The following is dialogue, which I overheard prior to today's basketball game at my school:
"Dude! You know what would be like totally hilarious?? So. You know how the Christian teams have there f*ing rituals before and after every game they play, where they say 'And now, we'd like to invite you to join us in prayer.' Well, you know what would be like totally f*ing hilarious? We should all like walk up to them and be like 'And now, we'd like to invite you in toking a bowl.' And then, walk up and slap their ni**er coach for being so dumb!"
Wh-hut?!? Does this make sense to anyone else? I go to a public school, and the school we were playing was the Christian school. I understand not agreeing with being forced to participate in others' religious beliefs, but this is ridiculous. First off, the Christian team wasn't requiring, or even expecting anyone on a large scale to participate in the prayer. As far as I could tell, the only thing that even happened was that the Christian coach approached our team, and invited them to join. He then returned to his side of the gym, and began to pray with his team.
Not liking other people to force their ideas on you is one thing. An entirely different kettle of fish is not allowing others to hold their beliefs, and being angry at their mentioning them to you. And as for the drug reference and racial slur? Well, that's an entirely different kettle of fish...
Generally, athletes understand that smoking anything can be hindering to the body (especially athletes who run). And secondly... The coach wasn't even Black. He was Hispanic.
I know that bigotry exists, but I was absolutely shocked and dumbfounded to see someone so blatantly exhibiting his or her prejudice. What is this crazy world coming to?
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You're absolutely right. Even if it was a "show-off for the boys (or girls)" type of thing, this world needs to set straight what it's priorities are.
I can't really believe that it is impressive to other people that he said those things. This society needs to be a bit more intelligent in what deems good or entertaining behavior.
-- Amber
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/akoenig
Oh! You just lost 5 points in my book. You didn't use the F-word properly. And you failed to spell out nigger. Tsk Tsk.
I am not so shocked that a group of students would be so bigoted. Kids are mean.
Nicholas Aden
Self-Promotion
My Creative Writing
I believe it's the respect of refraining from using the n-word, even in blogging, as to why she didn't spell it out. I think that was better than you spelling it out. This term needs to be taken seriously.
She did it so as not to cause offense. Not in some respect of or for the word. "nigger" is a stupid word, plain and simple. I think it sounds funny, something I don't tend to use in everyday speech (excluding when I'm calling my white friend one because she's gone and called me a Communist).
By "tak[ing]" "this term...seriously" all we are doing is empowering it, adding to the connotation of the word. You know what? I think the word needs to be overused, proliferated, and ultimately, forgotten. Just like Dolby Thomas. No one knows who sings "She Blinded Me With Science" and no one knows the words. They know the song...ish. And Nigger is just the same. We need to use it without respect, without reverence, and without care, driving the word in to oblivion. I'm sorry that you feel it's offensive, but I wouldn't continue to spell it out if people would stop being offended.
Call me sarcastic, call me a cynic, call me an ass. The point remains: I like to get a rise out of people. People don't think until you've got them up and ready to beat you. And it's the point right before the proverbial cap is in your ass that people are really thinking.
Nicholas Aden
Self-Promotion
My Creative Writing
"I wouldn't continue to spell it out if people would stop being offended."
The n-word isn't just another swear word that can be thrown around. And it is nothing like some song that no one cares about anymore. It has a history of racism and discrimination. Spelling it out just to get a rise out of people seems a little ignorant to me.
So does fearing a word, in my opinion. Use the damn reply button.
Nicholas Aden
Self-Promotion
My Creative Writing
Sorry, my bad about the reply button. I see your point, but I don't think that using the word and ignoring that context will "solve" it.