PLEEEAAASSEEEE read this entire thing! I know it's long!
I promise I'm not going to turn my blog into a political tirade of subjects, but another issue that I feel extremely strong about has come up. So, I figured I might as well get it out of the way now since I just talked about how unbelievably pointless smoking is. Most of this post is going to be a cut and pasted article that I received, so I will use a different color font when I'm talking.
Most of you know by now that Michael Richards aka KKKramer from Seinfeld went on a lil racial rant the other night at a comedy club called The Laugh Factory, which just so happens to be within walking distance of where I live right on Sunset Blvd. In case you're living under a rock, here is a quick summary of what happened.
The 57-year-old comedian was caught off guard when two African American men in the audience shouted at him that he wasn't funny.
According to the video posted on TMZ.com, Richards snapped back:"Shut up! Fifty years ago we'd have you upside down with a f***in' forkup your a**!"
He then yelled: "You can talk! You can talk! You brave now motherf**er! Throw his a** out! He's a ni**er! He's a ni**er! He's ani**er!...Look, there's a ni**er!"
First, I just want to say that of course Michael Richards had the right to get mad. But there was absolutely no reason for the racial remarks. The guys in the audience weren't yelling racial slurs. Not only that, Michael is a COMEDIAN. They get booed all the time. It comes with the territory. You need to be able to handle that mess if you're going to be a comedian. Ok, now this next portion of the post is from an article that I get e-mailed to me from EURweb.com, an online entertainment magazine type thing. Darryl James wrote an article that brings up some very important issues. The article is loooong, but I urge you to read it all or at least skim the majority of it, because of course I want comments at the end. I'll add some of my thought within the article.
THE BRIDGE: I’m Sick, Niggers!
Michael Richards finally let it off of his chest.
By Darryl James
One of America’s favorite funnymen let the world know how he feels about Black people and some naive people are acting surprised.
Michael Richards, who played Cosmo Kramer on the popular television show, “Seinfeld,” lost his cool when a patron at the Laugh Factory, a comedy club in Los Angeles began heckling him.
Instead of making jokes about the heckler, Richards unleashed a discharge of anger and ignorance that was tainted with the stink of racism in the form of the word “Nigger.”
Surprised?
It’s America, people.
And, no matter how cool or how innocuous we imagine some people to be, racism is alive and well.
No matter how many Stupid Ass Negroes think that they are changing the meaning of the word “Nigger,” it is still vital and ugly, lurking in the hearts of racists all across the nation. (For any non-black person reading this that can't figure it out, he's talking about black people calling each other "Nigga". I believe this to be a major factor in confusing non-black people about what this word really means. I do not advocate the use of this word!)
No matter how many of those morons think that times have changed and accordingly, the attitudes of racists, racism is still pervasive in every portion of life in this nation.
Even as some people claim that the N word is just a word, it is still tossed as a harmful verbal bomb across the racial divide.
Some Blacks are up in arms, but I’m wondering why anyone is surprised.
After all, it’s just a word, right?
Of course it’s not just a word.
It’s a powerful slogan. It carries centuries of ignorance and evil, stained with the memories of strange fruit hanging from bloody trees.
The word carries the message of hatred and violence, of intolerance and injustice.
Even when it is unspoken, many of us who are aware realize that it is on the tips of tongues of many white Americans who pretend that they want us all to get along while they attack Affirmative Action, and while an entire entertainment industry thrives on deliberately and singularly targeted, acquired, contracted, promoted and purchased music denigrating our image—made by us, but not for us. (He's not saying that all white people are racist, but the truth is, many of them do use this word. I've heard people admit to it. It never went away folks!)
They realize that if you want to keep us down, it’s important that we are treated like Niggers and that our most negative behavior is encouraged and marketed while we are duped into thinking that we are so free in the world that the verbal symbol of racism no longer carries meaning.
Even when it is unspoken, many of us who are aware realize that the word is still held near and dear to the same white Americans who sit next to and work with us. (This is SO true! Please believe me when I say that racism is still alive and well in America. As a minority, I know! It's just that it's not out in the open anymore. It's under the radar. As many of my classmates know, an incident happened last year dealing with this same issue. Someone in my class who laughed with me and was so "cool" around me, just so happened to keep a blog FULL of racist and sexist ideas and comments. And this person wasn't even white, which probably makes it worse. Point is, the very people who you work closely with may not view you in the same light. Now, I know some people are thinking, "let it go Kris, that happened last year". Well, to those people, let me remind you that I was the only African American male in my class. I was called a nigger for the first time when I was in 3rd grade......by a second grade white girl!! I've gone into stores and been ignored. When I was in college, one of the black professors at my school woke up to a cross BURNING in her front yard!! Get it?? Just because I don't go running to my white friends telling them every single racist encounter that I have doesn't mean that they aren't happening!!! You can't let stuff go so easily when you deal with a lifetime of it!).
