But the most devastating feature of the site was the intro video, which made any mere words one could utter regarding the ugly legacy of this slur pale in comparison. Please check it out by clicking on the screen below to visit AbolishTheNWord.com.
So what, then, is the answer to the original question posed? To me, the answer seems clear — not to “censor” or “ban” the word, but to virtually abolish it by educating young people, one by one, about what the word actually symbolizes within the context of black history and the arduous 20th century struggle for civil rights — until it becomes as obsolete in current usage as, say, “talking picture,” “78 rpm,” or “photogravure.”
The “N” word, though it will always be with us, deserves in this brave new century to be relegated chiefly to the history books, rather than to trip freely off the tongues of young people who are unaware that those who sold, lynched, and tormented their ancestors in the century just past used it all too well — not as a term of endearment, but as a weapon with which to relegate another race to the status of subhuman pariah.
Rather than make it "illegal" to utter the word, why not just make it "improper?" In time, the "N" word may even all but vanish from our everyday lexicon and our collective unconscious like a long ago 20th century nightmare.
For to passively stand aside — as the "N" word continues to be uttered so ubiquitously in our cities, towns, and streets — would be, as the kids themselves might put it, strictly “old school.”
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Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Elvira Black
NOTE re AbolishTheNWord.com website and intro video:
To view the intro vido, either scroll down to the video screen when you click on this article. Otherwise, when the video finishes playing, click on the "view intro again" button on the bottom right of the screen. To view the site itself, go to the "enter site" button (this will not take you to the intro video, however.)
2 - Captain Clambake
"I didn’t anticipate that it would merit a sequel"
It doesn't.
3 - Mark Schannon
You can stop writing sequels when your well-thought out and rational goals are reached. I have no idea why the clam thinks it's unnecessary.
I've been trying to think of other ethic/racial groups--and I can't think of one that's taken the worst slur against them and turned it into a favorite word.
Jews don't greet each other by saying, "Hey Kike, what's new." Italians don't yell out, "Yo, Wop-boy, get over here." Native-Americans don't call each other "Indian Boy."
Among African Americans, it has to be a function of having been dragged here against their will -- and holding on to that word has to have subconscious negative affects.
Good job.
In Jameson Veritas
4 - Al Barger
Oh, no, the horrible thought crimes! I love how this person Elvira quotes not only knows what white folks are thinking, but why. "there are a lot of white people who still in the privacy of their own minds think the word even if they don't use it because they regard black people as genetically inferior and that word categorizes that."
Or, it could be that we think of the word because we hear it 100 times every damned day coming out of the mouths of black folks. Monkey see, monkey think.
And if we're not real carefully self-censoring, we'll be saying it out loud singing along with our favorite Snoop record - hopefully not in front of black folk.
5 - Doug Hunter
After Nigger is banned will 'the N-word' be banned and replaced with an unpronouncable symbol which will then be used in graphiti and further banned and known as 'the thing of which we do not speak'?
Political correctness gone wrong. I'm glad I have a skin color where it's not required that I I be hysterically afraid of a two syllable word.
6 - moonraven
Nothing makes anything more attractive than banning it.
The whole judeo-christian tradition rests on the act of defying the prohibition.
7 - STM
Shanno wrote: "I've been trying to think of other ethic/racial groups--and I can't think of one that's taken the worst slur against them and turned it into a favourite word".
Aussies quite often greet each other using the word bastard, in some form or another: "You silly bastard", "You old bastard", " ... young bastard", "pack of bastards" ... etc, or a whole combination of them: "You silly pack of old bastards".
It most be the only place in the world where the term isn't regarded as offensive. It is most confusing for other English speakers until they work out what is going on. I wonder if the soldiers guarding the convicts used the term regularly as a put down before their charges were flogged or hung? Probably ...
8 - STM
"Hung" ... Sorry kiddies, make that hanged ... although some convicts, undoubtedly, were works of art. More Dali than Van Gogh, though, I suspect. Many looked like a Pollock, however, after they'd been given a damn good flogging.
9 - Clavos
@#8:
Stan, you old bastard, you have a twisted mind, fair dinkum.
10 - Joe Harris
A sequel. A four-day conference. Like I care. The silent majority seems to have condemned itself to kissing minority ass for the forseeable future. ALL races of the melting pot can kiss my white ass and call one another whatever slur they wish.
Wanna talk like a moron and degrade your own race? Whatever. Wanna be a foolish racist? That's your perogative.
NIGGER!!! There, I wrote it in bold type, that's how much I fail to give a juicy damn.
