The Word Nigger

In 1940, Langston Hughes wrote: "The word nigger to colored people of high and low degree is like a red rag to a bull. Used rightly or wrongly, ironically or seriously, of necessity for the sake of realism, or impishly for the sake of comedy[,] it doesn't matter. The word nigger, you see, sums up for us who are colored all the bitter years of insult and struggle in America."

Do you ever feel intimidated when an African American confronts you with the "n" word? Well being an African American living in America I really wouldn't. Some ignorant "black" people might think of the extreme usage of this word as a compliment however, I beg to differ.

Most of the black people I associate with do commonly use the "n" word but they cannot give accurate nor sustainable reasons as to why the word is in such heavy rotation. It may be peer pressure, a need for acceptance (which I believe is just idiotic), or even "tradition" for them to use the "n" word so nonchalantly. Although I may not show it - I feel offended when confronted by a fellow African American and I am addressed by that word. I even tell my brother who is six years my senior not to address me that way. Although he may not follow my demand because he is six years older than me, I am still able to get my point across through displaying repetitive disdain for the word.

Many would say that it is wonderful that blacks as a race can take something so negative and turn it around. I say why bring something so demeaning back into the African American community and tempt some Caucasians to the point to where they think it is ok to say it. As always African Americans then believe that they reserve the right to get angry with whites for using the word as a racial slur. During the times of Jim Crow and Willie Lynch laws whites used the word to lazily label those of black skin tone because they could not respectfully call them by their names and sooner rather than later it became regular for African Americans to be called that.

There were many African Americans who fought adamantly for their civil righrts and didn't want to be associated with that word. Those people were Heroes and they were and still are recognized in our society today. El Hajj Malik El Shabazz a.k.a. Malcolm X is one of many who refused to be associated with that word. Martin Luther king Jr. fought for equality and respectful treatment of each race as well. How do you think they will react if they knew that every thing that they fought to their deaths for went down the drain?

The English dictionary defines the word "nigger" as: 1a. a black person. 1b. any member of a dark skinned people. 2. A person of any race or origin regarded as contemptible, inferior, ignorant, etc.3. A victim of prejudice similar to that suffered by blacks; a person who is economically, politically, or socially disenfranchised. Now black people use just a slurred version of that word all the time. Instead of condemning shows such as the "Boondocks" or the Chapelle Show which glorify the usage of the slang term nigga society is celebrating the creators of these awe inspiring shows and honoring the writers with million dollar contracts. These shows attempt to show the word in a satirical light but there is no in depth intellectual discussion after the show where people can get a better understanding of the word's origins and its dangers instead we are inundated with the favorite phrases of our favorite characters of the show and we ultimately end up repeating iconic phrases such as "You Niggas is ignorant" (courtesy of the "Boondocks" in our sleep. The term nigger is now probably the most offensive word in English dictionary. Its degree of offensiveness has increased markedly in recent years, although it has been used in a derogatory manner since at least the Revolutionary War. Definitions 1a, 1b, and 2 represent meanings that are deeply disparaging and are used when the speaker deliberately wishes to cause great offense. Definition 1a, however, is sometimes used among African-Americans in a neutral or familiar way. Definition 3 is not normally considered disparaging-as in "The Irish are the niggers of Europe" from Roddy Doyle's The Commitments-but the other uses are considered contemptuous and hostile."(Dictionary.com 2006)

During slavery many of the slaves were sold to the America by Portuguese slave traders.The Americans were buying, "Ne-gros", which is Spanish word for black. The slave's owners trying to pronounce the term, "Ne-gro", due to their accent mispronounced it thus coining the term "Nigger." It did not start out as a derogatory term; it became negative and derogatory after slavery to the civil rights movement and today. Blacks today say it means, "A low life person" with that anyone can be a nigger, this comes from a lack of research. Many blacks call themselves nigger, why? I don't know.

There are still signs that show a lack of knowledge of the word. I looked up the word on Google and discovered a quote saying, "Many blacks call themselves nigger, why? I don't know, but it just means, "BLACK" " Now that statement is just entirely WRONG. I am black but I do not refer to myself as a nigger and I will never refer to another black person as a "nigga". However, as mentioned before, pop culture, rap music, and the new generation's idea of what it means to be a creative individual will continually perpetuate the usage of such a word until all people, not just black people decide that it is degrading enough to members of our immediate communities and society that they must replace the word with something more meaningful and imaginative. I wonder why the words spic, kike, wetback, honkey, and cracker have not turned into household names for other races in our society. Is the black community setting substandard standards for our youth and the ways in which they communicate with each other? Food For Thought!