The word has not been put to death, nor has its negative emotional impact, even as other groups protect themselves against similar verbal assaults.
And, what say you, Jerry Seinfeld, when learning of your treasured friend’s verbal faux pas? “I’m sick,” say you?
Yeah, I’m sick, too.
But I wonder how sick you would be if a good old white comedian had uttered the “H” word? If a Jewish man had been heckling him and the white comedian unleashed his racism in a torrent of Hymies, and ranted about how decades ago, you would have been in an oven with a fork up your ass, how sick would you be?
And, really if you’ve been walking through this nation with your eyes open, how could you really be surprised? (I think most black people aren't surprised, but it's the non-racist white people that are. Since racism is so under the radar now, a white person who is not racist may think that it is vitually non-existent. I, however, deal with it to this day. I know it is very real).
Ask yourself: “Is there still racism in this nation?”
And ask yourself: “Don’t white people hear Stupid Ass Negroes calling each other “Nigger?”
Here’s the fifty thousand dollar question to be asked: “Were the two Black men in the club referring to each other as ‘Nigger’?” Or did racist old Kramer hear Black comedians sprinkling the word around liberally on the same stage he graced?
My goal is not to defend Michael Richards and his racist outburst. My point is that before we can continue to be up in arms about white racists hurling the N word at us in anger, we must first be angry at those of us who think that the word is no longer ugly and hurtful. We must first be angry with those of us who think that using it in front of other races and/or allowing other races to use it around us and/or with us is okay. (I totally agree here! Black people are not without fault! We need to stop calling each other "Nigga!" It serves no purpose whatsoever!)
My overarching message is that before we demand that anyone else respect us as a race, we must first respect ourselves.
Sure, some people got up and left after Michael Richards let the N word fly, but take a look at the tape and you’ll hear some people laughing and you’ll see some people remaining in their seats.
Some people thought Richards was still funny at that moment.
At the end of his tirade, Richards uttered more words that perhaps summed up the entire debacle. He said: “You see, there’s still those words, those words, those words.”
Yes, Michael Richards, I hear you.
At the end of every encounter with a Black person, there are still “those” words--words to hurl, which let them know how white racists view them. There are still those words, which even as some of us foolishly aim to de-fang, still carry a powerful sting.
Michael Richards understands what all too many Stupid Ass Negroes in America fail to.
No matter how much Affirmative Action gets you on their jobs, and no matter how much integration has placed you in their neighborhoods, and no matter how many young whites buy rap music and sing the words with their Black homies, many whites still want you at the back of the bus, or as Richards wistfully mused “hanging upside down with a fork up your ass.”
And, even if they can’t take action, “there’s still those words.”
Now, how do you feel about that word?
Personally, I’m sick.
I can't help it. Racism is something that I feel so very strongly about, and I hope at least a few people out there can try to understand why. A white person living in America can never fully understand, because they don't live it like a minority does. But, every white person knows the history that blacks and whites have in this country. WHY does racism still exist today??? That answer is easy!!! To this day, NOBODY wants to talk about it. NOBODY wants to sit down and deal with America's dark history. Yes, this does go back to slavery! I don't want anyone to pity Black people. But America needs to recognize its past, so that it can finally let it go!!
Now, on this one, I REALLY want people's comments and opinions. I've shared mine. Please. Leave your comment as anonymous if you must, I don't care! Just leave one. However, if you make a profound statement, or just leave a simple sentence with your name attached to it, because you know what you stand for and aren't ashamed, then that really says something about you!
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13 comments:
Kris,
You're black? Hmm all this time and I never noticed! ha ha. It's a good post and I don't think anyone will be offended by it. I'm certainly not. It seems so far away from the little world that I live in. Really. We sit through hours and hours of PCM and listen to how we are supposed to treat people and how it is OUR responsibility as physicians bestowed with some "mystical" power by our title that we always treat people as equals. Yet does it seem real? Not yet anyway. Kris, I hope that when I am staring at the racial lines drawn by our society that I am able to blur those lines and to see not a color, but a person. You've helped me with this, I thank you.
it's pretty ridiculous - what can you say... it seems like today very little is considered "off-limits." Basically our society sucks, and very few people seem to want to make a stand.
