It’s not in America's best interest to assimilate. As confessional poet Alan Shapiro says: "Cultures are fed by impurity. ... Mongrel dogs live longer than purebreed dogs." Our cultural "impurities" are the nuances that make our lives so interesting, so challenging, so inspiring from one day to the next. They give life to our poetry. So, when someone misguidedly preaches the values of assimilation, I ask myself: do you want us to die?
The other day I wrote a column about a restaurant visit where an African-American woman said the word "nigga" several times in the course of jovial conversation - and loud enough to make those around her uncomfortable. It was the loudness of her voice, not the word itself that prompted me to propose a ban on loud mouths, much like the ban for cigarette smokers.
Maybe, it's time for me to explain why I wasn't bothered by the word. It's not because I'm African-American, though there are many within my culture who say that should be the very reason why I should oppose "nigger" and its derivatives "nigga," "niggaz," etc. For anyone of us who says it, even in private, that could be considered evidence of self-loathing, given its racially-charged history.Yet, as a poet, I believe in man's ability to alter meaning, and as an African-American, I certainly believe in the power of a culture to endure oppression in such a manner that ultimately allows citizens to empower (i.e. define) themselves.
Let me put it this way, since others typically use their cultures/experiences to measure the African-American experience: what's the difference between "bitch," "fag," "kike," or "nigger"?Certainly, each word has led to hardship. There have been women, homosexuals and Jews (and the list could go on) who have been oppressed and murdered (the ultimate oppression) by others who have used these "obscene" terms against them.
Yet, in each case, the oppressed have taken the word and redefined and embraced it.No, they haven't forgotten the word's troubled and bloodied history — no one can actually "forget" such things — but in using the word it is possible to say that such history can no longer define how people choose to view themselves. So, back in the day, when N.W.A. (Niggaz With Attitude) said "F--- Tha Police" on behalf of all real niggas, that was not only a powerful rebuke of an institution that had long been a source of oppressing the African-American community, but the song was also a strong message of self-definition to a damning society that would consider us to be "niggers" no matter how much we achieved. It's the kind of "If you like us, fine. If you don't like us, that's fine. We know who we are" stance that African-American culture has thrived upon for decades and centuries.
Article comments
1 - jay
you can't ban the N word. I don't see what the big deal is. Jus because the n word has such a negative connotation. but it doesn't have to. Quote from Tupac himself... Never Ignorant Getting Goals Accomplished. Thats what i think of when you take off the "er" and put add an "a". its been a new generation for a minute now and a lot of people in my generation don't mind the word. A lot of people do but what really is the harm in it. People are gonna say it regardless; i know i am. There will always be a way to say the negative things about other people. If the N word was banned, what would stop people from calling blacks Negroes. In the wrong context, Negro will have me jus as mad as the n word. Banning the N word in pointless. I think our nation or at least those that have a heart can see that there is no such thing as race. We label each other. and until we eliminate these labels and realize that we're all the same people... FOR REAL THIS TIME, we will always have this problem.
2 - sheritta cross
I totaly agree with richard. He is absolutely correct! People shouldent look down on the word because its been used 4ever and has come to be a positive word in the black community meaning "friend"! People shouldent trip over it because its just a word and who ever is offended by it need to get out of there feelings because this world has no room for offensiveness it just makes the world more violent when you try to beat somebody ass or get your ass beat by someone who offende you! The sittuaition can be eaisly avoided if you just stay out of your feelings about dumb shit!
thank you
3 - Ingmar
I feel for it, I have been banned from a xat emo chat because I asked "why do you ban people for saying "nigger" and not for saying "faggot"? They are both offences, they both suffered"
I have been "kicked", aka admonished by the mod, I did'n know it was the mod "kicking", after two kicks you get temp-banned. Me, fed up at the senseless reprise of a questio just for straight off containing the word "nigger" even if it was not used to address to somebody.
I've been rapidly banned for my harsh response, he was the mod, to his senseless behaviour. Then I got unbanned, and I discussed about the thing, he said that he didn't make the rules that the prohibition was not context based, but dictionary based, and he even said that faggot was not the same as nigger as it was just a part of a cigarette, demential! They are both used as offence, in order to explain it, the mod even wrote the banned word, as if he can, it was him the one with the ban button, i backed that he said it, then i said "well but even "ni.g.g.a" is just a color in itself", he kicked me again, the obtuse frustrated bastard! "i didn't say it!" "you did" -- "you, said it before, why you can? why don't you have to be banned like a racist, banning is treating me like a racist!, and if you ban the word even separated with points, then it is not dictionary based" then another added to my side, and said, that it needed to stop with being so immature" the I simply agreed with him "Yes that's an immature way of thinking" the mod was insulting him and alluding to his age, I was about to add i chatted with him he is very intelligent that i knew, i had no time to finish I got banned again!! Just for agreeing, fucking dictarship.