17 posts tagged “nigger”
Though he has issued a formal apology for his use of the n-word, Reverend Jesse Jackson’s actions were irresponsible, incomprehensible, and reflect poorly upon him as a supposed role model for today’s African American youth. And to compound this issue even more, Whoopi Goldberg sang praises to the n-word before a national television audience of millions of people. Not only did she devalue herself—as she is an African-American, but also the sacred memories and history of her ancestry, and the black community in general. This type of behavior is totally unexpected of such influential African Americans and completely unacceptable by any African American.
Today, in this 21st century, the n-word has been reduced to being only a racial slur—in that it solely refers to one’s complexion, and none of the struggle, strife, degradation, and dishonor that pieced together the very foundation of the term. Thus, in this light, some people believe that the word can be desensitized; metamorphosed into this acceptable, unsubstantially mind-controlling term; and embraced by all. These same people believe that the n-word is just a word, no different from any other negative word. However, they are wrong.
I challenge anyone to take any word in the English language, pit it against the n-word—300-plus diabolical years of heinous acts, mental and physical bondage of a people, and tell me unequivocally and without a single doubt in your heart that neither of the terms is any worse than the other…Impossible. “Nigger” is the most infamous, profane word in the English language. Although I do not, in any way, attempt to diminish any other race’s struggles, no other term—whether it be a racial slur—equals that of the n-word. N**ger(a), because of the historical baggage and true purpose at its core, cannot be stripped down to only a racial slur that chunks ridicule at one’s outer skin tone. Color is where it starts, true, but beneath the thin layer of skin, just as beneath the earth’s thin crust, an extremely complex mechanic ferociously works to fulfill a higher-level, long-term, incomprehensible plot—one above that which can be seen by the naked eye. White America claimed that the slaves were subhuman; three-fifths of a human; lesser than a brute animal; bestial and savage. This very definition, therefore, gave them the right to dehumanize the slaves by slaughtering, butchering, and maiming them; brutally raping slave wives and daughters; executing mental genocide on a race of people; sodomizing with hot pokers; boiling and burning alive innocent people; disemboweling and castrating young men; and unmercifully beating ascendants until slivers of skin, shown to the red meat, dangled from their bodies—only to be met with more unbearable pain as the ridiculers poured whiskey and kerosene on the open wounds. As the victimized gasped for their last breath, they heard the jeers of “n**ger, n**ger, n**ger” in their final moment. For those who say this glimpse into the past is nothing more than a hyperbole of America’s racist mentality that prevailed for more than 300 years, they do not have to look any further than the recent West Virginia, Megan Williams case of kidnapping, raping and torturing to realize that this is not an exaggeration and that racism, and its foundation logic of mental enslavement, is still alive and well. The n-word cannot be sanitized, cleansed, inverted, or redeemed as a culturally liberating word. The argument that the n-word can be changed into this endearing and meaningless term is a fallacy of enormous proportions—regardless to who utilizes the term or the excuse for its use. It is impossible to undo all that was executed upon African-American ancestors, so why would one believe that they could miraculously transform the meaning of the term and disregard all of the indignity attached to the idiom? All African Americans should regard the argument for transforming the n-word as an insult to their intelligence. Regardless to how the word is used today, its sinister and evil history cannot be eradicated, transformed or successfully redefined. The term will always suggest that black people are second-class citizens, ignorant and less than human; proponents’ use of the term implies that they have accepted their role as such, and informs others that it is okay to live up to the definition and expectations of a “n**ger.” Whoopi and others like her have forgotten and/or are perhaps blissfully ignorant to the pain, sacrifices, life and death struggles of their ascendants and how they survived tremendous obstacles, trials and tribulations. Embracing the n-word is an effrontery to her ancestors’ glorious legacy, a mockery of their memories. N-word supporters fail to understand their affect on the minds of today’s youth with their deleterious dysfunction and culturally degrading acceptance of this word. The n-word is a surviving remnant of a psychological warfare conducted to create dependency and behaviors that support achievement of a devious national objective: mental enslavement of a race of people. It is a passively slick form of psychological, social, mental, and spiritual abuse that only results in the death and destruction of a race of people at the hand of that race of people—African Americans.
One’s level of self-esteem—whether healthy or unhealthy—is a direct result of the environment and is deeply influenced by daily interactions with family, school, peer group, work place, and community.
