What happens when a black rapper, Kanye West writes a song and calls it “Niggas in Paris”, and a white actor makes tweets about wanting to make a song called “Niggas in Montauk”. So what happens? Baldwin gets some angry tweets from some black people. They are offended that he had the audacity to use the word, but it is ok for West to use it? That’s the real problem no one should use it, and then we would not have this problem. Tell me what you think.
Comments
No one should use it. If only one group can use it and no other can, then that would be a racial double standard – a form of racism. When Kanye West uses that term, he is giving license for that term to be used. So if we are to achieve equality, either everyone uses it or no one uses it – that is equality.
Only one word for your comment. C O R R E C T .
“So if we are to achieve equality, either everyone uses it or no one uses it – that is equality.”
I think the above two comments are pure nonsense.
Kanye shouldn’t use it and his use doesn’t give anyone else the right to use it either. Two wrongs don’t make a right. Ever.
I don’t have a problem with Baldwin’s use, because of how I am interpreting the context. He was trying to be hip. He isn’t. Doesn’t mean he is a racist, just means he was being stupid.
The word is offensive plain and simple. I am so over people trying to excuse their ignorance as some sort of reverse racism.
It’s not about a word. It’s about context. I can clearly tell from those tweets that Alec Baldwin was not using the word in a hateful context.
I think what we are really trying to say is are we really ready to trust white people’s casual use of the term, a “give an inch, take a mile” scenario. Intellectually you can argue about equality but emotionally I find white people trying to define when America is ready to use the word kinda like the crimminal defining the sentence to the judge.
As despicable an individual that I personally find Alec Baldwin to be, I think his position on this issue is absolutely right. And I applaud him for having the testicular fortitude to publicly take a stand in defiance of political correctness. This double standard nonsense will only cease when enough people find the courage to take a stand against it.
The way I see it, it looks as though Mr. Baldwin in mocking Mr. West. I agree with Docile Jim Brady, above–”… if we are to achieve equality, either everyone uses it or no one uses it – that is equality.”
If Mr. West has any problems with it, he should either not use the word again or keep any additional comments to himself.
I am black and I think there was nothing wrong with what Alec Baldwin said. Kanye shouldnt have a song called “Niggas in Paris”!!! We should stop calling each other that and maybe others wont do it!!!!!!!
I am glad to see almost universal agreement that there is a double standard when it comes to that word. I find it frustrating when I talk to people who either do not see it or just don’t want to admit it. I can’t see a use for the word. Even amongst my CLOSEST homies, we do not use that word. Kanye West is a brilliant lyricist. I wish he would stop getting in the way of his own potential greatness with such sophomoric behavior. Maybe when he gets into his late 30′s he’ll look around and see what a waste his early years have been to this point.
What should happen and what will happen are two different things. The word is out of the Pandora’s box and have been for a long time. That we all keep giving power to the word, and keep double daring white folks to use the word is a sad commentary.
It’s definitely sophomoric, that we black folks are so hung up on a little word. The word is powerless, actually. It’s just a word. It’s the ridiculous “stuff” that we keep putting on the word. It’s the knee jerk that we black folks keep giving when white folks use the word.
Let them use it. It doesn’t have one thing to do with me, as a black woman. Only if you feel like you are a “nigger” in the perojative sense, will you feel the need to shut the mouths of white people who use the word. Jumping in anger is the most powerless thing black folks can do. There’s no way to stop people from saying the word. Stop giving away your power, black people. The word is a non entity. This whole thing is far beyond ridiculous.
Thank you Anna Renee for expressing sentiments exactly. It is widely understood that words have meaning but we often fail to realize that the only power they have is that which we choose to attribute to them. I personally attribute no power to the word nigger irrespective of who uses it.
It seems to me that Black folks reflexively recoil to the use of the word when uttered by White people yet are often totally unresponsive to its use when it permeates their own circles. It’s almost as if to not at least feign offense to use of the word by whites is somehow disloyal to our own people. I think the entire issue is hypocritical and ridiculous.
Anna Renee — September 21, 2011 at 1:35 am
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“Let them use it. It doesn’t have one thing to do with me, as a black woman. ….
“…. Stop giving away your power, black people. ….”
DJB : AMEN.
Perhaps if we can get the rest of the world to think as Anna, the word in the pejorative sense will become obsolete from lack of use.