This post may offend some just by the one word that really chafes my behind or the fact that I express sheer disgust in its usage. The one word that has been accepted as a term of endearment by some; wherein the spelling has been changed over the years to do what, make a sad attempt at making the word acceptable? That's right I am talking about the word used by so many..'Nigger', 'Niggah', 'Nigga', 'Niglet'. The list actually goes on; however I've opted not to go on with the many spellings.
We have had comedians use the word freely, Redd Foxx and Richard Pryor. A scene from Sanford and Son "Legal Eagle" .... "There are enough ni**as in here to make a Tarzan Movie" though comments in comedic programs such as this may have been funny, it doesn't make it right.
Richard Pryor in his life's comedic foray stopped using the word Nigger once he took a trip to Kenya, returning and condemning the word. His desire to abandon the word, enticed death threats, etc. But guess what? He was still FUNNY. Considered by some to be a pioneer, an astute observer of life.
Chris Rock is noted for saying 'We took the scraps and made it cuisine. We took the word Nigger and made it poetry....put some sauce on it and it's poetry'.
Is this why our youth use the word as though they were drinking a glass of water? Truth be told it can't be isolated to the youth. We have adults that seem to use it just as freely without any hesitation.
Listening to a group of young men on the metro rail made me cringe. They were tapping out beats with their hands and feet, not bothering a soul; however the words emanating from their mouths were quite unsavory. Ni**a this, Ni**a that. F@ck that Ni**a, That Ni**a is crazy.
I read a comment which mimicked my thoughts without derailment...."If you witnessed your mother being raped, forced to watch the entire atrocity or your father being hung from a tree (strange fruit) because it was common & fair actions for ni**as, would you be so willing to make the word into a term of endearment?" I would NOT, but that is ME.
We have become so de-sensitized and continue to make every excuse known to man to use this word. If Richard Pryor could cease the use why can't we as a whole do the same. I guess that would be too simplistic of a task.
