The N Word… October 30, 2007

Ugh. The N Word. Of all the curses and derogatory nonsense out there, perhaps none is widespread and irks me as much as n****. Nas, a supposedly “good” rapper, has dubbed his latest album exactly that: n****. Once the term used by white supremacists against blacks, the breadth of its use has expanded ten-fold. Nowadays, not only is it used by racists, but by Blacks who converse with one another, rappers, white kids, and corny gangster wannabes in general. Personally, I find it sickening when I go to the mosque and see certain people, mostly teens and college students, giving salaam to older Muslims and family members. When it comes to their friends however, the greeting changes. No longer Assalamualaikum, but “Was Hood Mah N****”. But don’t get it twisted, that’s only a generalization. For every time someone goes against the word, they get a flurry of excuses thrown back at them.

The word doesn’t mean anything anymore. It’s cool to use it. Hip Hop artists can, so why can’t I? I don’t give a d***, I’ll say what I please.

I’ve heard them all, it’s all without merit.

Viewpoints and ideas about the N word vary. Some feel it is an integral part of culture, while others feel it should be totally destroyed from our vocabulary. Others still feel some people are better suited to using it than others. Is this true? Probably, but that does not justify the support given to a term with nothing but a negative connotation attached to it. The concept of a changing a word’s meaning is possible, but generally speaking, it cannot be forced. Individuals may argue that by using the word amongst themselves, they are taking it away from racists. Yet one cannot help but wonder, would it not be more sensible to simply not use the slur?

In one controversial case, Al Sharpton heavily criticized the use of the N word on “The Boondocks”, where it is a mainstay for many of the main characters. In particular, an episode that brought Martin Luther King Jr. back to life, and saw him giving a speech to an ignorant group of African-Americans, used the word to a ridiculous level, despite the fact that it sent a strong, and meaningful message.

[Youtube="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT0yfnbpfc8"]

The Boondocks argues that it’s repetition of the word reflects the reality of the term, and it’s popularity in black culture. To some extent, this still is true. Nonetheless, spreading it further only propagates the word, and elicits its use even more. One of the stronger arguments can be provided by Jabari Asim, whose book “The N Word: Who Can Say It, Who Shouldn’t, and Why”, regards the word as unsuitable in most situations, but feels it can be expressed in proper mediums by individuals who bring a positive light to the identity of African Americans, and do not imply a derogatory message. The following is a review from Publisher’s weekly:

From Publishers Weekly
Midway through Washington Post columnist Asim’s history of the “N” word in America, readers may conclude it should not be uttered by anyone, anymore, for any reason. Essentially, this 400-year chronology is an exhaustive history of white supremacist ideology, showing that the word nigger is as American as “liberty, freedom, justice and equality.” He sweeps over this sensitive and contradictory terrain—including black Americans’ use of the word—with practicality, while dispensing gentle provocations. Asim notes, for example, that popular civil rights presidents like Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Lyndon B. Johnson used the N word all the time. Bicycling in Africa in 2004, a young black American encounters a black-owned hip-hop clothing store called “Niggers.” Children growing up during the latter half of the 19th century sang “The Ten Little Niggers” nursery rhyme. Asim is at his best when offering his opinion—”in the 21st century, to subsist on our former masters’ cast-off language… strikes me as… an immense, inscrutable, and bizarre failure of the imagination.” Still, he concludes, the word nigger is indispensable in certain endeavors. His analysis of 19th- and 20th-century pop culture phenomena may too fine-toothed for general readers, but clear, engaging writing increases the pleasure. (Mar.)
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In the end, it’s quite clear. While it is no longer solely a term of prejudice, the N-Word still possesses a dark history, and purveys ignorance: We’d just be better off without it.