Self-esteem is the foundation of self image, independent thought, and individuality. It can encourage us to leap bounds beyond the grandest measure, or it can discourage us from pursuing a goal before it even has the ability to ripen into a full thought. Self-esteem is the result of one’s own self-perception—the way one sees oneself in relation to their environment—and strongly reflects the level of self-value one attaches to self.
For years on end, the term “n**ger” has been used in the plight to keep black African-Americans oppressed and miles shy of achieving their God-given potential. Black African-Americans were taught to perceive themselves as something far less than human, and to devalue themselves—to be “n**gers”. As a result of the plight’s effectiveness, healthy self-esteem runs at a deficient level throughout the black African-American community.
Some black African-Americans have realized the ramifications of the term “n**ger”, understand the significance attached to a healthy self-esteem, and refuse to be referred to as a n**ger. This is because they realize the term is an antagonist to a healthy self-persona, and will not permit their own self-perception and self-value to degrade so low that they to refer to themselves as such.
On the contrary, some black African-Americans feel an affinity to the word n**ger—this is what they were taught, so this is their truth. The humility of descending to the level of the n-word is unfeigned submission of one’s mind having been overwhelmed with a weighty sense of their innate misery and self-contempt. Many black African-Americans, unfortunately, are proponents for the self-inflicted use of the n-word. Fortunes have been made by spreading a culture of gangster rap–with its glorification of crime, disrespect for women, saggin' pants, and the perpetuation of a dysfunctional vocabulary. Although this culture has contributed some positivity to the African American race in proving to youths that African Americans can attain success and own God-given creative writing abilities, this “culture” also ensures that countless young Black people will never be able to perform successfully and professionally at a job interview, or function as a civil member of society. Commentary has been made that gangsta rap is an avenue to vent one’s anger. No doubt that anger can spark passion, innovation, and ingenuity. However, the passion and innovation must be communicated in a positive manner to stimulate quality and civility, rather than the glamorization of violence and crime, dolling up drug addictions and the degradation of one’s self-perception. Some gangster rappers argue that they have no impact on the actions of their listeners; however, words are powerful. Whether the story lines are true or not, the avid listeners will perceive them to be such and be influenced by the words of their favorite rapper. Rap can be used as a positive medium to build up a generation of productive society members, or, it can continue to be used as a way to make a buck off of degrading and continually contributing to the demise of the black African-American community. …Perhaps, and almost apparently, these gangster rappers have a poor self-image. The latest exhibition of a rapper’s low self-esteem is Nas’ soon-to-be released video entitled “Be a Nigger Too.” In this video, Nas extends an invitation to the world to join him in reinforcing dehumanization, subjugation, and oppression in a supreme effort to keep this word alive. Unknowingly, due to Nas’ lack of perception and failure to realize the level of influence he exudes, he is sabotaging the sacred memories of his black ancestry in this preposterous attempt at keeping the n-word alive. There is a scene in Roots where Kunta Kinte is whipped mercilessly until he calls himself by the slave name, Toby—after which time the slave master says, “Alright, that’s a good n**ger.” This is a scene re-enacted in real life more times than can be counted. For centuries, the white world has impressed upon the minds of the black world that there is such a thing as a n**ger, and Blacks have bought it lock, stock and barrel. A healthy self-esteem provides one the courage to try new things and the power to believe in self. Self-esteem promotes self-respect, and when one respects him/herself, the rest of the world will know that individual demands to be respected by them. With a healthy self-esteem, one doesn’t look for excuses to endear themselves to a word that once was used to justify the dehumanizing, butchering and slaughtering of their ancestors. In fact, quite the contrary: They will, instead, find such a fiendish word as n**ger to be totally unacceptable. Granted the common or modern day definition of the n-word is nothing more than a racial slur, however, the historical meaning as it is applied to ascendants of African Americans is etched in stone in the annals of history and can never be rationalized away. As James Baldwin once so succinctly said: “You can only be destroyed by believing that you really are what the white world calls a n**ger.” Our ancestors did not fit the description of what was considered a n**ger, nor did they deserve to be categorized in such a manner. Once one truly understands what the description of a n**ger was—and still is, a sane person would come to realize that there is no such thing as a n**ger—at least not pertaining to them! One of the greatest powers in the world is the power to define reality and make others accept it, even when it's to their disadvantage. This is the devious strategy the white world deployed into the minds of the black race with the word n**ger. Blacks can be and are complicit in maintaining white supremacy by giving into nihilism (the n-word) and immorality in the face of the endless struggle to surmount inequality, rather than proceeding through life on their own autonomy. The n-word is a phenomenon crippling the black community and the civic will to fight it. Let go of the past. Stop breathing life into the n-word, which is killing off the black community’s self-esteem and opportunities at ultimate success. Bury that sucka. Finally claim and live in full freedom. Blacks are NOT n**gers—there is no such thing! This anti n-word movement has nothing to do with the white man’s use of the word, this is about the black race’s pathetic acceptance of the word. This acceptance must be derailed. A healthy self-esteem epitomizes personal responsibilities and holds one accountable for their actions. It entails the meeting of life’s challenges through which a healthy state of mind enables one to break free from the restraints of an oppressed mental state. A healthy self-esteem provides the encouragement, refuge, and drive one requires to successfully persevere life’s obstacles. Most people admire and respect strong individuals who have won great success by manifesting will power and self-discipline. People in all walks of life with sheer will power, self-discipline and ambition have learned new skills and improved their lives. Myriads of examples exist where African Americans have achieved ambitious goals without the need of referring to themselves—or audience members—as the n-word.
