I have never had to put an advisory on anything I have ever written-until now. So here it is…Warning-the language in this post may be considered offensive. Discretion is advised.
It has been said that we live in a “post-racial” society. We are nine months into the term of America’s first President of African decent. Minorities now own their own businesses and are the CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. According to Stanford University sociologist Michael Rosenfeld, he calculates that more than seven percent of America’s 59 million married couples in 2005 were interracial (factoring in all racial combinations), compared to less than 2 percent in 1970 (cnbc.com). We are only 42 years removed from a major Supreme Court decision removing a Virginia statute barring whites and nonwhites from marrying (removing the laws in 15 other states as well).
On a positive note, my generation did not experience racism near the degree that my parents’ generation did. I was never shot at, threatened to be hung, or had dogs turned loose to attack me. I have achieved a high level of education, and in the near future, will have earned the right to be called, “Doctor”. The generations after me experience it even less. People of all backgrounds have learned, for the most part, to look at each other as…simply people.
As much as I would like to make it such, this is not necessarily a “feel-good” piece to pat ourselves on the back on how far we’ve come. Years ago, I was at the grocery store when I heard two teenaged boys (one black and one Hispanic) talking trash and doing what teenaged boys do. I would not have paid them much attention except for the fact that every other word was “Nigga this” and Nigga that”. I could tell from the tone of the conversation that it was not hostile. It was used in a way to indicate camaraderie. It was not directed at a particular race either. The black kid and the Hispanic kid were tossing the word around in the same manner that one might say, “Dude!” or “Brah (brother)!”.
In some parts of the African-American community, it is acceptable for people to refer to each other as “niggas”. It has multiple meanings within the community ranging from an insult to a term of endearment and affection -“That’s my nigga over there”-meaning friend or homeboy) or “Is that your nigga?”-referring to a woman’s boyfriend or husband. As I mentioned earlier, it is also used interchangeably for “dude” or “man”. It is used sometimes in the same manner as some women will proudly refer to themselves as a “bitch”.
Just this past weekend, I was at an establishment and was talking one of the guys. I’ve known this guy for a few months and I think he is a pretty good guy. I’ve met his wife and kids. Good people, good family from what I can tell.
We were having a conversation this past weekend about retailing. Something I did for a long time in a previous life. The subject wandered onto shoplifters and how we both detest them. I used to catch and lecture them about how they were taking food out of my babies’ mouths before as I was waiting for the police to arrive.
Then he began to tell me a story. About how a “little nigga acting like he was from the hood” and a Hispanic kid came into where he works and stole something. For the record, I am deliberately withholding my comments because, for the purpose of this column, I do not wish to influence the conversation. I am far more interested in your comments. He continued to have this conversation with me and repeated the word once again as he continued to express his disdain for shoplifters. He didn’t hesitate in using the word in my presence.
Also for the purpose of this article, I am refraining from making any judgment as to whether or not this individual is a bigot or not. I know how he has treated me which has been good and decent. He has never treated me as less than a man. I am more interested in your opinion.
Has the “N-word” lost its sting? Has it become diluted in its overuse by urban kids and in pop culture? Is it possible for this word to be used in this “post-racial” society to refer to any “member of a socially disadvantaged class of people” (Merriam-Webster.com). Should it be acceptable for some black people to use this word in reference to other black people? Can this word be applied to any group of people in the proper context? If so, what is the proper context? I’m just raising questions for discussion. Don’t blame the Man. We all know what society says about this, but I’m asking you to think outside the box on this one.
Holla at The Man.
