(ThyBlackMan.com) The recent and despicable killings of Charleston church members have brought about renewed pandemonium over the flying of the Confederate flag. The concerns from Black America’s perspective are legitimate, but with reservations, in other words are African Americans being a bit disingenuous about the issue.
Consider the fact that many African Americans, without hesitation, think absolutely nothing of using a term that dehumanized and objectified their ancestors, the n-word n**ga, and now refer to it as some so-called term of endearment. Have put it to music shaking their booties to the beat of n**ga, n**ga, n**ga. How disgraceful, contemptible and shameful can one possibly be by showing so much DISRESPECT relative to the struggles, sacrifices, trials and tribulations of their ancestors…and yet have the audacity to point fingers at white folks and the flying of the confederate flag. Excuse the cliché, but isn’t this the same as the pot calling the kettle black? And please, let’s stop insulting one another’s intelligence with the “a” vs the “er” nonsense, n**ga is ghetto vernacular for n**ger, same as brotha – brother, sista – sister, etc.
Not all Black African Americans use the pejorative n-word, however, far too many who don’t use the term condones use of it by others, refusing to speak out against its use makes them an accomplice and no different from the actual users. Their silence implies that all Black Americans approve use of the term, leaving a wrong and misleading impression. There are many young Black Americans who too assume that all black people use the term, which is why many of them don’t even think twice about using it, they assume it’s the natural and normal thing to do.
The n-word is a racist term used to define black people, and when another people interjects words into you such as the n-word, it becomes more than a label it is a full descriptive; the word, descriptions are related and associated with each other. Thus, when the person accepts the label they are accepting the total descriptive thing (sub-human, 3/5 a person, bestial savage beast), and when those words become common place in the brain they incarnate and coordinate the chemistry and physics of the body affecting attitudes and behavior patterns. In other words the n-word to our ancestors was far more than a slur, it was an exclusion from God a condemnation to Hell. Never in the annuals of known history, until the advent of chattel slavery, were any species of humankind known to be treated with such brutality and contempt. To add insult to injury, their 21st century descendants, incredibly and shamefully
Any sort of brutal act perpetrated upon the enslaved was always fueled with the rant and rallying cry of the word n**ger as if this would make any unconscionable acts performed acceptable in the eyesight of their Christian God. While the hanged, beaten and maimed drew their final breath, the last words the victimized would always hear were the chants of n**ger, n**ger, n**ger ringing in their ears. During Hitler’s mistreatment of the Jewish community and experimentation in Eugenics, President Roosevelt admonished him for such conduct, to which Hitler replied, “Everything we do to Jewish people was learned from your treatment of the American Black people.”
In this 21st century history is repeating itself through the self-destructive lyrics of rap music. The impressionable young minds of our Black youth are treated as garbage disposals, dumping anything and everything into it that’s debasing—ALL for the almighty dollar—simultaneously promoting criminal behavior; and it’s happening with the blessing of the Black community since the group collectively refuses to put its foot down and say enough is enough. Control of the precious minds of Black youth have been handed over to money-hungry rappers and indifferent comedians, actors and actresses, while the intelligentsia, ministers, community leaders sit back and have done ABSOLUTELY nothing to stop it, this habitual practice of self-inflicted cultural genocide have the rest of the world looking on in complete bewilderment.
Such naïve, mouth gum flapping comments as we are re-claiming the word, we are taking the power out of it insults the intelligence of any cerebral thinking person. It makes far more sense to talk about re-claiming your stolen history as opposed to laying claims to a word that dehumanized and objectified your ancestors. Clearly, except to those who refuse to see, the polemical n-word indubitably is in control and not the other way around. Thanks to the senseless and asinine global promotion and marketing of the n-word, everyone and their mother all over the world now mockingly uses the term. The barely conscious will argue that there are greater things to worry about. But I ask you: What is a greater concern than the demolition of a people’s image on the world stage? If there was such a thing as a Dummy of the Century Award, those Black Americans complicit in the global commercialization of the n-word would win it by unanimous decision.
Attention needs to be drawn to the fact that among the black intelligentsia use of the term sanitizing is always lurking about; if we are going to incorporate use of the term one must have the mental resolve and intestinal fortitude to expose how Black history in general is being sanitized and censored as it pertains to the mobility and uplifting of the psyche of the black race; otherwise, they should smartly refrain from speaking about how the n-word shouldn’t be censored or sanitized, which inimically serves as a self-refueling, self-generating psychological conduit to mental enslavement.
Granted it must be acknowledged that the flying of the confederate flag is an affront to present day Black America and the African-American Holocaust, but it would be disingenuous to overlook the salient fact that Black African-Americans embrace of the immoral and vile n-word is equally offensive and disrespectful to the victims of the African-American Holocaust an issue that need to be addressed and not ceremoniously dismissed.
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 author of Bury that Sucka: A Scandalous Love Affair with the N-Word, and the recently released book Undressing the N-word: Revealing the Naked Truth, Lies, Deceit and Mind Games https://www.createspace.com/4655015
Also follow Mr. Smith on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/thescoop1.
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There one very important thing black poeple need to realize; you are not slaves. Yes, maybe your great-great grandparenst were slaves 200 years ago but so what? This is not 200 years ago and you are not slaves. You have food and iphones and freedom but you keep pulling the slave card every chance you get. If I see one more 20 year old guy with an ihpone in one hand, a burger in the other and wearing the newest brand clothes while talking loudly about slaverly, I`ll kncok him the hell out. What you are really doing, is using your anchestors pain to butter your own bread. Where I come from, that is worse then swearing in church. It`s not done. So how about using your heads instead of that tired old slave card. It`s getting real old and as you might notice, you are not slaves.
