http://www.change.org/petitions/black-african-americans-to-denounce-and-stop-referring-to-one-another-as-the-n-word-ngahs?share_id=KieLfUvvjt&pe=d2e

To be quite candid it is most unfortunate, senseless and illogical for this discussion to be taking place at all. Jews don’t discuss whether or not they should refer to each other as hymie or kike, for the simple reason they are not in the habit of doing it…at least not publicly…nor do they disrespect the memories of their ancestors, they simply refuse to condescend to such a level.

Latinos, don’t publicly go around greeting each other as wetbacks, disrespecting their ancestors and each other, therefore, no need for them to have such a senseless discussion as well…its only natural that you just don’t behave in such a fashion. Other than the Black African American no other group lower themselves to embrace a word that demeans and degrades them. Other than the Black African American no other group markets and promotes a word that dehumanized and devalued their ancestors.

It is insulting, humiliating and downright mortifying that Black African Americans don’t think enough of themselves to refrain from such infantile, childish and asinine behavior which we exhibit as a group, in embracing a pejorative term such as the n-word. It should not be happening…but since it does…those of us who are mentally liberated have no choice but to confront those who insist on dragging the memories of their ancestry through the mud, making a mockery of their struggles and sacrifices; insisting upon applying the lowest of standards to us as a group, determined to hold the race to inferior civilized standards of conduct and lack of principled expectations. This is unacceptable and inexcusable thus encounters pursue. Encounters that are entirely unfortunate and shouldn’t and wouldn’t be necessary if we had the utmost respect for ourselves and our ancestors and just thought more of ourselves in general. We have no respect for ourselves and all at the same time wonder out loud, why the rest of the world has no respect for us as well. The nonsense must…SOME HOW…come to an end.

They knew that what others called you became a part of one’s consciousness – especially under the conditions that they heard that hideous word day after day. This word was so engrained in our ancestors that it still haunts many us to this very day. We can see the negatives effects of this word on our youth and some of our more mature folks who have never taken the time to investigate why we are the only group of people who still identify and embraces a word (internal image) that imprisons us on a daily basis with every use! This is the equivalent of being diagnosed with cancer and simply choosing to remain in denial – eventually the person dies from the condition and from not acting on sound information that deals with their current state or condition. Now would you say that this is an affective and rational response to one’s situation? I trust that I have awaken your consciences in regards to why each of us should stop using a word that absolutely does nothing for our collective wellbeing! Finally, I would ask you why no other ethnic group embraces a derogatory word to associate with themselves?

Consciously Black,

Someone please share with me why there needs to be one right answer. The folk who support the abortion of the N-word – work to abort it. The folk who believe something else – work to stamp that out. Collectively – much like a football team – we are all playing a critical role to achieve a collective effort.

What’s really sad is there is a debate rather than a conversation to see who will serve what role in the fight.

The n-word isn’t just a word, it is an image; an image that is considered to be sub-human and 3/5 of a human being. This is how your ancestors were looked upon. The racist system has conditioned you to DESPISE your ancestry which is why you don’t mind taking the very word that dehumanized them and will spend hours upon end trying to FIND justification to embrace such a word. A racist system has never given you permission to RECOGNIZE and HONOR your ancestors and never will. The same effort you are putting in to producing reasons for attempting to EMBRACE this word should be directed towards a movement to immortalize the memories of your ancestors. Blacks hold nothing sacred…ABSOLUTELY nothing and why is this? Because this is how you have been conditioned.

For almost 400 years a racist system has always given you the green light to relate yourself to the n-word. It will never give you permission not to…this you must find the STRENGTH and COURAGE to do on your own. Same for the honor and homage of your ascendants you have been conditioned to despise them. The memories, sacrifices and struggles of your ancestors if they were held sacred you would not be WASTING your time looking for justification as to why this word should be EMBRACED. But then again you have not been given permission to do otherwise from those who endowed you with the word in the first place. It takes a lot of strength and courage to stand up and think for yourself. Those of us who do have the strength are climbing out of that barrel of mental enslavement, and try as you may to pull us back down into that barrel with you…it’s not going to happen.

You don’t treat a symptom you treat a disease.

Go back through the great leaders in our history, Malcolm, Marcus, Martin, Dubois, Washington, Turner, Tubman.

The focus and intent of their message and method was one of fundamental change to the systemic oppression and reaction to that oppression by Black folks. It wasn’t minimalist, nor a time wasting venture like signing a petition to stop a word that may or may not be utilized in a self flagellation fashion as suggested in this piece.

I defy both of you to name me one leader of substance in our history that focused on something so immaterial and expected such a great gain from it.

Let us start with Marcus Garvey. Garvey had a platform of pro-Black power, expressed through economic, scientific, and political excellence manifesting itself in racial respect, power and pride. IF we follow that vision today the SYMPTON the “N” word would be auto corrected upon achievement.

Dubois argued among other things that leadership of the best of us on behalf of the rest of us would provide us with the capacity and resilience to address the double consciousness imposed by being Black in white society. IF we achieve that vision, the the “N” word would be in material.

Even if we wiped the “N” word from the face of the map right now it wouldn’t change the pathologies caused by oppression that inflict us now.

Even from a organizational management, economic, and structural analysis of issues you don’t correct systemic problems with non-systemic solutions.

My point to you well intentioned brothers is that there is a such thing as economy of time, and dispersion of energy. Meaning that time spent on one thing can not be spent on another, and than time can not be recaptured, therefore it is must me used in the most effective manner possible. Secondly the dispersion of time weakens the strength of any movement like a light bulb versus a laser beam. A laser beams focus and intensity allows it to burn through almost any substance. That is where we need to be.

So yes, I read the article. No I do not agree with it. The above reason reflects why I think we should direct our energies to more effective responses to our condition.

Clearly, you either did not read the article or if you did, failed to comprehend what you read.

If you don’t understand the centuries-long history of the dehumanization process that took place (and is clearly still having an impact) then you’ll keep your stance on thinking the n-word has no impact. It had an impact on our ancestors for centuries, we’ve had no education, therapy or anything to really DEAL with the residue from enslavement and all the trauma associated with it, so why would you think the continued use of that word is somehow so indifferent that it is having a positive or no impact on us today. Brother, please!

If half of those who use this word stopped using it (other than in its historical context when TEACHING about its HISTORY), you’d see a substantial change in the areas you list that we should focus on (1) white supremacy (2) economic upward mobility (3) community identity (4) poor education (5) culture of materialism (6) destabilized family structure. Do you really think that with probably at least 50% of us using the n-word all-day every day, listening to it, dancing/singing to it – and another 30% being complicit by saying nothing when it’s used – is NOT having a negative impact on our community? Do you really think that use – and the mindset we know is associate with the use of that word – is NOT having an impact on the speed of improvement for those 6 areas you want to focus on?

If you have problems believing that, don’t worry, the people in positions of power DO NOT, which is why they allow that one particular derogatory racial slur to be intentionally globally marketed and keep many people not only using it but others, like you, acting as if the promotion/marketing of it doesn’t matter!! The load of your 6-list priorities llis would be GREATLY REDUCED if you didn’t have a bunch of people on your team and that you’re trying to “fix” dragging you back by constant use of the n-word and the mindset that’s been associated with it for CENTURIES. Please wake up and open your eyes.