Interesting commentary from a black journalist regarding Michael Richard's fiasco

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Former “Seinfeld” star Michael Richards quickly bowed to public pressure and apologized for his boneheaded N-word-laced diatribe against black customers who allegedly heckled him during his appearance at the Laugh Factory.

But Richards was a soft target. He's a white man that sprinted way over the line of racial etiquette. It was a no-brainer that blacks would rage against him. They have done the same against the legion of other white celebrities, politicians and public figures that have gotten caught with their racial pants hanging down. When the predictable firestorm hits, they back peddle fast, do their mea culpas and declare they're not racist.

The same can't be said for the legion of black comedians and rappers that have virtually canonized the word. They sprinkle the word throughout their rap lyrics and comedy lines, and black writers and filmmakers go through lengthy gyrations to justify using the word. During a panel discussion at the Summer Television Critics Association tour in 2005, Aaron McGruder, creator of the popular comic strip “Boondocks,” defiantly told the audience that he'd use the N-word as much as he pleased in his comic strip and in his series on the Cartoon Network's “Adult Swim.” If folks didn't like it, well, tough.

McGruder and N-word users and apologists serve up the lame rationale that the more a black person uses the word, the less offensive it becomes. They claim that they are cleansing the word of its negative connotations so that racists can no longer use it to hurt blacks. Comedian turned activist ####### Gregory had the same idea some years ago when he titled his autobiography ***. Black writer Robert DeCoy also tried to apply the same racial shock therapy to whites when he titled his novel, The *** Bible.

The black N-word apologists tick off an endless storehouse of defenses to justify use of the word. They claim that that it is a term of endearment. They say to each other, "You're my *** if you don't get no bigger." Or, "that *** sure is something." Others use it in anger or disdain, "***, you sure got an attitude." Or, "A *** ain't s...."

Still, others are defiant. They say they don't care what a white person calls them since words can't harm them. They forget, ignore or distort one thing. Words are not value neutral. They express concepts and ideas. Often, words reflect society's standards. If color-phobia is a deep-rooted standard in American life, then a word, as emotionally charged as ***, will always reinforce and perpetuate stereotypes. It can't be sanitized, cleansed, inverted, or redeemed as a culturally liberating word. *** can't and shouldn't be made acceptable, no matter whose mouth it comes out of or what excuse is tossed out for using it.

There are still dozens of daily examples where whites (and other non-blacks) taunt, and harass blacks by calling them ***, spray paint the word on their homes, businesses, churches, physically assault and even murder blacks. In the FBI's annual count of hate crimes in America, blacks still make up the overwhelming majority of victims.

The N-word reigns supreme at the top of the stack as the favorite racial epithet hurled at blacks during these crimes. Even when the word isn't used, the sentiment is that blacks are still fair game too be abused and dehumanized, and the N-word reinforces that belief. The word *** is and will always have, grotesque, and deadly meaning to them. And, even if some blacks do occasionally go off the deep end and wrongly harangue whites for using the word, maybe that's because ***, pricks agonizing historical and social sores.

In all fairness, a handful of black activists have waged war against the N-word. There's a website that hawks T shirts, DVDs and exhorts blacks, especially young blacks, to solemnly pledge not to use the word or patronize anyone who puts out products that use the word. Presumably that's aimed at those rappers and writers that have turned the N-word into a lucrative growth industry. But they have been the exception. Blacks have been more than willing to give other blacks that use the word a pass. The indulgence sends the subtle signal that the word is hardly the earth-shattering, illegitimate word that black and white N-word opponents brand it.

Richards gave no public hint before his profane outburst that he was a closet bigot who routinely used the word in reference to blacks. But he didn't have to. The obsessive use of and the tortured defense of the word by so many blacks gave Richards the license to use the word without any thought that there'd be any blow back for doing it. He was terribly wrong and got publicly called out for it.

The blacks that use and defend that word should be called out too. Who's willing to do that?

http://alternet.org/columnists/story/44617/

Earl Ofari Hutchinson is a political analyst and social issues commentator, and the author of the forthcoming book The Emerging Black GOP Majority (Middle Passage Press, September 2006), a hard-hitting look at Bush and The GOP's court of black voters.

[Ban Hammer 13,633]

The blacks that use and defend that word should be called out too. Who's willing to do that?

from what i've seen on vj, no one

[chri'stina 190]

The blacks that use and defend that word should be called out too. Who's willing to do that?

from what i've seen on vj, no one

I'd do it. I think it's stupid for anyone to use it.

And Bill Cosby has called people out on it.

This is kind of old, from 2004.

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewSpecialReports....E20040702a.html

Just clips, the full article is above:

Cosby stressed the importance of education and proper parenting.

" The more you invest in that child, the more you are not going to let some CD tell your child how to curse and how to say the word '***.' This is an accepted word. You are so hip with '***,' but you can't even spell it," an impassioned Cosby lamented.

......

"When you put on a record, and that record is yelling '*** this' and '*** that' and cursing all over the thing and you got your little six-year-old and seven-year-old sitting in the back seat of the car -- those children hear that. And I am telling you when you put it the CD on and then you get up and dance to it -- What are you saying to your children?" he asked."

[Caladan 19]

If color-phobia is a deep-rooted standard in American life, then a word, as emotionally charged as ***, will always reinforce and perpetuate stereotypes. It can't be sanitized, cleansed, inverted, or redeemed as a culturally liberating word. *** can't and shouldn't be made acceptable, no matter whose mouth it comes out of or what excuse is tossed out for using it.

I get the author's point, but this just seems to be incorrect. Words don't get their meaning handed down from on high. Instead, they change according to cultural usage. No one here likely uses '#######' to mean strange or 'gay' to mean 'joyful'. Probably no one here reserves 'awesome' for the truly awe-inspiring, or means to tell his wife that she inspires infantile terror in him when he says, 'Babe, you look terrific.' If you say you had a 'horrible' day at work, you probably don't mean that you experienced actual horror, just that your boss was an ###. By which you don't mean he's a donkey.

She's right that you can't just use '***' and have it automatically made acceptable because of the larger cultural context. We're barely a generation past the civil rights movement. But I think that context can change, and one of the ways it might change would be through a group reclaiming a word via humor or music.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

The blacks that use and defend that word should be called out too. Who's willing to do that?

Me. Either we all can use it or no one can use it.

Freedom of speech for some? I think not.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

If color-phobia is a deep-rooted standard in American life, then a word, as emotionally charged as ***, will always reinforce and perpetuate stereotypes. It can't be sanitized, cleansed, inverted, or redeemed as a culturally liberating word. *** can't and shouldn't be made acceptable, no matter whose mouth it comes out of or what excuse is tossed out for using it.

I get the author's point, but this just seems to be incorrect. Words don't get their meaning handed down from on high. Instead, they change according to cultural usage. No one here likely uses '#######' to mean strange or 'gay' to mean 'joyful'. Probably no one here reserves 'awesome' for the truly awe-inspiring, or means to tell his wife that she inspires infantile terror in him when he says, 'Babe, you look terrific.' If you say you had a 'horrible' day at work, you probably don't mean that you experienced actual horror, just that your boss was an ###. By which you don't mean he's a donkey.

She's right that you can't just use '***' and have it automatically made acceptable because of the larger cultural context. We're barely a generation past the civil rights movement. But I think that context can change, and one of the ways it might change would be through a group reclaiming a word via humor or music.

Well said.

[pedroh 21]

what's the big deal for saying the n-word if u're not black? whites want to get down? talkin like in da hood? that's calld a punk-####### wanksta lawl.. why would anyone would like to be a wanksta (or now called wigga)