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Sticks and stones and a few words about the "N" word…

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What image comes to mind when you hear the word “nigger?”

Think about it.

After all, it is 2010 and we are still having the conversation about its use and the inappropriateness associated with it.

Regardless of our background, we all know people who have used it.

So perhaps it is best to revisit the rules…

White people get no pass, “hood” or otherwise.
Pay attention John Mayer.
Permission is not granted to use the word – in gest, or otherwise.

Much was recently made of Senator Harry Reid’s use of the word with regard to then-potential Presidential candidate Barack Obama. I read the book “Game Change” and my impression is that Reid’s remarks were inappropriate, but in no way appeared grounded in malice.

I am not naive.
A racist is racist.
Like x-ray vision one can see “it” through a brick wall.

I once worked for an individual, who was, despite protestation and by all accounts, a racist.

In what the individual believed to be “confidential” circumstances, – no Black people present, or so they thought, – they flagrantly used the word.

This person knew and fully understood they were wrong…
Nigger was used in an almost whispered tone. Not only was there comprehension about the gravity of the word’s use, its inappropriateness was also understood.

Yesterday I was getting a haircut – at an African-American barber shop – and counted the number of times I heard the word used. In a 30 minute period, the count was eighteen. Eighteen times in a half hour! Employees and patrons alike peppered their conversation with it-

Salutation – “What’s up my nigger?”
Exaggeration – “Nigger please…”

The difference is that in these instances, there was no malicious intent or derision.

While I personally don’t approve the use of the word by Black people, culturally, it is allowed.

Permission is granted.

It is part the African-American vernacular and, in many cases, accepted as such.

This debate is not going away. Nor is the use (appropriate or not) of the word, by Black or White people.

I am intrigued and inspired by three quotes I unearthed by three different indviduals – two having to do specifically with the word nigger and one that was born out of much broader implications and circumstances.

In the forward to his book, “Nigger,” Dick Gregory wrote a special note to his mother –

“Whenever you hear the word ‘Nigger’,” he said, “you’ll know they’re advertising my book.”

Gregory masterfully turned what, on the surface, was a negative into a thought-provoking and challenging positive.

Whoopi Goldberg, commenting on the word nigger:

“I don’t know any and I’ve never been one.”

Goldberg’s refusal to accept a label, which neither fits or defines, suggests that anyone who uses it simply doesn’t understand “who” or “what” they are talking about.

Lastly, former First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt:

“No one makes you feel inferior without your consent.”

When we refuse to succumb to demeaning labels, but accept the fact that we are individuals, unique and equal in our common humanity, we win. We defeat those who use words to define us.

Image:
Three Little Children, 1944
William H. Johnson (American, 1901 -1970)
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Smithsonian Institue

Editor’s Note:

I was hasty in my reference to Senator Reid’s remarks in the book Game Change. His quote did not use the word “nigger,” but language that was interpreted by some to have a similiar tone. Reid was wowed by Obama’s oratorical gifts and believed that the country was ready to embrace a black presidential candidate, especially one such as Obama:

“a ‘light-skinned’ African American with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one,” as he said privately.”

Reid was convinced, in fact, that Obama’s race would help him more than hurt him in a bid for the Democratic nomination.

Can’t Find No Work, Can’t Find No Job

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The views expressed in Mister Roberts Neighborhood are based on my own beliefs, observations and life experiences.

Lately, I have been doing my own brand of “research” in order to gauge and form an accurate picture of how the economic downturn is affecting blacks.
I call this study, “Can’t Find No Work, Can’t Find No Job,” which borrows from the Marvin Gaye song, “What’s Happenin’ Brother.” The song comes from Gaye’s landmark 1972 release, “What’s Goin’ On,” but the song’s relevance, meaning and applicability have undeniable connections to the plight that many in the black community are experiencing today.
To date, my “journey” has taken me to store-front churches, laundromats, check cashing stores, a homeless shelter as well as barber shops and beauty salons. The one thread of consistency among the places that I visited is that they all primarily cater to an audience that is exclusively black.
Of these, the salons and barber shops proved to be among the most insightful and consistently informative. This is due to the fact that they tend to cover an extremely wide and diverse swath – regardless of gender, socio-economics or class.
The most intimidating, yet revealing “portrait” was what I discovered during a homeless shelter visit. The stories and the experience touched me at my core and helped me better understand just how the last twelve months have turned lives upside down. Much of what I found validated things that I already knew to be true – the lack of funds has forced people to re-align their priorities. I met people who, a year ago were just starting to “feel the pinch” and have now lost their jobs and their homes. In fact, the only possessions many have are the ones they can carry.
In his 1/18 Op-Ed piece for the New York Times, “Blacks in Retreat,” columnist Bob Herbert wrote:

“As the nation continues to wallow in the trough of widespread unemployment, black Americans are bearing a disproportionate burden of joblessness.”
Herbert always provides an eloquent and precise assessment of the topics that he tackles. Make no mistake – the facts are very real and sobering.

To this point, Herbert’s piece also quoted a statistic from ‘United for a Fair Economy:’
“College-educated black men are nearly twice as likely to be unemployed as their white counterparts.”

The national unemployment rate in December 2009 was 10% .
Unfortunately, the unemployment rate for African-Americans showed little change, slightly increasing at 16.2%.
This news remains discouraging because the black unemployment number is more than double the national black unemployment number in cities like Baltimore, New York and Detroit. The Detroit black male unemployment rate is reported as exceeding 40% where the downturn is referred to in some circles as the “he-cession.”
While I am not trying to paint a picture of gloom and doom, the harsh reality is that this economic assault has, and continues to have, a devastating impact.
The recession has compounded a decades-long problem for black workers, who began the downturn facing a far higher jobless rate than the general population and have fared worse since. Job prospects are slim, but for blacks it is a much harsher reality. Numbers illustrate the sheer depth of the problem they are facing. Indicators point to the fact that recovery for this group will be slow and arduous.
While debates that continue in the mainstream with regard to whether or not Harry Reid’s comments were appropriate or simply offensive, Tiger’s ever-evolving escapades and whereabouts, Real and Not-So-Real Housewives, Men Marrying Wealthier Women and Conan are all titillating, I have found that what is most important and top-of-mind for black people is unemployment.
The issue is two-fold – finding a job and retaining a job.

Amazingly, despite the economic hardships they face, blacks remain optimistic. Perhaps it is a natural reaction based on the obstacles and disadvantages they’ve had to endure. It could also be the foundational belief that hard work and education primarily drive mobility. There is a degree of truth to both. However, what is needed most in order to provide effective solutions is a shift in priorities from outside forces.