"It has been called the nuclear bomb of racial epithets. The filthiest, dirtiest, nastiest word in the English language. A word that has an undisputed pedigree of hate. The word? Nigger."
The Denver Post on 3/12/06
http://www.denverpost.com/... ran a front page article entitled "The N-Word" They begin with a definition from Websters New World College Dictionary, 4th edition:
Nigger - originally simply a dialectal variant of Negro, the term nigger is today acceptable only in black English; in all other contexts it is now generally regarded as virtually taboo because of the legacy of racial hatred that underlies the history of it use among whites, and its continuing use among a minority of speakers as a viciously hostile epithet.
The article continues "It has been called the nuclear bomb of racial epithets. The filthiest, dirtiest, nastiest word in the English language. A word that has an undisputed pedigree of hate. The word? Nigger."
Let's first start with the definition. "...acceptable only in black English..." Think about that statement. If nigger is simply a racist epithet for "black", then isn't their definition rather circular? Other than intent, isn't it exactly the same as saying that the word nigger is "... acceptable only in nigger English.." What in gods name is black English?! Isn't this definition incredibly racist? Please define black English for me in a way that isn't completely circular.
And of course Websters continues their racist folly by noting its "use among whites". I guess the word means peace and harmony when uttered by anyone who isn't "white" (whatever that means). But the Denver Post article is about someone whose last name is Martinez (with only 40 prior arrests) uttering this word while punching a "black" college student in the face. At least he wasn't "white" while sucker punching the poor student!
When will this insanity end?
Black or Nigger, White or Cracker - What's the Difference?
Everyday in our society one is inundated with racist thought and language -- black this, white that, yet few seem to take notice. But I ask you what is the difference between calling someone black or nigger? Or white or cracker? (Or fill in your racist label) Obviously there is a difference in intent; one name is meant as an insult, a slur, a verbal assault. Most would consider the use of nigger or cracker as clearly racist. Why isn't the other considered just as racist? It may be more neutral in tone but isn't what it purports to describe exactly the same? And exactly what do these words supposedly describe? I don't have a clue. They are both incredibly bigoted statements that only vary in how overtly -- and acceptable to general society, the basic racism is stated.
Long ago the ancestors of some of these same people were known as either slaves or free slaves; either way they were defined by the concept of slave. Think of what the phrase, free slave really says - these individuals are fundamentally a slave, they just happen to be free. It is an attempt to define them as something other than an individual. They even defined themselves in the same terms, what else would you expect them to do? Looking about today, it seems we haven't gone that far from those basic ideas; we've just changed the words. We are far astray from Martin Luther King's dream.
Next time you read a newspaper article on these subjects substitute nigger for black, cracker for white, and whatever racist slur you desire for all the other, "others." Does it change the meaning of the article? The feel? The message?
But nothing has been fundamentally changed in the article. Why the difference? Let me reframe it for you, perhaps the article was always racist but you are simply use to the racist language used. Therefore it doesn't shock you, it is simply "normal." Yet an article on how many niggers or wetbacks or whities do a certain thing would be almost unthinkable, and would generate a very strong response. In fact, just the use of racist slurs in this article is certain to make many uncomfortable - that is one of the goals. For those Harry Potter fans out there, I agree with Hermione - being afraid to speak a word only gives it additional power.
I challenge you to reframe your thinking - there is no such thing a race. It doesn't exist. Obviously we are all more like our most recent ancestors than our more distant ones; this isn't rocket science nor is it the foundation of the concept of race. I challenge anyone to describe as a scientific fact what these various races are. It is discussed all the time as a real, physical thing but if that is the case then describe it - your conclusion will be that it doesn't exist as a scientific reality.
Some use genetics as support for the theory of race, but they simply do the same as discussed above, they put a racist template over the basic data. If you free your mind from the concept of race and look at the raw genetic data, I doubt if you would "create" the concept of the black, white, and Asian races from this data. The Hispanic label didn't even exist until the 1970's census when they needed some classification for "them." It is a perfect example of how racist ideas are created and propagated.
Racism most certainly exists. Sadly it is far too common from all types of people but race does not. It is a social construct, i.e. it is made up by societies.
The only way to end racism is to not take the first step; the classification of individuals based on certain physical traits. This is within our power to do. We only need to begin to do it. I won't claim it is easy, it isn't. I won't claim that it doesn't require a significant change in people's thinking from all sides of this debate, it does.
Let us cast aside the old beliefs and accept the truth; physical traits have no relationship to the individual. Let us begin to see individuals as just that, individuals. This requires a significant paradigm shift. Often accepting the truth does. Let us do it. It is far past time to throw this one in the trash heap of history.
Conlin is founder and CEO of E.I.C. Enterprises, Inc. (www.eicenterprises.org), a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing a science and fact-based education to the poor and disadvantaged here and throughout the world.