The Nas Legionnaires—a herd of misguided, pea-brain sycophants melodically influenced when Nas strums his flute of musical ignorance—are absolutely ecstatic about the new rapper’s single, “Be A Nigger Too.”
“Be A N**ger Too” is co-produced by Salaam Remi and Big Jack. The song explores the media’s impact on peoples’ perception of the n-word; pardons Eminem for using the idiom in his rhymes; and sustains and invites listeners to “be a n**ga too”—despite the historic plight of black people and the satirizing nature the term reflects upon the African-American community. The song prefaces Nas’ CD—with an expected July 1, 2008, release date, “Nigger.”
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” In line with the great Reverend’s ideology, the idea that blacks can use the n-word and non-blacks cannot is nothing more than an unjustified double standard—as is any other double standard—that must be immediately discarded. For an African American to utilize the term says that they do not respect themselves or the constant struggles of their ancestors; for a non-black to use the idiom expresses their disrespect for the African-American culture, and keeps alive the inferior mindsets that have oppressed the black community for centuries. No benefit comes from the use of this term. If it is not good for one group, it is not good for anyone.
However, Nas and supporters seem to disregard the “double standard” and its true effects. With the leaked preview of his new song, Nas is “officially” extending an invitation to the world—black or non-black—to use the word and continue contributing to the demise of the African-American community. This is the epitome of imprudence.
African-American ascendants were robbed of heart, mind, body, soul and manhood. Violent mental abuse was perpetuated upon them, and—although they were the complete counter of the ideologies thrust upon them—they were forced to accept a self-image of being lazy, sex fiends, thieves, drunks, irresponsible, moral degenerates, stealthy and cunning, mindless, heartless and inferior scum—something to be despised and considered worthless.
The ascendant male was further coerced into having lack of love and respect for self, and to show no love or respect towards his woman or child. Even though the black woman was included in this vindictive conspiracy, she was allowed to have a little more self-esteem than her counter-part black male. For the black male was viewed as the most intimidating and greatest challenge to the white male. The white male knew that if he could manipulate and erode the black man’s self-image, the black man would not view himself as a superior or equal, but as an inferior. The white male bruised the black male’s self pride and dignity by constantly referring to him, his wife, and child as nothing more than low-down, useless, filthy “n**gers”, and treating them as such.
Under the jeers of “n**ger, n**ger, n**ger,” African-American victims were mutilated, castrated, skinned, roasted, burned, hanged and shot. Under the laws of the land at the time, this conduct was acceptable since the victims were considered to be nothing more than n**gers.
This is truly the intent of the n-word: It is a self-destructive mind control that simply and continuously beats up one’s perspective of him/herself. Its use maintains the image and meaning that was browbeaten and physically beaten into the hearts, minds and souls of African Americans for more than 300 years.
The use of the n-word is a 400-year-old practice that is still charging full-steam ahead, and must come to a screeching halt. For more than 300 years, “n**ger” was a metaphor for a race of people considered to be sub-human and three-fifths of a person. The slur owns an abominable history that, for all intent and purpose, is etched in stone—regardless of its present day metamorphosis into a term of endearment, or representation as a by-product of “the struggle.” Whatever the new-age justification, the n-word’s very use is inappropriate and counterproductive to human relations; the term devours any level of respect—given or received, cultural pride and dignity, and dehumanizes whomever the term is used toward.
