Topic : 09/12 The N-Word Debate

Ask yourself this question: Why are we suffering as a race?  How made it so?

 White people.  Your ancestors introduces AIDS to us.  Your ancestors put us in the Tuskeegee trials.  Why do we rob stil and kill?  because we can't seem to find a permenant place in white society.  Our fathers aren't there because they're locked up, why? Because whites decided to make harsh crimes for crack (a "black or poor" drug) and hardly no punishment for cocaine (the "white or rich" drug).   yes my people may do stupid things like rob because that's all some can do to put food on the table.  How many black serial killers do you know: Bundy, Mcveigh..... huh last time i checked they were white.  So by statistics yes white people do commit more violent crime for dumber reasons.  I feel sorry for you because you can't even see how screwed up your own culture is.  So as a black woman please don't feel sorry for me.  I am blessed with a strong balck man who was brought up in the "projects" NYC.  there are more of then than you think.  more than 25%.    And as i recall, prisons are full of whites too, so who is left to raise their kids?  I'm so sick and tired of people feeling sorry for us. DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. tell the mayors, governors, senate, whomever to put more money into the black community.  Maybe with the same privileges as whites we can rise above the negativety. 

    I can only speak for myself. I grew up thankfuly in a very mixed area in Seattle.  And while I was in the Navy I have delt with every race there is.  I make my judgement on the quality of the person not what race they are. I watched the show  today  on using the N word. I have Never called anyone that,  and have taught my kids not to say it and why. I was very upset to her the Lady on your panal say  that if I had a black Child run across my lawn i would yell that out loud at them. I do agree there is still racisim in the USA and have seen it up close and personal. My friend and I were in a store and there was a young Black women very nicly dressed. I remember that because I loved what she had on. Anyways  she was in front of me in line and paid for her things and the cashier stapled her bag close. And she left I was next in line my friend behind me. I paid For my things and my friend asked me "what are you doing? I said "I'm waiting for her to staple my bag " Thinking it was store policy. And the sales Clerk Said " well you don't look like you'll walk out with half the store" I was floored. I couln't believe what I just heard.  It was disheatening. I was not able to catch up with the young women because I sure felt she would of had a case aginst the store.  My friend and I had to catch a ferry and left to catch it. Hust feeling sick about this. After I got home I called the store and report to the manager about what had happened. What register it was and what time. But still to this day I wish I would of caught up with that young women she didn't even relize it had happened. So In closing all I can say is I live my life without saying that and trying to call out anyone that I hear say it. Acually if they do say it to in my presents it says allot about that person  I would just like to say that it sad to just be grouped together as just a white women.  I feel that we are all more then that. Not just the clor of your skin.

Maybe we should retire the "N" word.  The more important point is certainly the emotions evokes by its use.  The historical meaning is truely the issue and that seems to be the heart of the question.  It is easy for those of us who have not been subjected to the negative use of the word to say get over it and easy to lump all white people together as perpetrators which doesn' t resolve anything. 

The discussion is fabulous for bringing out so many different views and feelings.  It is a great place to start but lets keep going, searching our selves for the traces of racism that are in each of us even in very subtle ways.  I like to believe that I'm not a racist but I know being raised in this country there is probably some unconscious bit in me just the same. 

Conscious, thoughtful living, recognizing the path someone else has walk may give them a very different attitude toward any issue is the begining of the healing that is needed in this and any issue that separates and divides rather than heals and unifies us as human beings instead of Black, White, Mexican, Asian...whatever prefix we might use to "American".  We  need to recognize each other as wonderful, deserving people in spite of what our history or nationality might be. 

Blessings to all and thanks for the topic.

What happened to the African Americans not to many years ago was and is a tragedic.  But they are by no means the only group in history that have suffered at the hands of their fellow humans.  400 years before their tragedy began the British tried to systemaically wipe out my people in Scotland.  Around the same time the slave ships were leaving the Ivory Coast the natives of North America were being systemacally being driven from the face of the earth.  You would have to have lived on Mars for the twentith century to not know what horrors the Second World War visited upon the Jewish nation. 

I realize this a bit off the topic of the use f the N-word, but I think the lady was right the most prejudice person on your stage was Mr. Moony and until he lets go and stops propogating the use of a word  that involkes such negative passion in people and the fact that he came from slaves then the people, especially the young, who listen to him will not let go either and are bound to a world of prejudice.

When I visited the states on a bus ride down the east coast in the late '70's part of the trip there were 3 white people on the bus and the bus was full.  A black woman with a young child sat beside me and as it was late I volunteered to take the boy so she could sleep. I know she really aprecialted it, she didn't have any prejudice and nor did I.  Imagine my dismay and sorrow when i got to my destination, about half way down the east coast of Florida to find that white people couldn't walk at night without the threat the beatings, and infact the nieghbors across from my girlfriends had been beaten the day before.  Seems if there were three of them they were 6 Blacks.  This was my first taste of prejudice and although it didn't disaude me from considering all men equal it was an eye opener.