It`s always fun when someone tries to tell me which words I am allowed to use. This is 2017, I live in a modern country and I`ll use whatever words I want to use. It`s a joke when black people say "hey! you can`t use the word nigger!". Their great-grandparents were slaves and that means they dictate which words I can use. :) What a bunch of assholes. There is no way I will ever let a human being tell me what I`m allowed to say, that will never happen. They call each other niggers and they call me honkey but I`m not allowed to use certain words? I wish I could line you all up, look you in the eye and bitchslap you. Who in the hell do you think you are? Imagine me telling these people "no, you can`t use those words, I have decided that". They would lose their minds and riot in the streets. But I`m supposed to be a good little boy and just swallow it, right? Not fucking happening, ever. :)
I don't understand how the same word can be used by two races of people & mean different things. It's the same hypocrisy coming from both of the political parties, one more so than the other.
"The Rebel Flag" was not an issue that was worthy to be argued by adults. Fighting the Rebel Flag is an issue that you assign to college graduate & undergraduate students.
However, it IS possible for African-Americans to entertain more than one thought in our heads at the same time (contrary to what conservatives think).
I have heard and understand the views on both sides of this issue. If I were black I don't think I would have jumped on the "nigga" bandwagon in the 90's. But I can see that there are advantages to it perhaps.
But here is my issue. In grade school we had a gentle giant type classmate. He was black and well liked. One day in a packed line this greasy kid that was not well liked to pushing his way forward in line. That kid was white. Our buddy got pushed and objected in a way that was consistent with his temperament. The white kid said to my buddy to "shut up" and ended his sentence with the word nigger. My buddy instantly started pounding on this kid. He was furious. I was dumbfounded. What was it that took this mild mannered person from a state of being laid back to a point of violent fury in an instant. It was a word. Just a word. It didn't make sense to me then & it doesn't today.
My mother was raised in Berlin during WWII, I'm small, & my eyes are pretty crossed. I've been called some pretty awful things myself. If someone wants to call me in name in a mean manner, I feel and think that that is a indication of a flaw in their character, not mine. I’ve wondered if I were black and somebody called me a nigger in an attempt to suggest that I was a lesser to them how I would feel or react. I just can't see that it would phase me. Again, it’s really their issue. Not mine. I'd rather they show me their foolishness than hide it.
Finally I'd like to add another thought that shows that the issue behind these words is not unique blakcs. Another word commonly used had its roots in a most hateful discriminatory manner. The targets of that word made it a word of pride and strength thus turning the word from a weapon against them into a weapon for them. The word was Yankee. The term had its roots around a London bar whose patrons were noted to be overtly flamboyant homosexual men. The word became a street name to describe them in and around London during the mid-18th Century. It rapidly took hold as a word used to insult the Colonists that advocated independence from the King. The Colonists took the word and made it was it is today. Only in history books does Yankee mean anything other than American. Let things roll & our grandchildren will possibly have no memory of nigger/nigga meaning anything hurtful except in a history book.
I think that words like these only have the power that give them you individually or as a group.
My dear brother JDean, I completely get context when it comes to historical discussion as it adds authenticity to the conversation. However, the daily use of the n-word has nothing to do with context and everything to do with an oppressive mentality. I to live on the West Coast – previously in Oakland / East Palo Alto, Ca. and now in SoCal (LA) and the point that I was and am making is that there is no oppression when our Brown brother say certain words to one another. The reason being is that Cholo was never institutionalized and directed at them for 450 plus years! They never had to endure the atrocities that our ancestors did. They have never been exposed to a Jim Crow policy and other legislation passed to ensure that they were relegated to an under-class by design. My brother check your history so that there is complete understanding of the purposeful and harmful systemic policies lead by evil and hateful people to oppress the Africa people for economic, social, political, educational and to an even greater degree spiritually! If you haven’t read The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander and Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome by Dr. Joy DeGruy – I would highly recommend that you do. Since you are so focused on context, I am certain that these two writers will enable you to contextualize the importance of his –story, while embracing our legacy!
Peace, love and seeking the truth,
Totally feeling you, jdean! As our ancestors used to say, don't bother 'cause the dumb mule can't talk anyway....
Being stubborn is an understatement, I adamantly refuse to submit to the wishes of those who lack mental prowess and are unable to rise above the inferior status of that of a n**ga, a category created for African Americans by those who feel superior to us. I have way too much respect for myself, my race and the victims of the African American Holocaust and Jim Crowism than to kowtow and accept being defined by a racist term that categorized my ancestors as sub-human, 3/5 a person and bestial savage beasts, and to add insult to injury treated them as such, for me or any African American to embrace such an abominable term would be ludicrous and imbecilic.
Thanks justsayn. I knew somebody would feel me.
Excellent response jdean! Your position is the most valid. Terrance Amen is garnering customers for the establishment to secure a kickback for himself while H. Lewis Smith is plain stubborn.
Contrasting two eras: 60s I'm Black and I'm Proud. Fast forward to the 21st century I'm a N**GA! Clearly today's African American have been dumbed down. These mentally- and emotionally-scarred descendants of slavery are so severely psychologically disturbed that they actually believe they can alter historical events by foolishly attempting to change the meaning of a word. Some how we must re-discover the proud and intransigent Black African American of the 60s.