In 1986, a rap group called NWA (N**gaz With An Attitude) formed. From that point up to present day, the imprint of the self-destructive nature of the n-word has become most apparent. Rap lyrics debased women—characterizing black women as nappy headed ho’s, b*tches and tricks; humiliated the black race; and glamorized violence, reinforcing the historical intent of the image of a “n**ger.” Rap music, pop-culture celebrities, and most often poverty-stricken fans combined to create an alluring "cool-pose culture” of self-destructive behaviors.
"N**ger" cannot be sanitized in any form to make it an acceptable term because of its malevolent history—not unless it is possible to undo all of the violent and wanton atrocities perpetrated upon the subjugated, all of which is embedded in and communicated through this term. Since returning to the past is not likely, the possibility of undoing the term’s intent is impossible. "N**ger" is a symbol certifying that brainwashing has worked, that if an ideology is continuously stamped into the psyche of a people, they will voluntarily apply it to themselves.
Nas certainly has the freedom and right to name his album whatever he wants; however, back in the mid-l990’s when Michael Jackson attempted to use the word “kike” in one of his songs, he quickly discovered the difference between the Jewish community and Black community: respect and self-respect is imperative in the Jewish Community. Michael quickly removed the word from his song and issued an apology.
Because the Jewish and Black communities have faced a great deal of discrimination alike, the two communities basically face the same issues of fighting hard to gain back their cultural respect. Thus, one can’t help but to pose the question: Is it likely that a Jewish person would come out with a CD entitled “Kike”? Possibly! However, with the uniting and sternness of the Jewish community in demanding cultural respect, one could unequivocally answer this question with a firm “NO”! This is because the Jewish community would never be moronic enough to support the sells of such an album. As well, record companies would never be naïve enough to publish something of this nature because they know that the Jewish community would fight them every step of the way, sending them through hellish litigation.
Artists along with the record companies are making ungodly sums of revenue from these types of albums. Bear in mind these very same recording companies are making mega millions off the n-word but would never consider doing the same with the k-word or other more pressing issues: Back in the early 90s Ice-T came out with a song entitled Cop Killer making police brutality the center of attention. So much pressure was placed on Warner Bros. that Ice-T had to remove the song from his album Body Count.
So why do Black people such as Nas and some others think lesser of themselves and their race? Why are they selling their souls? Why do some in the Black community support such conduct? The debasement of blacks has always been an acceptable commodity that sold; whereas, disparaging remarks about any other ethnic group and/or government institution is held to a different standard. Like it or not, the actions of the black participants in this machination reinforces the psychological true intent of the n-word—mental enslavement.
It must be recognized that Nas and all the others who contribute to the
debasement of the black race serves as evidence to a last link in the chain of a subjugated past. This link will never be broken until association with the n-word is obliterated.
It’s most unfortunate that some African Americans have allowed themselves to be bamboozled into thinking it’s okay to relate to a word which served as a metaphor to crucify, castrate, torture, murder, maim and rape their ancestors. They have elected to sell their souls for thirty pieces of silver, never realizing they are “the inside man” carrying out the 400-year-old plight to undermine the African-American race—their own people.
The ancestors of African Americans have never been able to rest in peace. Instead of continually spitting on their graves and canonized memories, it is time to let go of the very word that kept them gripped in terror and fear. Time has come to show them some respect, dignity, honor and pride. In doing so, we extend the same to ourselves, helping to eliminate the ever-present self-hatred. It is time to break that last link to an ominous, dark and dastardly past by eliminating the use of “n**ger.”
At the NAACP's Northeastern Regional Conference the youth/college division of the NAACP held a mock funeral for the word n**ger. It's nothing but a ceremonial display but it makes an excellent point. Read the story by clicking the link below:
http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-nword0421.artapr21,0,3863223.story?coll=hc-headlines-local
The book Bury That Sucka! A Scandalous Love Affair With The N-word, is written in a manner that all can understand. The points are well taken and the wording is easy to follow. There are quotes from great people in our history including Martin Luther King, Jr., Albert Einstein, Mark Twain and many, many others. There is a mixture of history with honesty, love with life, and education with effects. This is a great book for educators, parents, managers, professionals, newsmen, and anyone else wanting an in-depth look at the N-word, the effects and the solutions.
Book is available online, Barnes&Noble.com, Amazon.com and all of the major bookstores nationwide, Barnes & Noble, Borders, Waldenbooks, etc. If your local bookstore doesn’t have it in stock simply request that they order it for you, but you will need to supply them with the ISBN # 1-4137-9269-3. To learn more about the author and book please visit: http://www.burythatsucka.com or call 301-695-1707 (publisher).
