The N-word is one of the most taboo words of the English language. The history alone is an indication of the hatred and negative connotations that surround the word. To use “nigger” in a positive manner only belittles the people whose past is haunted by the negativities of the word. Continued use of the word only stimulates racial injustice and keeps African Americans oppressed. The N-word is and always will be a stain on American society.
To this day, the N-word is used to demean African Americans, and people of Afro heritage. Long before the Civil Rights Movement, it has been the catalyst or method of choice to speak ill of people of color. In the 1700 and 1800s, plantation owners would whip, beat, burn, hang, maim, and/or kill slaves because they were “niggers” and therefore property. A “nigger” is someone beneath the ground you walk on, an animal, something despicable. This term holds no positive overtures, no friendly sentiments, or respectful salutations. How can a word so entwined with spite be an everyday word?
Since African Americans have been on this continent, we have been under the umbrella of oppression. With each step forward, we take two steps back. We overcame Jim Crow Laws, to turn on our own people. Everyday someone calls another person a “nigger”; we are dredging up its negative history. It is a smack in the face to our ancestors to use the N-word so blatantly. They fought, suffered, and strived so that this generation could be treated as equals, as Americans.
Racial injustice is still prevalent in this country. Incidents like Jena 6, and Don Imus’s comments prove that we are not one people. It is time to put into action what Martin Luther King Jr. said in his I Have a Dream speech. We must rise up from the quick sands of racial injustice to the rock of brotherhood. We cannot do this by calling our brother, friend, acquaintance, or enemy the N-word. We cannot rise up if we continue to think of each other as less than human. We cannot better ourselves as a people if we do not think better of ourselves.
Most people in this generation do not realize the power and history that couples with the N-word. They refuse to acknowledge the connotations of a word. The people who believe that African Americans are “niggers” are aware of the implications of the N-word and exploit it. We cannot begin to change the mindset of this country for better until we change our attitude and approach. The first step is to eradicate the N-word from polite company. From there, we can move towards racial equality. The African American community must stand up and not allow this word to dictate who we are as a people.
I agree- I once heard someone say, "every time anyone uses that word, another black person is lynched." That's a powerful statement, and I think it's true. I believe that quote came from one of the founders of the Abolish the "N" Word website.
I don't think America is a racist nation, but many of its citizens are racist.
My name is Dani Atkins and I am one of 4 surviving children of Ronald Edward Atkins and Clancyna Marie Atkins. On January 26, 2008 my father was killed in a tragic car accident that took place only 2 minutes away from my home. My parents had been married for 30 years at the time of the accident without separation. As I have been assisting my mother with putting together various lawsuits and claims against several different persons, insurance companies, and even the Los Angeles Police Department regarding several acts of negligence and dishonor surrounding my fathers death, I have come across a disturbing piece of information that I, being a 24 year old African American person am appauled. My father having been born on April 9, 1955, has a birth certificate that identifies his color and race as being "NEGRO." My grandmother, Eloise Marie Harrison having been born on April 4, 1933 has a birth certificate that identifies her color and race as being "NEGRO". My mother, who is still alive, Clancyna Marie Atkins born on September 4, 1956 has a birth certificate that identifies her color and race as being "NEGRO" as well. And I am quite sure there are thousands if not milliions of other African American people dead or alive who have been identified on paper at birth as being "NEGRO" I am absolutely disgusted that the United States of America even in 2009 have not made an attempt to make right this defamation of character in administering all new birth certificates to those who have died as well as those still living to identify these HUMAN PEOPLE with dignity and respect. I am passionately committed to make my fathers name wholly reflect the honorable father, husband, and man that he was and the fact that his life was not even given an opportunity to start before he was branded on United States of America paper as being a "NEGRO" is a disgrace and a shame on America.
PLEASE SUPPORT THIS MESSAGE TO THE WHITE HOUSE BY SIGNING MY ONLINE PETITION at: http://www.gopetition.com/online/29117.html
If you have any questions e- mail me at: kingdom.servant.dani@gmail.com
Thank You,
Dani
That's not the "N-word" we were talking about. Martin Luther King, Jr. himself- and all other people from that era- used that term. In fact, a perusal of the iconic "I Have a Dream" speech reveals that MLK uses the word "negro" 15 times. The phrase "African American" didn't even exist back then, (Malcolm X is credited with popularizing the similar phrase, "Afro-American") so how could any official document, including birth certificates, contain it? That's like expecting Christopher Columbus to know the meaning of and correctly use the word "rocket ship." It seems your indignance, while well intended I'm sure, is misplaced.