotta go now. I'm gettin' together with my bitches.
Joe's reply....damn girl, your killing me! Your funny!
Posted by: Kathy | July 18, 2008 02:10 PM
I guess this entry is intended to amusing, a little tongue-in-cheek. Sorry, I don’t take it that way. The word n----- is offensive and hurtful and the word dude is not. In fact, the word n----- is far more hurtful and offensive to blacks than the actually offensive words “honky” or “cracker” could ever be to whites. Because the word n----- has a long history of deliberate and systemic oppression, prejudice and persecution behind it, and these other words don’t.
The word n----- is often traced to the Latin word niger, meaning black. This word became the word Negro, meaning the color Black in Spanish and Portuguese, and meaning a black person in English. The word n----- evolved as a linguistic corruption of the word Negro. But by the 18th century, it was firmly established in the North American Colonies that became the USA as a derogative name used not just as a racial insult but as a way of differentiating people held in bondage, and who needed to be kept in their place in numerous ways, from their “betters.”
“Dude” does not bring up images of people who look and sound like you suffering the heart-wrenching indignity of being bought and sold to the highest bidder, or having their family broken up and sold as separate pieces. “Dude” has no sting, no substance. But the word n----- conjures up a blistering little glimpse into hell. Have you ever heard "dude" and felt a sudden panic that chaos, bedlam and violence were about to rush in through the front door? Does “dude” make you feel like strange, cruel men are about break down your front door to hurt you and your family just because of your skin color, your race? Maybe they'd beat your mother and your sisters, or worse, lynch your father or your brother. Or maybe when you applied for work, you’d be greeted with a sign at the shop door saying “no dudes need apply.” Maybe tired and hungry, you’d stop at some roadside diner and hear the counterman say—“get out; we don’t serve dudes here.”
The word, n-----, carries with it much of the hatred and disgust directed by white Americans toward black Africans and African-Americans. Historically, n----- defined, limited, made fun of, and ridiculed all blacks. It was a term of exclusion, a verbal reason for discrimination. Whether used as a noun, verb, or adjective, it strengthened the stereotype of the lazy, stupid, dirty, worthless nobody. No other American epithet carries as much purposeful cruelty within it.
It is a surprising and unsettling phenomenon that so many blacks use the term to meet, greet, and even disparage each other. It may well be a case of a long in-bred sense of low self esteem, as Jose Perez implies. When asked, blacks who do use the word n----- argue that it has to be understood in its context; repeated use of the word by blacks themselves will make it less offensive to them. Or, they argue it’s not really the same word because whites are saying n----r but blacks are saying n---ah (and n---az). To me, all this is pretty lame. But what does make sense to me is that I and my in-group can call ourselves or each other whatever we want but distrusted outsiders can’t.
I don’t think the 21st century is yet post-racist enough to think that a word like n----- carries no burden of its history—even if a black man—or half-black, as you say—is a credible candidate for President. Now from all this, you might suspect that I’m black myself; far from it. Blond, blue-eyed, and freckled. But my dad was a Dago Wop and fought nearly every day of his life because of it in a town that burned crosses in the front lawns of Dago Wops. In the tradition of the melting pot, though, he grew up to marry a Central European Hunky and now I’m just Heinz 57 American. But I do understand history, Dude.
Joe's reply....Eric, I appreciate where your coming from and I agree with most of what you said. I just think it's time to move on. Humor is one way of doing that. Blacks do not have a patent on having a painful history. Everybody has a story. Jews, the American Indians, even myself who grew up in an elementary school that was 2/3 black and didn't understand why I got my ass beat by the black kids and the Mexicans everyday that I went to school. I never bothered them, but they sure had it out for me. But I had to get over it and I have. I feel for your pain my blond haired blue eyed friend. It must really hurt everytime that N word is used. Get over it Dude.
Posted by: Eric | July 23, 2008 04:49 PM
We just will agree to disagree. I guess I won't get over it, Dude. The N word isn't an affront to me personally. It only hurts me when that N word is used in that there are ignoramuses still around who don't get it. Blacks don't have a patent on painful history, it's true--Kikes, Blanket-A---s, etc. There's a lotta put-downs out there that aren't nice. Nobody in western civilization, though, is less put-upon than white males, who've had the whip-hand, literally and figuratively, for quite a few centuries. Glad you bucked up and got over it.
Joe's reply....What's your point Eric, I did not, nor have I ever used the N word, even when I was a kid and they were beating my ass. I think you need to find another blogger who is saying something derogatory enough to warrant your anger and pain. If you read all of my blogs, youd find that I've been pretty hard on the average white Joe six pack. In many ways, he's an idiot. But hey, were all just doing the best we can in life. I'm not going to apologize for what my ancestors did because I myself never felt malice or prejudice against any one race. I find enough stupidity in all the races! As far as using humor concerning the n word, I'm sorry but there's only so much Jesse Jackson I can take without puking so I find a creative outlet to keep from puking. And as far as you getting upset over something somebody else wrote, well Eric, you really shouldn't be giving me that kind of power over you. And watch how you use the "D" word, it offends me and my people.
Posted by: Eric | July 23, 2008 07:11 PM
It's your blog, so you get the last wod. Just wanted to to say two last things, then you can wrap up with your sort of patropnizing tone. First--your words have no power over me whatsoever. This is a blog, in theory to express pounts of view on politics, religion, social issues and things of a philosophical nature. It's your blog, so it's your point of view, which is fair. If I want to air my views on these things I should go get my own blog. However, you invite comnments, and mine just didn't happen to agree withthe gist of your entry. That's not giving you power over anything--that's called an exchange of ideas.
And second--I try to avoid using the D word in any event, but insulting your people doesn't sound like such a bad idea. I'm out, dude.
Posted by: Eric | July 24, 2008 02:56 AM