Monday, March 12, 2007, at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in New York, Patti Smith sang the song Rock and Roll N*gger. In the song reference is made to Ghandi and Jesus as being n*ggers and thus Patti’s explanation for singing the song was “the song was written as an attempt to elevate the n-word to a mantle of honor by applying it to the world's great outsiders.”
This is just simply unacceptable. Can you imagine someone advancing the idea that the phrase or slogan “Heil Hitler” being raised to a mantle of honor? We all know how insulting that phrase is and therefore no American will use it. For something like 15 years that name terrorized much of the world.
In retrospect the n-word terrorized the hearts and minds of a race of people for more than 250 years. During this era the n-word was justification for death and destruction that was unleashed upon the African American, unlike anything ever witnessed by humankind on the face of this earth, before or since. Hitler’s escapades in comparison would be like child’s play. To take this very same word and embrace it with tender loving care and want to raise it to a mantle of honor is moronic and borders on the line of imbecility. And just because there are those African Americans who are asleep at the wheel doesn’t mean that we all are.
United Voices for a Common Cause, says enough is enough. . No longer is it acceptable to dishonor and desecrate the memories of our ancestors and spit upon their graves with the very word that was used to dehumanize them…the n-word. No longer are we going to overlook their struggles and sacrifices by embracing the very word that was used to terrorize and traumatize their hearts, minds and bodies. In other words no longer are we going to allow the memories of our ancestors to be trampled upon and disrespected. No longer is it acceptable for contemporary African Americans to disrespect themselves…and no LONGER is UVCC going to allow non-blacks to insult our intelligence by trying to minimize and trivialize the TRUE meaning of the n-word.
All good things must eventually come to an end and the practice of using the minds of African Americans as a wasteland where you can feel free to dump any ole thing upon it is about to come to an end. All races and nationalities have their pride...it's time the African American crashes the party and get some racial pride of their own and there is nothing prideful about referring to each other as the n-word...absolutely nothing. To learn more about the United Voices for a Common Cause please go to http://www.theunitedvoices.org
“Facing the rising sun of our new day begun
Let us march on ‘til victory is won”
The above quote is a line from the Negro National Anthem, Lift Every Voice and Sing.
First in l863 the signing of the Proclamation of Emancipation then the signing of the 1964 Civil Rights Bill…freedom triumphantly prevails? Yet, the end of one journey signifies the beginning of another…the responsibilities and obligations of assimilating this freedom…the rising sun of new challenges.
Presently, there are some pressing issues enveloping the Black community, i.e. economic deprivation, black on black crime, homelessness, drugs, gangs and the list goes on. What happened? And how do we resolve these issues? Has the Black community, since l965, been retrogressing?
Facts indicate that tremendous strides have indeed been made. The doors of opportunity have opened up in many directions. Corporate , television, the political world, and statesmanship, etc.; consequently, most of white America looks at black America and say…My goodness! Equal opportunity is working you should have nothing to complain about. Of course, when you look at one side of this coin the picture is very encouraging, but there is another side that commands attention.
Figures from Human Rights Watch show that while Blacks comprise 13% of the nation’s population they constitute 30% of those arrested, 49% of those imprisoned and that Black men were incarcerated 9.6 times the rate of White men. Simultaneously there are now more young Black males in prison than college. The typical white family has 14 times as much wealth as the typical black family who generally earns approximately 56 cents for every dollar earned by white families.
