Blog 10: Winter Break Assignment 1/3/2017

The question of whether oppressed groups can reclaim a word deemed racist intrigued me and instantaneously brought me to the subject of the N word. As a white man, I have very little insight as to what this word means today for the black community. I don't regard myself as someone who has the right to say it, or the right to argue it shouldn't be said.  The word has become prominent in stand-up comedy, music, specifically rap and hip-hop, and everyday speech. I have heard it countlessly in the halls of Midwood, from one African-American to another, in a way that suggests no threat or negative connotation but as a substitute for a greeting or companionship. I have heard it over and over in the songs that have dominated today's top music lists. I have read it all over Facebook and I have also become desensitized to seeing it, however, nowhere near desensitized as African Americans who have endured a long and brutal history with this word. There is an entire interactive project on washingtonpost.com dealing with the debate. Everyone knows the origin of the word, in the times of severe oppression, slavery, and hate towards blacks. Nowadays, except for cases with an intention of actual hate, the term seems to be thrown around almost like any other. I have seen white people saying it, among every other race and color. An article on PBS.org states, "Some claim that the word can be defused through reclaiming it." The once very racist word can be seen as a a neutral word with a connotation of unity and camaraderie when used amongst the black community, given that it is used with an -a rather than an -er. I think it is really interesting that just the last letter or two of a word can completely reverse the connotation from negative to neutral-positive. I think that it is something that should be talked about, but as a white man, I do not know if I am the one who has a right to ask, given the circumstances to how the word was first used. I have questions that I would love answered, but I don't know if now is the time to find the answers. Is it fair for the older generations to hear this word, who have endured actual hate with this word? Should it be normalized within cultures and continue to be used so heavily in social contexts? Does it still hold an invisible barrier between the races and continue to divide people in a time when unity is crucial? Does it provide strength for the black community? Given that many black communities are still facing discrimination in social and economic factors, if America can actually achieve 100% equal opportunity for all races, will this word disappear?