Retire the word
The world is a beautiful place. There are peaceful parks and enchanting forests to venture in where people can gain peace of mind. In the majority of cities there is running water and electricity to keep society moving along. Why bypass the beauty of the world to dredge up old racial slurs that only mean something to ignorant people? As a suggestion Americans, bury the N-word for your own sanity.
The embattled N-word has become a cultural icon. The word has defined the barrier between two races for centuries. The use of the word has become so complex, trying to find out what it means is like solving a Rubik’s Cube in three seconds. The root of the word is ‘Niger’, which in Latin means Black. If you view the word from this context then people are being called black. If one is of the Black race what is the problem with this? The problem is the latent self-hatred of the race being called the N-word.
Why would African Americans be angry over being called black? The answer is inside of their own heads but many won’t acknowledge this. Because of centuries of being mentally enslaved, African Americans sub-consciously hate themselves. The use of color against African Americans has made them attempt to identify or become something they are not. The futile attempts to bleach their skin or straighten their hair over the years are proof of this. The word should be considered evil from this standpoint. Whoa, not so fast.
The conundrum surrounding the N-word is the fact that African Americans refer to each other by the word. The use of the N-word between African Americans is mostly accepted. African Americans lovingly call each other the N-word and if they like a White person they call them the same. This is how complex this situation has become. If the word were just evil to everyone, the scandals and controversy would be non-existent. Since there seems to be a positive usage of the word, chaos surrounding the N-word is constant.
Usage of the N-word isn’t just relegated to the impoverished, ignorant African American. Many famous comedians and sports heroes use the N-word. In the music industry the word is a staple in many hit songs. So why the uproar when the word pops up in a text message between two pro football players? Why the media backlash when a pro basketball player tweets the N-word? Can it be because the African American psyche is confused itself?
An African American child born in the USA is bound to grow up hearing the N-word used by family and friends. If they listen to music there is a good chance the word will be in something they listen to. How then are they supposed to view or feel about the word? Here’s one way: it’s bad when a White person says it. Really? Can you see the confusion and useless chaos the word creates?
2013 is coming to an end in a few weeks; let’s end the useless confusion over the N-word. For every story wasted about someone being called or using the N-word there are hundreds of worthwhile stories to be told. There are heroic events taking place that never get media attention. There are well-spoken people who say nice things about others who never get public limelight. These are the type of stories that should be reported daily; namely, the type of news stories that detail the beauty of the world and the positive actions of humanity.
Frank James IV © 2013
beingfrankwithfrank@gmail.com
The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the writer and not of the Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper or NCON Communication, its staff or management. Being Frank is a bi-weekly column exclusive to the Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper.
