"N" word debate

Niggah, Nigga, and the “N” Word
The “N” word conjures up so much the past and what it means to be Black or of African Descent . But is this word now receiving attention that it should not? Given its history, can this word ever mean anything positive? The word is slowly creeping into the vocabulary of young people. Did our ancestors really fight for the abolition of this word, only to have it return as the flavour of the month? What effect will this have on our youth?
The debate over this word has two sides. On the one hand there are those who remember how people of African descent fought for dignity, equality, and civil rights. On the other are those who now embrace the word as part of their hip hop and rap culture; the “N” word has become part of their vernacular.
It was a word with negative connotations, used in the era of slavery to dominate the powerless. It was used to oppress, and to subject pain and humility on those with little cultural or economic influence. For those who endured slavery, the word represented pain, cultural genocide, and a horrific time in our history. The “N” embodies a time that included getting Blacks out of the neighborhood, and out of the schools. It regulated a hate, which was meant to terrorize people of African Descent and dehumanize the Black community treating them in a way that was less than human. Leaders in our community have had issues with naming them, using words that are purposefully malicious and demeaning, words that are not wholesome and do not elevate a race to its rightful level. The “N” word was once used to endorse killing, maming, obedience and to show a form of service to the Master making it clear where you stood.
Currently, hip hop and rap artists are creating a new form of language among our youth. Some claim the “N” word is a way to communicate. It is seen as a way of letting go of the past and moving forward to something fresh and new, a way to claim the word and use it to rewrite history. The “N” word is also referred to as a term of endearment, and represents youth’s rights to exercise their freedom of speech. Most rap artists see the word as a part of their vocabulary, a code of communication and a part of their mannerisms. Latino hip hop artists such as Immortal Technique state the “N” word is a way to show how they have been oppressed and are also part of the transatlantic slave trade (hiphopnews.yuku.com). Tupac Shakur referred to Nigga as “Never Ignorant Getting Goals Accomplished.” Other hip hop artists cannot understand the discontent over the word, especially when there are bigger issues of racism to address. Some question why people are upset with the word when the underlying message is referring to a ‘black man’ (www.thuglifearmy.com). Some hip hop artists state that there are more negative connotations with the words Black than “N” word. The overall goal for society is to have an open mind and stop fearing the “N” word; instead we need to deal with it. As people of African Descent we have gone from Negro to Coloured to Black to African American/Canadian to Nigga. The argument goes like this: what is the hype about when people of African Descent have been given so many names?
I had the wonderful privilege to hear Minnijean Brown, one of the children of Little Rock, Arkansas, speak about the “N” word and what it meant. She questioned why youth today would want to be called “N” when she remembers being called this word over and over as a young child. It was referred to those who did not belong, who were less important, had no rights, and were not part of this society. She stated that she has heard the word being used as a greeting between people of the same race (African race) when they have not seen each other. Girls refer to their men as their “N”. Some justify the new forms “Nigglets, Niggah, Nigga, as a way of understanding the rap culture. But this word is not the same as calling someone a redhead. Remember Eeny-meeny-miney-mo, Catch a ni ----- by the toe, if he hollers, let him go, eeny-meeny-miney-mo? What does it mean to revert to the “N” word? Minnijean could not fathom why someone would want to be referred to in this manner rather than their own name.
The “N” word is a large piece of our history that cannot be reversed; we cannot change history. The painful thoughts that the “N” words symbolize cannot be erased. By acknowledging and accepting the “N” word we are turning our backs on the cultural and historical baggage the word carries.
There are some people who are on the fence and cannot decide if they are for saying the word or not. It seems to me that the “N” word relates to the old slave mentality and selling out. It is a word for a sale’s pitch and for grossing income. To me it still is derogatory, ignorant, and a word that does not have any place in our society. Racism must be recognized everyday and so must its practices. Accepting negative descriptions and categories destroys one’s culture and continues to keep one race superior and the other inferior. Everything is connected and we must remember what the “N” word meant.
The question still remains: do artists have the right to use this word? Does society have the right to be upset about a word that, for some people, means something completely different today? Do individuals of African Descent have the right to use this word with members of the same race but react harshly when someone from outside their race says the word? The “N” word – where do you stand?