I hope you will not take offense to this but African Americans are not the only minority in this country and are not the only group of Americans that face prejudice. There are Jewish people, women, muslims and many others that face the same if not more blatent perjudice on a daily basis. All prejudice is the sign of ignorance but it is not directed at any one group of people anymore and that is the truest shame of all. I hope that I have not offended you or your other readers. I have been lurking for awhile enjoying your California adventure but I felt like responding to this post. Jill
http://criminalmindsfanatic.blogspot.com/
Where to start… where to start. Well, let’s start with Mr. Richards. While Mr. Richards purports the shame behind his statements, and I don’t doubt that he is ashamed to some degree for what he’s said, what is of more interest to me is that there was some place in his heart to speak these words. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” How can one who claims to not be a racist blurt out in song and dance a word that carries such a strong racially derogatory tone? Perhaps many people find themselves wishing that they could just scream out the ‘N’ word as Michael Richards did because of the severe social penalties for using it publicly, a sort of forbidden fruit in a sense. Does using the ‘N’ word intrinsically make someone a racist? I think the answer may be more intricate than a simple yes or no. I think use of the word carries too many interpretations in different contexts. Hearing blacks using the ‘N’ word, especially around non-blacks, may lead others to believe that using the word is okay, that it can be used in jest and song without precipitating the same consequences that it once did. And perhaps in some contexts, it doesn’t bear the same consequences. But what message is being sent when we as blacks give a signage of approval or apathy for perpetuating the use of the ‘N’ word? What are we saying about our history, those who have come before us, and about ourselves? Kris hit the nail on the head. We as a nation and perhaps even as a people are too timid to revisit the history of the making of the U.S. of A. Is slavery over? In law, yes, but let’s not pretend that 400 years of a history of slavery has lost all its flavor. Many people say that we should not use what ended ~150 years ago as an excuse to accept a mediocre lifestyle and as an excuse for falling short, and to a degree I agree; there is a lot to be said for perseverance, determination and hard work. But let’s consider this, if one perseveres, is determined and works hard and applies say to an institution of higher learning where most of its administration is run by people who outwardly may tolerate racial diversity but inwardly are screaming out the way that Mr. Richards did in his rage, how far do you think perseverance, determination and hard work will take you? Somewhere along the way, something is going to fall short. Some fail to recognize that the slavery of this country created a racial divide that used race to mark superiority and inferiority, that one race ultimately is designed to be the master, the other a slave. Believe me, it bears consequences today because it was more than just a physical slavery, it was a mental slavery. Even today, I meet blacks, whites, and every other color and shade who have demonstrated in some way that they find blacks to be of an inferior nature. Let’s not pretend that 400 years of a history of slavery has lost all its flavor. Unfortunately, we have already begun the pretending. While many people may find no harm in the actions of Mr. Richards, and some even applaud his behavior, let us keep several points in mind. To begin, he is a human being, who if raised in this nation, inevitably has been exposed to racist thoughts, whether maliciously or out of ignorance. This may not be an excuse for his behavior, but I see him as the unfortunate one who not only harbors such ideas in his heart, whether or not he chose to, but who also represents a large number of individuals who could have just as easily found themselves in his position because of their own deeply rooted racist paradigms. Secondly, know that racism is real, and consider its impact—consider how this incident is not a solitary one and how many more have the potential to occur, not just in comedy clubs but in academia, in government and social venues. Next, revisit the history. If you are a victim of racism because you’ve been tainted with degrading racial paradigms (that’s pretty much all of us), or if you’ve experienced degradation because of racial paradigms, then revisit the history, and be real when you consider its implications today. And finally, while the impact of such racial blows is real and detrimental, consider how you think of yourself, especially to those of us who are of African descent. Know that media portrayals of blacks—not just in the US, but on the African continent, too—ARE biased and often demonstrate helplessness, poverty, crime and sorrow. But know this, too: you don’t need the media, the government, or Michael Richards to tell you who you are. That’s up to you to decide.
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love; but the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corin 13:13
So Kris, I'm sure you can imagine know how apalled and disgusted I was when I heard about this incident. I then seeked it out on YouTube and it literally made me physically ill to watch it.
