(ThyBlackMan.com) What is Character? It’s the action you take to carry out the values, ethics and morals that you believe in. Consistency between what you say you will do, and what you [actually] do; putting your ethics INTO action. Moral strength, it takes moral courage to do what is right when it may cost more than you are willing to pay.
African Americans of the 1960s personified all of these traits and then some. Black America was vibrant, sagacious, intolerant, circumspect and self-respectful the positive attributes were endless.
Unfortunately, today’s Black Americans have retrogressed all the way back to an 18th century slave mentality finding it acceptable to be referred to as the n-word as if it is some sort of badge of honor to be worn; we sit back not saying or doing anything while drugs, misogyny, saggin pants, crime and violence are 
marketed and promoted as a way of life, as if it is all synonymous with being Black.
Incisive social commentary! Language has been and is an effective means to marginalize minorities. Hip – hop has been searching for [ITSELF] and by not recognizing [WHAT IT IS, THE ARTISTS] have related to gangsta type images, they have brought into a lie as to who they are suppose to be. We need to address the lie and remove the deception and present an image of who and what they can truly be. In many ways rap music has been a corruptive influence; poverty and pop-culture celebrities have combined to create an alluring cool-pose culture of self-destructive behaviors, and is now being passed off as incisive social commentary. Not good!
Black users claims of desensitizing and using the n-word in an endearing manner are misleading, leaving many people to be misinformed and misguided. This becomes blatantly obvious when they ALSO use it in a cursing and malediction fashion…thus the hate and offensiveness of the term isn’t being eliminated at all. It’s time to take our heads out of the sand and acknowledge the fact that though you can try and change the context of a word, it is impossible to change the context of its history.
To borrow a phrase from the musical group “Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes”; Wake up everybody, no more sleeping in bed, no more BACKWARD thinking, time for thinking ahead, wake up ALL the teachers, TIME to teach a new way. When you teach the children teach them the very best you can, the world won’t get no better if we just let it be, WE got to change it, JUST YOU AND ME.
Exhibiting strong character, ethics and moral values in their stand for human decency, many have already signed the petition. If you haven’t done so you are encouraged to join with those who already have along with the United Voices for a Common Cause, Inc. in denouncing Black America’s self-induced portrayal of itself as the n-word…a n**ga.
The curtains on the Minstrel Show act needs to finally come down. This is the 21st century; Black America is no longer compelled to take itself as some sort of a joke; the time has come to make a statement that we are no longer interested in lampooning ourselves. UVCC may have initiated this petition, but the petition belongs to the Black African community…take it and run with it.
To lend your support to the petition campaign drive please click onto the following link: 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
Staff Writer; H. Lewis Smith
This talented brother is the founder and president of UVCC, the United Voices for a Common Cause, Inc. ( http://www.theunitedvoices.com ); and author of “Bury that Sucka: A Scandalous Love Affair with the N-Word“.
Also follow Mr. Smith on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/thescoop1