I guess my point being if they want to use the N-word then go ahead but they shouldn't be surprised when others use.  I personally, as a Christian, will never use such derogatory terms.

K. Thomson

As obvious as it is to say, not everyone comes from the same back ground or has had the same experiences; as a result, it is difficult to always know how anybody is going to feel about the N-Word and its public use. We all need to be resectful of other peoples feelings period. If using the N-Word within ear shot of anyone (white or black or otherwise) could offend them, then just don't do it. I believe that there is most definetly a double standard with the use of the N-Word, and I think that the double standard has been created by black people. It's unfair to tell non-blacks not to use the N-Word when popular entertainment is saturated with it. White kids, and Asian kids, and Mexican kids, and Native kids, and Black kids all listen to hip hop... they all watch black comediens and watch movies and play video games that are filled with derogatory content. We as black folk need to set the example because if we don't, there is no point in complaining about the use of the N-Word by non-blacks. Yes slavery happened, yes in ways we are still affected.... removing the N-Word isn't going to change our poverty or drug use or anything that we feel the 'white man' has afflected us with. As a young black woman I no longer take hearing the N-Word in public too seriously. I understand that it is apart of north American culture weither it is percieved as negative or positive. I think that shows like the one Dr.Phil did today does nothing at all but highlight differences in perspective and increase ratings. People are intitled to believe what they want and say what they want, all we need to do now is be respectful. Respect yourself and respect others.

I don't feel sorry for you -- but my heart does break for all the kids living in slums and in barrios and other terrible neighborhoods who don't get the right care, education and love.  We have some of the best pyublic schools in the country here in NYC - and some of the worst - but the worst aren't that way because the school system gave up on them but because the crime is so terrible in those schools its barely survivable for the kids and the teachers. 

I know its not just black communities who have terrible parents and one- or even no-parent families.  Too many grandmothers are raising kids.

What I don't understand is why not help these kids as a community - give them better educations, homes and families and they would not end up in prisons.  If your sister isn't taking care of her kids or has a drug problem and can't - then the rest of the family has to take care of those kids -- education, discipline and a good meal is what these kids need.  If your brother is making babies with girls all over the place slap him upside the head, tell to get a job and support his babies.  No congratulations - just get a job.

I'm not doubting that families who can afford lawyers fair better under the law -- black, brown and white.  But there is something to that old saying, 'don't do the crime unless you can do the time'.

I am Acadian (first French settlers in Canada).  Most people don't know much about us, but in a nutshell, the most historically important fact about Acadians is that in 1755, my ancestors were chased away from our  homes and land by the English settlers.  They raided our villages, burned our homes, stole our goods and took our land.  Many Acadians fled to the nearby lands, in Quebec and other Maritimes provinces.  A whole other bunch fled to Louisiana, and created a new life for themselves.  The word "Cajun" actually derives from "Acadian".  In light of these atrocities, we would be justified in holding a grudge against all English people, for what their ancestors have done, and some do.  I personally do not see what that achieves, both on a personal level, or for society as a whole. 

All this being said, there are MAJOR differences between the story of the Acadians, and what African Americans have been through, and continue to endure.  I, as an Acadian, do not feel discriminated against on a daily basis, and there is no outward evidence of my identity.  Again, I do not want to diminish in any way the attrocities African Americans have been through, and continue to deal with. 

But  :  the "N"  word

In my opinion, there is no other word on the planet that is the subject of so much debate.  I have travelled the world, lived in many places where the population was considered a minority, and victims of oppression and discrimination.  Granted nothing to as a grand a scale as what took place in the US. 

I have found no other group of people for whom their shared history is such a strong binder. It seems that this common thread is enough to build a relationship on, no matter where and whom with. 

 I've had African American friends overseas, who would instantly build strong bonds with other African Americans, no matter what the social, religious, cultural or geographical background was.  I saw this in no other ethnic group, from no other country. You'd see for example "Tasha, from South Carolina, from a REALLY strict family, very stong religious values, believes in no sex before marriage", start to hang out every day, with " Shauna, from Atlanta, likes to go clubbing, brings home a guy from the club once ina a while, never been to church."  The fact that they are both African American seemed to be enough. 

I feel that the racial tention black Americans feel on a daily basis becomes part of their identity, and  "N" word type debates, tend to destabilise that identity.  At the same time, these discussions solidify their solidarity, and justifies their sense of isolation as individuals, because of being supported by their peers. 

My conclusion : African Americans  who support the use of the "N" word, need it to cement their cultural identity, which has become alot more about "us" and "them", than about healing, and growing and becoming better at dealing with their history.  There is nothing that can be done to erase the past, but so much cna be done to change the future for our children...