Who is Right in the Nigger War

My God, typing that into the title felt....not freeing....not racist....maybe concerned, that no other word in this post would be read and the ultimate label could be applied to me and my blog...Racist.

There has been reaction from all colors of the spectrum on this issue, from Katti Gray at Newsday with "A Wake-up call on the N-word":

"A thousand thanks to Seinfeld sidekick Michael Richards for stumbling into the spotlight as the Great White Whipping Boy over use of the N-word, a dishonor he rightly deserves. Richard's tirade against black hecklers in one of his recent Laugh Factory audiences has become Example A in how one white man's inner racist, when provoked, will jump out uncontrollably and punch a couple of nightclub patrons dead in the face.

For this grave assault against two black men - and the whole of black America, and anyone else taking offense - Richards has apologized repeatedly. He's been trotted out and has been given to fits of self-flagellation on national talk shows. Our forgiveness, he asks. He's presented himself as a penitent on the altar of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who remains appropriately on patrol in an America that hasn't, after all this time, managed to win the war against race-baiting."

To John Ridley at the Houston Chronicle with "I won't be following Jesse Jackson's Lead":

"I have no qualm about using the word. It is just a word in the English lexicon, and no amount of political correctness will remove it from reality. Trying to amputate it into the "N-word" — as if by the castration of a few letters we should then be able to conceptualize its meaning without feeling its sting — only gives the word more power. The word itself has no true effect other than the velocity and voracity the receiver ascribes to it. Deny its use, lock the word away as though you were locking away a weapon, and you increase its puissance."

Two different reactions to the same situation. Who is right and who is wrong? They both have their opinions and are welcome to them, but as with any PC issue....who prevails? Like the PC term "person of color;" different word to describe the same difference; is your mental picture any different?

I have a friend that doesn't care what you call him, with the exception of the term "colored." So he's ok with everything else, but is offended by that. Black or white, we are all individuals, once you open the floodgates by saying 'this is what this group of people want to be described as' and this will never satisfy everyone. Change the people, not the language.

The "hecklers" that were "heckled" back have retained the services of attorney, Gloria Allred....who will assist in helping the men receive a little monetary reparations. Her website brags of her being "A Fearless Advocate for Justice and Equality." Unless that "justice" or "equality" includes the freedom of speech.

All of Black and White America was and is offended, but if, as one of the "heckled back" doesn't believe Richards was sincere in his apology on the David Letterman show; how sincere is their hurt and offense if money will help them feel better?

Jesse and Al have jumped into the fray (of course) and wish to have the word banned in the entertainment industry. Do I/we take the "heckled back" stance and decide this is just Jackson and Sharpton creating a furor for PR? There is nothing new to the music censorship question: Censor This, Music censorship in America and Music Censorship the beating goes on.

Rather than face the difficult question of where is racism in America, or anything that might improve the lot of people, we get the suggestion to "illegalize" or ban certain words in the language. Gee, that worked, why didn't we do this long ago? Control and/or regulation will keep us all happy and blissful. "Newspeak" will spread the word as gospel.

How about looking into the underlying logic behind the acceptability of a words use by one group of people over another.

Debate? I'm all ears, here is an angle to debate - it might be spam, but it's an argument - "Bury That Sucka!" by H. Lewis Smith

Previous posts on the subject:
Jesse and the "N" word - 1984
Ripa, Richards, Rosie, Aiken and Sharpton