This disparity, is it solely the result of a racist institutionalized system? Suppose we go back to the 60s and take another look at all that has transpired from then up to present day. During the 60s civil rights struggle, religious leaders, civil rights leaders, our black newspapers were all there to help fight the fight against oppression and segregation. Now we are faced with an enigma, a new found freedom, and what to do with it. What was once group survival now is evolving into individual survival and to an even greater extent class survival with the middle class being the sole beneficiary of social and economical gain. Abruptly void of leadership a community was left to flounder and fin for itself. Many of the goals of the Civil Rights Movement were essentially goals for easier assimilation for middle class people, and the working class and impoverished people didn’t get too much out of it. In the past, black communities had integrated middle class and lower class working people all in the same area. Now, the middle class was no longer residing in the same area where disadvantaged people lived. So the models and the leadership that was available on a community local level were no longer available. And therefore, the leadership that developed out of the civil rights struggle, which essentially reflected middle class values and middle class concerns, didn’t deal with the problems of the impoverished. The stigma of a leadership vacuum opened up the door for the hip hop movement replenished with lyrics of rap music. Rappers take center stage and become pied pipers for a leaderless generation promoting misogyny, violence, gangsta way of life anything and everything that construed a debased way of living. As a result the hearts and minds of a generation of children were affected in a negative way many of whom who learned to see no value in work ethics, learning and morality. In the mid 80s a rap group called N.W.A. synonym for N***az With Attitude popularized gangsta rap espousing hardcore lyrics. Lyrics that glorified and promoted gunfights, crack trade, denigration of women and blatant usage of the N-word. What actions did the Black community take with this display of irreverence towards their community? Absolutely NONE! Our religious leaders were as quiet as a church mouse and our Black newspapers were as mute as their typewriters were silent. Instead of our civil rights leaders leading us on the path of enlightenment, moral and mental development it was the rappers taking control of the minds of our youth leading them down the pathway of self-debasement. During the mid 90s Michael Jackson attempted to use the words kike and hymie in a song which the Jewish community found to be very offensive. Consequently, Michael removed the words and issued an apology. As wicked as the music industry may be it wasn’t about to degrade their loved ones, anything considered to be detrimental to Jews, regardless of its context was and is unacceptable. As much as the music industry loves money it would not allow disrespect of the power base for any reason. Black America what was your position? Where were the boycotts and the outcries while the rappers were poisoning the minds of your youth and for the most part still are? There is an unwritten law or sentiment within the black community thou shall not speak ill of another Black. Do not air out your dirty laundry in public which makes sense and understandable only IF you are taking care of business otherwise. However, if issues detrimental to the over-all well being of the community are not being addressed then the only other alternative is to make it a public issue not allowing things to perpetually go unabated. Forty-three years removed from 1964 and the state of affairs throughout the Black community is on a life support. Black on black crime, gangs, drugs, high volume of incarcerations, probations, parole, problems in schools such as suspensions, expulsions and poor performances are not just externally caused conditions but internal as well. Internal conditions as related to the Black community. African Americans have very good individual survival instincts but are totally lacking in group survival instincts. Generally, those of you who do make it have no inclination to reach back and help others. You have not been indoctrinated to help one another but have been propagandize to demean and degrade one another with the n-word. A racist definition that’s drenched in ignorance and degradation. You will not fight to help each other but will fight to defend your rights to call one another n**ger. It doesn’t matter if one has a PhD or never made it through elementary school the inducement to use this word reigns supreme. In year 2006 it is estimated that as a community Blacks spent more than $600 billion dollars making other groups of people rich and yet can’t resolve the problems of their own community. Since l965 and onward, you seem to have lost sight of an inalienable fact, there is a price to pay for freedom. You must be willing and prepared to hold yourself accountable for your own actions. You know how to manipulate oppressors and how to survive draconian conditions but freedom, so far, has proven to be somewhat of the Black community’s Waterloo. Complete FREEDOM still eludes you. There is one final Bastille to overcome and then you can at last claim total and complete victory; freedom from a sinister word that psychologically links you to a very deep, dark, ugly and diabolical past, which has an unsuspecting affect on your present day live. It can’t be sanitized, cleansed, inverted or redeemed as a culturally liberating word. It is more than a word, it is a Power—a Power—which virtually has a community of people mesmerized and mentally enslaved…it is the N-word…the Trojan horse of the African American community courtesy of a subjugated past. To despise and be ashamed of your ancestors is self assimilated. To bring honor and recognition to your forefathers of their sacrifices and struggles brings a synergy of freedom that is yet to be manifested. It is an abomination to take a word that was used to dehumanize and justify all acts of atrocities upon ascendants of African Americans and embrace it affectionately and endearingly with tender loving care. The ancestors of African Americans have never been laid to rest in peace. It is time to let go of the very word that kept them gripped in terror and fear. It is time to show them some self-respect, dignity, honor and pride and by doing so we extend the same to ourselves. It is time to break that last link to an ominous, dark and dastardly past…the N-word. Yes, let’s make our forefathers proud of us…as we too should be proud of their bravery, fortitude, stalwartness and courage; then and only then will the synergy of freedom finally manifest itself…and then our ancestors can finally rest in peace. H. Lewis Smith is the author of Bury that Sucka and Founder/CEO of the United Voices for a Common Cause, Inc. http://www.theunitedvoices.org