Ok. Here's the way I see it. No question the man is a racist. But to his defense, all people are in American society. On a small level, some black people hold racists views of themselves, regardless of how conscious they are of them. Kind of the same way some women hold sexist views of themselves. It's just the reality of the media, textbooks, news, etc... we all grew up with. But I would also say he's obviously more racist than most knew, maybe even himself. I don't know about you, but when someone different from me (i.e. race, gender, religion, etc...) makes me angry, the way I respond doesn't ever include slurs. It's just not natural if you're not harboring those feelings to begin with. Him saying he's not racist is as convincing as Mel Gibson saying "I'm not Anti-Semitic" after his tirade. It's bullshit. Plain and simple.
And as for the article. The man's right. We talked about this all the time in DPE. No one will ever respect you if you don't respect yourself first. That rule applies regardless of who you are. However, just because a black man doesn't respect himself doesn't mean he deserves to be called a nigger. Just because a woman is a prostitute doesn't mean she deserves to be raped. There is a responsibility that needs to be owned up to.
As for one of the other comments, I feel like blurring the color lines is a backward approach. We should be appreciating people for who they are, not trying to see them all in the same light.
Kris, you being black is a very holistic part of what you stand for and it would be foolush to ignore it or try to look past it.
And let me take this opportunity to express how disappointed I am with Michigan's voting results to denounce Affirmative Action. What a loss. Hopefully our very conservative Supreme Court will see the importance of such a policy.
Sorry for the long comment everyone. But as Kris knows, I get pretty heated on these topics.
Thanks for the Myspace bulletin! Seeing that reminded me of your blog. Hope all's well, I could really use DPE reunion :P
Hey guys, thanks for the input so far. I wanted to make a comment in response to Jill (dny loves criminal minds). First, thanks for your thoughts, I really appreciate. Please don't get me wrong, I am for equality for ALL people in this country, no doubt about it. But the truth is, blacks and whites have a history in America unlike any other group that stretches back for hundreds of years. And since I am black, I am more sensitive to it, and that is why I focused on the black/white issue.
As you can see from the comment that my friend Kelli left, we were Diversity Peer Educators in college. We went around campus facilitating discussions on the importance of the acceptance of all people regardless of age, sex, race, sexual orientation, disability etc. I just wanted to make that clear so you know why I focused on blacks and whites for this particular post.
Kelli -- You brought up an important point that most people don't think of, but it is very true. Many people have racist views about themselves, possibly without even knowing it. All I can say is that this country needs to deal with this whole issue ASAP. That's part of the reason that I want to become a public figure. I plan to use that as the vehicle to get my point across to everyone.
First of all, Jensen beat me to the "you're black?" line and of course I am not happy about this. Secondly - what the fuck is a Hymie? I'm only familiar with the hymen. You might call me an expert.
I sympathize and agree with just about everything you wrote, K. There will always be racism against blacks and considerable prejudices pointed against people of other "colors" and cultures, as some have mentioned above. Nobody's indignation over their "group" should trump anyone else's here. But about African-American racism -- getting us to "sit down at the table" and talk about our dark past, I think, has largely happened already, has it not? Please tell me if you think it has not. Racial issues have huge visibility and generate an inordinate amount of tension where an otherwise intraracial situation would be of little notice. We still have, in 2006, living Americans who, first-hand, experienced and partook of legalized discrimination on a national scale (and some of them hold national office for 60 years - I'm talking of the eminent bigot Strom Thurmond, of course).
This will not be the case indefinitely, however. Any time modern day racism is made public, it is met with absolutely zero tolerance from the public at large. A good sign, isn't it? The discussion has shifted; it begins from a different point.
I disagree with dissuasion of the use of the word nigger or nigga between blacks: who cares? More power to anyone who can morph a derogatory term into one of endearment. It is not the responsibility of those with no ill-intent to censor themselves. Mike Richards, who insisted, "But I'm not a racist, that's what's so crazy about this!" on his Letterman apology, is, quite clearly, quite racist. So it goes. The enourmous outcry in the wake of his comments clearly shows us how little tolerance the media and the country has for bigotry. Racism is still a mainstay of the ideas of some Americans, you're right. A lot of these people live in the Confederacy (pickup trucks with "Southern Cross" flags and such), and while not one of them I will openly admit that I am not without strong prejudices of my own (mainly tied to certain preposterous ideas that people hold, instead of the more shallow factors seemingly more important to Michael Richards). We are all laden with condescension towards somebody about something, but to varying degrees and on varying issues. To burst out in public with such vehemence is telling in the extreme.
Lastly: did you know that the Cross of St. Andrew is the source of the cross on the Confederate battle flag? (My patron saint was crucified in an "X" position). I'm only saying.
Race is ... interesting.
