Since we are “planning” to read Nigger Heaven in the coming weeks, and I find myself uptight saying the title out loud, let alone writing it here on this blog, how do you react to Louis C.K.’s take on the matter?
The Arts in New York City
Professor Judell / MHC @ CCNY / Fall 2013
I disagree with Louis C.K., and agree with John Fugelsang instead:
http://youtu.be/g4GDcd4dOYU
Chris Rock has a similar take on the matter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iau-e6HfOg0
It might be true that people automatically equate the n-word with the full six letter word. However, choosing to say the “n-word” or the full n-word shows a lot about a person’s class and level of education. This is a very derogatory term that is used to refer to a long-oppressed group of people who struggled and still struggle to achieve social, and more importantly, economic equality. People who experienced the Civil Rights Activist Movement will most likely feel very sorrowful when they hear the n-word said in its entirety. The new generations use it very commonly without feeling the same pain as the older generations. I recommend reading or watching “Of Mice And Men” and “To Kill A Mockingbird” to know the significance, if you have not done so before.
I actually agree with Louis C.K. I feel that you shouldn’t be saying “the n-word” because your referring to the same derogatory term that you are trying to avoid. “The n-word” is just a synonym for the actual word, and you might as well as say the word. I feel the only time you should be saying “the n-word” is when there are children or others who you don’t want to have exposed to the racism. Otherwise, you may might as well say the word because it doesn’t really make a difference. I actually believe that you shouldn’t even being using the word in the first place, unless you are doing it from a reading.
It’s important to recognize how this six-letter word may affect others. Although some may argue that it is just a word, it’s much more than that. Nigger is probably the most powerful word in the English language because it encompasses so many years of inequality and suffering. This is the dilemma I had to face when considering whether or not to read this novel on the bus or train. It’s not so much that I care about what other people think (I read John Berger’s “Ways of Seeing” with no problem), but because of the potential risk of offending someone who happens to catch a glimpse of the cover.
There’s no reason to use the term, so why not avoid it? Therefore, I think it’s safer to say “n-word” rather than the actual word in order to avoid potentially offending someone. Nonetheless, I think it is acceptable to say it in a classroom setting if we are referring to this particular subject matter.
Dear Denise: I couldn’t have expressed the same sentiments better. Here’s another article on the topic, that includes statements from a college instructor who taught a course of the topic”
“The n-word is unique in the English language. On one hand, it is the ultimate insult- a word that has tormented generations of African Americans. Yet over time, it has become a popular term of endearment by the descendents of the very people who once had to endure it. Among many young people today—black and white—the n-word can mean friend.” Here’s the rest of the article: http://www.tolerance.org/magazine/number-40-fall-2011/feature/straight-talk-about-n-word
Dear Fadi: Quite astute. Backing up your stance, here’s a case of a black boss being fined $250,000 for utilizing the N-word against a black employee. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57601041/
Dear Shawn: Michael A. Hardy, Esq. is General Counsel and Executive Vice-President to National Action Network (NAN), slightly disagrees with you (or maybe not) in his article, “There Is No Good Use of the N-Word.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-a-hardy/there-is-no-good-use-of-t_b_3891226.html