The Burial of the N-Word

The N-word...better known as nigga. It has evolved from nigger, to its present form of nigga. It is used as a word of endearment amongst young black people across the ghettos and hoods around America, yet used as a way to demoralize our ancestors by slave owners in the past.

Somewhere between the first Africans getting off the boat and N.W.A. releasing their first album, we blacks found comfort in calling each other "niggas." I can't lie, even I use the word whether I'm just making jokes or arguing with another black man. That word has embedded it's self into our culture...into our vocabulary...into our lifestyle.

Jamie Foxx says a joke that black people have the ability to use the word "nigga" through an entire conversation to express how they feel: whether happy, sad or angry. Although funny, it is very true.

However on July 9th in Detroit, the NAACP held a mock funeral for this multifaceted word. People from across the country marched from downtown Detroit's Cobo Center to Hart Plaza. The Mayor of Detroit, Kwame Kilpatrick, claims that by burying the word they are "taking it out of our spirit."

We as a young black male, I find it hard to believe that this word is dead. When I look at the funeral, i feel indifferent about having a Michigan's governor, Jennifer Granholm, speak at the funeral of that word. At a funeral, the euglogy is given by the person's family and close friends....not the dude from out of town that knows absolutely nothing about the deceased!!! There was absolutely NO ONE from the hip-hop community at that funeral to be a representative for our culture; the culture that uses this word daily.

As I read several articles, I read interviews of people that were there that claim to never have used the word. Although I find it hard to believe, its just not a good look for the NAACP to waste time, money and energy to create a symbol of the end.

What have they truly done? They have knocked the word over the head, and dragged the word to its grave....kicking, crying and screaming for help. They didn't clear it with the users of the word as to whether its COOL to bury the word. Even the mafia clears it before they kill a member of another mafia family....just watch the Sopranos.

So I apologize, but I do not agree that this word is dead. If they killed it at that funeral...I'm sure it was resurrected 5 minutes from leaving that burial site by one of the attendees when they turned on their cars and listened to their favorite T.I. album. fin

Wise