I'd like to think that someday we would be able to eliminate it from our forefront perspective, but I also don't believe that will be the case for a long time, if ever. Race as defined in America is a little beast that we have constructed, and that we continue to try and sweep under the rug. As a social construct, it has developed to a point where it defines our existences and motivates our passions, sometimes in ways such as this. Race continues to bind our actions. Race continues to restrict our purest of motives because of the affects we tie to it, both subliminal and conscious.
So if we cannot eliminate race, what do we do with it? I hope our ultimate goal would be to open discussion, and to continue to talk in genteel and academic fashion.
Is it all we can do? That is debatable.
Does my stomach churn when I see such regression from the progress we have made over the past 143 years since the Emancipation Proclamation? Definitely.
My heart still skips a beat when I think of the snot-nosed teenager with his pasty girlfriend who yelled at my mother on Mother's Day to go back to her country simply because he was angry that she beat him to the nice parking spot in the Wal-Mart parking lot. Partially because I am reminded of the regression, and partly because it is a personal concern.
Hey Kris. I just want you to know this is my first blog post ever... first facebooking, now blogging. I'm really coming out of my shell baby.
I think I mentioned to you that I had seen this Michael Richards thing on CNN earlier this week - I have had some time to think about it. Of course, watching that clip brings on a variety of thoughts and emotions - I suppose shock and general sadness being two that come to mind right away... sadness that anybody has it in them to say things like that to another person, regardless of the circumstances.
I think a lot of good points have been made - both in the article and the comments posted by yourself and others. As I read through this stuff, I found myself thinking about my time in South Africa. As you know, I was there from 2000-2002, less than 10 years after the fall of Apartheid. I think it goes without saying that the Apartheid Era and the years leading up to its demise were filled with tension and hatred like we cannot understand. African school kids were shot like animals, white civilians were burned alive, and so on. While I don't claim any expertise on the complex social history there, it was certainly interesting to observe the social transition that was taking place 10 years later.
One thing I noticed was that meaningful inter-personal interaction, especially service, was the one thing that brought down barriers and united individuals from different "tribes". Down there they sometimes talk about the three main "tribes" - The Africans, the English, and the Afrikaaners (Whites of Dutch Ancestory).
Some blacks and whites down there live life side by side, but don't understand one another at all - they don't understand one another's humor, they don't understand one another's cultures, customs, etc. and because of this lack of understanding, there is a natural hesitancy to interact. It's not that they don't like one another, it's just that they don't understand one another - so it's more comfortable to remain with one's own kind... and the lack of understanding is perpetuated.
Obviously this lack of mutual understanding can turn into bad feelings. For example, the African guy starts to believe the separation is caused by the white guy wanting to keep him down and the white guy starts to believe the African guy will hate him no matter what because of what has happened in the past. Accordingly, each decides the situation is out of his hands and therefore relieves himself of any responsibiltity to make the situation better. Basically, the failure to understand each other another leads two good people with good intentions to harbor feelings of mistrust, resentment and, in the worst case scenario, hate.
On the contrary, there are some whites and blacks down there that have really come to understand one another. Specifically, I think of an Afrikaans Banker who lived in one of the wealthiest suburbs of Johannesburg and an African preacher in a nearby township (ever seen pictures of Soweto?... we're talking tin shacks for miles). To make a long story short, these two guys from completely opposite ends of every spectrum imaginable worked together in a volunteer capacity for years. They learned each other's native languages, they appreciated each other's humor, they knew what was going on in the lives of the others' kids, etc. and really understood one another. Observing their interaction, I think either would have done ANYTHING for the other - they genuinely loved each other. It was pretty cool.
The lesson this ultimately left in my mind is that if good people can overcome the tendancy to stick with their "own" and make an effort to understand those of another background, this usually leads to mutual respect, appreciation, and even love. It was cool for me to see this type of interaction between individuals who, based on history, could have easily hated one another.
The rising generation in South Africa is leaps and bounds ahead of their parents in terms of understanding their counterparts of different races. White kids and black kids go to school together, play sports together, learn one another's languages in school, etc... while all of this would have been unheard of 15 years earlier. While I don't dispute that racism in America exists and needs to continuously be addressed, I'm also quite sure that we are doing a better job than we were 50 yrs ago. I think that things in America will continue to get better with each new generation. It's a shame that Michael Richards or anyone else has the troubled thoughts/feelings that lead to the things he said. I think we make a mistake however, if we allow his ouburst to convince us that many of those we associate with must feel the same way - they just keep it from bubbling over. In this sense, I disagree with the author's approach in his article.
