If I ever needed a stern reminder of what color my skin was, the incident that happened this weekend gave it to me good.
I was so caught off guard and in disbelief that I had to look behind me up into the purple moonlit sky and then sideways into the lifeless brick houses around me to make sure that I was the target. Out walking my dog, it was late and I had slept throughout most of the day to which thunderstorms had occupied. I was hooded and bundled up, out doing my thing. Out of nowhere a car with a group of Italian boys (I live in a predominately Italian neighborhood) drove by. One heroic yokel stuck his pale faced out the car window and yelled “niggerrrrrr”. I took out my earphones to make sure this sissy hadn’t said bigger or trigger, and then there it was again, “niggerrrrr” but this time the car was up at the end of the street and the fool’s head was still out the window, like a dog, a dumb dog.
Yea I had retorted back with “@#@#$@##%”, but it didn’t have any impact on the sissy mobile that quickly got away.
I was fuming all the way back home, had the dog looking up at me like I had lost my mind. My stern reminder had turned into a blow to the face. During the daylight no one felt the need to call me a nigger, I guess the cowards come out at night and strike from the safety net of their vehicles- how pathetic.
The incident forced me to re-visit the issue of banning the word “nigger”. Since the year 2007 the black community has been relatively quiet regarding the use of the N-word. Despite the fact that over 16 states passed a resolution to ban the symbolic use of the word, In my opinion comedian Paul Mooney killed it for me. The funny as hell N-word proprietor had declared that he was no longer going to use the word, and I somehow felt betrayed. I had always argued that the use of “nigga” was okay within the community but the use of “nigger” outside was not ok. But to ban the word nigger completely didn’t sit well with me.
I thought about where those pale faced Neanderthals may have picked up such a word, and what may have possessed them to say it to me, then drive off. Then I thought, hey I don’t use foreign words without consulting a dictionary so why don’t I look into where this demon of a word comes from. The timeline of the word nigger is a perilous one, at one point the “nigger” was an ad gimmick. A coal company once used the slogan “Our goods may be black, but we treat you white”. A tobacco company issued “Nigger hair” coupons that were redeemable for cash. From the 1600’s to 2009, the word “nigger” has prevailed.
My opinion hasn’t changed much despite the incident. I’m not fond of the N-word, nor do I use it on the daily, but I will laugh when a stand up comedian uses it for emphasis, or bob my head to the lyrics of the song that so cleverly rhyme it. So to ban the word in my opinion? Not realistic.
As far as the incident on the weekend is concerned, I take comfort in these words:
“it ain’t what they call you, it’s what you answer to” -W.C Fields
And I think those misfits were referring to themselves.
SHC familia, how do you feel about the N-word? Sick of debating its existence? Are you for or against the ban?
FYI-For more info on the timeline of the word Nigger please check out this link: http://www.ineverusethewordnigger.com/index.html
I feel fr you on this one. This happened to me in high school a few times. My high school was in a part of Brooklyn that is still reminscent of the old 1920’s Brooklyn.
Banning the word wont do it any good. The people who use the word as slurs dont learn it from rap songs or movies or stand up comedy. It’s almost never used derogatively in those media so those that make this argument are mixing up causal with correlation.
Just like what W.C. Fields said “it ain’t what they call you, it’s what you answer to” . People gives words power. Someone can say “Nigger” to me and it wouldn’t affect me. I know I’m not a “NiggER”.
I cant lie I use the word “nigga”.. I know who to say it to and when to say it, feel me? but naturally it always goes back to the HIP-HOP community. Lol, the use of the word doesn’t bother me. I know the history and turmoil behind but I figured we were past that. We have a Black President for petes sake.
The quote is the way you should definitely react man. Words do have power only if you let them. I think anyone would’ve reacted in that manner considering it was so cowardly – in the dark and in a car. Funny thing is…I bet these kids dress no different than all of us in Jordan’s and other urban gear. They hate us…but they love to emulate us because they have no creativity.
I know! I’m late is responding..I am feeling ALL the comments but this stuck out to me:
“Funny thing is…I bet these kids dress no different than all of us in Jordan’s and other urban gear. They hate us…but they love to emulate us because they have no creativity.”
Emulate & fear at the same time is what causes the hate. You fear what you don’t know and due to slavery most (not all!) of our rich culture and contribution to the world has been hidden…so these kids are just as clueless and in the DARK as the original people who were called “NIGGERS”.
[...] name calling shooting, by a bunch a punk b*tch mofos. It stung. I wrote a post on it over at SHC (click here to read). I was over it for a bit but now that pic done gone and brought the memory back up- [...]
I hope I will be allowed to crowd in a place where I obviously have no dog in the fight. I am white and from Texas. I used this word much growing up. And I used in the worst possible way. My parents used it and still do. I didn’t know any better. I heard it used since I was a child and knew little else. But I grew up. I saw how wrong it was and I did better. From where I am from and how I was raised, I am as non racist as one could possibly be. Considering by back ground. Whites can and do evolve. We do get better. Some of us.
And I wouldn’t have held it against you for a second if you chased them down and choked the life out of them.