11 - sr
Elvira, may it please you if I describe your work as a masterpiece. Thank you and my best to your man. Forever in your corner. sr
12 - Marcia L. Neil
Everyone knows what a real "nigger" is -- a white person who moves south and will do anything to stay there, and acts as a contact to stream in others. It's a hair-curling role, often with bloodcurdling verbal opposition but sitting outside in the sun all day is worth the dissidence.
13 - STM
Clav wrote: "Stan, you old bastard, you have a twisted mind, fair dinkum."
Mate, you certain you've never graced us with your presence? You've got the lingo down pat in one hit there. You would dead-set love it here, for sure ... the place is awash in warm saltwater, and boats. And life just tootles along nicely while you're having fun.
14 - JustOneMan
More liberal bullshit....gee..if the government makes it illegal to say nigger all of our problems will be resolved..how fucking stupid!
Next these guys will want to outlaw the word "faggot". That will force John "Lil Faggot" Edwards to change his nickname!
JOM
PS Nigger!
15 - Clavos
STM #13:
Much to my very deep disappointment, I never have, Stan.
One of my long held dreams was to charter a sailboat in the Whitsunday Islands and cruise that very special area for a few weeks, but my wife's disability has closed that door.
Australia and its people have interested me ever since I had the honor of serving with some of your troops.
16 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Nice job, Elvira...
The proof of the pudding is the quality of the comments that condemn this article.
'Nuf said.
Have a good week...
17 - The village idiot
As long as we have the Jessie Jacksons and the Al Sharptons of the world feeding fuel to the fire of racism the so called N word(nigger) will continue. The liberal media always speaks of the black community as some type of alien entity. Americans are Americans. Can we all be on board the same ship. Serious troubles lie ahead for our nation and we better be of one mind if we are to survive. Our congress likes to lick their fingers to see which way the wind polls blow or just maybe these assholes vote by Eeny-meeny-miny-mo.
18 - MAOZ
(VI @#17 -- pu-leaze don't write about "lick[ing] their fingers" and "assholes" in the same sentence. Or at least put a comma in between somewhere. Otherwise, the mental image that pops into mind first as the eyes quickly scan is.... )
19 - Elvira Black
To my friends who commented here--and you know who you are--many thanks. Quite ironic that a guy who calls himself the "village idiot" is smarter than all of the real idiots who have commented here put together times infinity.
Seeing the N word video moved me deeply--and though I still take issue with some of what Heloise and Zedd posted on Part 1--at least earlier on in the thread--I can see their point of view all the more clearly after viewing some of the comments here.
As a white person, I like to fancy that racism is an older issue that we can overcome and transcend. But hatred of one group against another--whether of different races or the same--is probably as old as our species itself.
The individuals who commented here so heartlessly obviously didn't read or comprehend the point of the article at all. All I can say is I feel nothing but sadness and pity for them. They are undoubtedly ignorant, bitter souls who can only attack to make themselves feel superior. But you're not fooling anyone--at least anyone with a heart and mind.
Now stop stinking up my article and thread and get the hell outta here. Go play in your own shit somewhere else.
20 - The village idiot
Jackie Gleason called me tonight and told me to give Elvira this message. "BABY YOUR THE GREATEST".
21 - alessandro nicolo
Al, she didn't quote it herself. It was the political scientist she quoted. STM, George Costanza on Seinfeld started that, you bastard. :<) Black race issues is big business for guys like Sharpton and Jackson. Just another industry on its last legs. Like the coal industry.
22 - Elvira Black
Allesandro:
Thanks, and PS--can't seem to e-mail you--it keeps bouncing back!
23 - alessandro nicolo
Yeah, been having problems. It's all fixed now. Give it a go.
24 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Elvira,
How did you ever get those bars of "Strange Fruit" to play in the background while folks read this article?
25 - Zedd
Mark sed "I've been trying to think of other ethic/racial groups--and I can't think of one that's taken the worst slur against them and turned it into a favorite word."
Mark think a little harder. EVERY group does that. What is implied is that African Americans are different from ALL other human groups. That further implies that they somehow deserve what has happened to them because THEY are not like ANYONE else.
Its not the N word that will end racism. It will take all of us facing our history and understanding what it should have and has cost us.
African Americans have expressed superior grace and have demonstrated amazing coping skills and resiliency under the circumstances of this great land of lies and child like pretence and denial (regarding this issue).
From your comments it is clear that you only think of the of the African American dilemma only on the surface and shy away from a mature and necessary consideration of this bizarre matter. Ponder upon it. Your views will change.