Forgive me for being a geek, but I can't help but think of a powerful and truly tragic literary example: Shakespeare's Othello. As you likely know, Othello allows persuasive, calculating Iago to play with his mind - to see evil where none existed. The classic line is that Iago swears to turn Desdemona's "virtue into pitch" - in other words, to use her faithfulness to Othello as the very trap that ends up ruining both of them. You can't help but hate Iago for sewing the seeds of doubt and mistrust that lead Othello to turn against his loyal and loving wife.
I believe the best thing we can do as individuals is to give others the benefit of the doubt - to assume that they have good feelings for us, just as we have good feelings for them. If we find ourselves without those good feelings, maybe we ought to make more of an effort to understand each other.
John W
Race is not a genetic reality but racism is a learned behavior, one that is inculcated into us by our surrounding environment. Everyone from family and friends to celebrities play a role in forming our opinions. Socially, particularly in certain parts of the US, race is very real. Social inequalities and health disparities are part of daily living. It saddens me to think that skin color can mediate so many injustices. Nowadays prejudices are manifested in subtle/subversive ways but occasionally a Michael Richards will pop onto the radar…Reminding everyone that progress takes a conscious effort and that the job is far from over. Just look at public education and access to medical care.
Obviously the impact of racism can be muted at an individual level but the paradigm shift has to begin from multiple directions. The old power structure was dominated by military, corporate, and political circles. Media is the new kid on the block and it has given entertainment celebrities a platform like no other before. Kris, yours is a noble cause. Public figures should use their resources to increase awareness of the need for social justice, particularly in the areas of education and health. I look forward to hearing your thoughts at a larger scale.
Kris, I am so pleased to be seeing this side of you. It doesn't surprise me that you are so open and willing to hear others opinions, as you have always had a curious nature. (I recall many nights on the phone answering your questions about the female body!)
I agree largely with what you are saying, and largely with most of your commenters. The media is a very new, very influential voice in the way we view ourselves as individuals and as a society, and I believe for the most part the media is standing up and saying "no" to racism.
Did you happen to catch any of the episodes of the show Black/White? I can't remember what network it was on, but I watched it a few times and some of the very questions you're posing were addressed within the show.
I think racism is largely internal or personal, and can spawn the ideas of superiority in fellow members of a race. Though I know the issue at large is how whites view African Americans, it is only prudent to take into consideration that there are also racist African Americans. (What about the African American mother or father who forbids their son to marry a white girl?) There are, in fact, people of all kinds harboring racist feelings toward any number of races. My point is the issue has to be seen as something that can be met in the middle. I realize that you are more sensitive to the harshness visited on you, but there are also white people who are victems of racism as well.
Please don't view this as an attempt to shift the attention, but imagine this. A young caucasian girl moves from her home in the city to a more rural location. She attends the local high school where out of 800 students, only 5 are African American. In History class, the teacher poses a question about descendents of slaves being allowed to attend Thomas Jefferson's family reunions. The majority of the all-white students are outraged and swear they would never let that happen if it were their family. In an emotional outrage, the new city girl speaks up about the rights of the slaves' descendents (after all, they were probably also related to Jefferson!) The city girl is then asked if she would ever date a black person. Upon giving her answer she is branded as a "Nigger lover" for the rest of her high school career.
Additionally, I'd like to add that I personally do not like hearing the word "Nigga" being thrown about by anybody, white or black. However, I think previous commenter Andy was onto something. While studying History of the English Language and Grammar in college I was taught that dictionaries do not dictate the language, the people speaking the language do. Therefore, if more use of the word "nigga" in a positive light can change the dictionary definition of it, let it be. A word is only as powerful as the intended meaning behind it. I feel that, in its own small way, the semantic change of this and other words can be helpful.
While the positive effects of conversations like yours are slow to be seen, they are happening. Take heart, Kris. Things are improving. The past is a dark and dreadful thing, but the truth can truly set us free.
Oh oh oh! I forgot!
Happy (belated) Thanksgiving! I hope yours was a happy and food-filled holiday!
dude, somebody in our class gave you shit? (sorry, i'm behind in med2009 news).
i know in my mind that just because somebody made it into med school doesn't mean they're not a racist. my heart hopes that 4 years of higher education would help to make a dent in racism, but i guess not.
mine is not the most contributory comment here, but i second what most of the others have said.
also, just thinking about the use of the N word. I don't know that I've ever been able to say it and I'm not comfortable with anyone using it. I can't believe that someone could scream it and not hold racist feelings somewhere in them.
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