NEWS: NAACP Buries The Word “Nigga” – ALIVE!

POLITICS: NAACP Buries The Word “Nigga” – ALIVE!

Two days ago the NAACP attempted to show how irrelevant and out of touch they are with young black people by holding a funeral for the word, “Nigga.” The funeral was held in Detroit during the NAACP’s annual convention. A plywood casket was covered with black roses and carried by pallbearers (I’m not sure who the words friends were, but they carried out their duties) It was the best way the NAACP could think of to tell fans of hip hop that they are incredibly old and out of touch. I think it was a success.



I believe very strongly in burying words. It’s really the only way to get people to stop using them. I recently buried the word “Asshat” in my backyard and I have not heard the word since. Now, there are a lot of “Fucksticks” popping up and I am dealing with that as well as I can.

In order to appeal to the young kids out there, the NAACP brought in the incredibly popular rapper Kurtis Blow. You may remember Kurtis from his one top ten hit in 1980, off the album "The Breaks.” Blow said he had “recorded over 150 songs without using the n-word.” I’m sure many in the audience were shocked that he had recorded over 150 songs. They also brought in teenage favorite, Eddie Levert, who was the lead singer of the O'Jays. The O’Jays formed in 1958 and have not had a top ten hit since 1978. I don’t know how any young, black kid out there could ignore the words of these guys.

DJ Eric "Eric B" Barrier, (from the ‘80s) explained that the ceremony was not just about the word.

So, wait, is he calling other black people “nigga” without actually using the word? Because, that sort of defeats the purpose. Everyone has to not use the word, but get rid of the acts and behavior that make you act like the word, which we can't say. You're gonna need a new word now.

Wow, better get some more caskets.

The NAACP in Texas and Florida also held funerals. The NAACP stands for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Yes, a group using that evolved and not at all offensive term, “colored people” is telling kids to stop using the term, “Nigga.”

Paul Scott of the blog, No Warning Shots Fired, called the NAACP on their hypocrisy.

And he doesnÂ’t stop there.

I think the debate is over.

As an art school grad, I want to bury "juxtapose" and all it's variations. Also "dialectic".

Oh Lord...who cares? I don't...sticks and stones, right? I'd rather concentrate on the children who are out on the street, selling drugs and killing each other. Let's concentrate on that...words should be secondary or, thirdary (if that's a word)

Tertiary. But thirdary's got it's own thing...

Thank you! I was going to look it up but, you beat me to it.

There's a slight difference, Cochise. "Colored" was, at one time, the socially acceptable term.

"Colored" was as commonly used then as "black" or "African-American" is now. You could use the word "colored" in a completely non-threatening, benign way back then. Some older African-Americans still refer to themselves as "colored".

"Nigger", on the other hand, has a decidedly less socially-acceptable history.

Maybe it's just me...but the first thing that pops into my head when I hear someone say "colored" is "man...you are WAY out of date" When somebody says "nigger", however....the first thing on my mind is the hatred behind the word.

When I here someone say colored I think they are a racist. If I hear the word "nigga" I check the source. Young black dude, fine. White guy - racist. Or pathetic wanna be.

Either way, the term "colored people" has been considered offensive since I have been living on the planet.

If "cracker" and "honky" get "buried," I will be pissed.

-TM

Yeah, when someone uses the term "colored", I'm like, "Damn you're OLD!" My grandma still says it.

Huh, the NAACP sound clueless.

That said, I never understood how 'nigga' came into use in the first place. What's the difference between niggers and niggaz? One's an insult, the other's cool? How did that happen?

exactly.

i think what the naacp has done is an honorable thing. just because it reeks of hypocrisy doesn't mean they're somehow wrong; an organization being hypocritical can still be right. i absolutely think that "nigga" and "nigger" are of a negative nature. i think it flies in the face of everything the naacp has fought for all these years and really is a step backwards. "nigger" has a negative connotation to it for everyone: for blacks it's a racist term (i'd get killed using it) and for non-blacks it's a reminder of a history we are shamed of -- not that this should be forgotten, but that we shouldn't be brining up unneccessary words, but rather focus on the overall attitude and actions taken towards blacks in our history.

and the impression i got from eric barrier's statement is that they're being what the perception of what the word is; it's the overall attitude of gangsta rap that is troublesome. it's foolish to think that he'd be using that word to describe anyone. sometimes you have to read between the lines to understand meaning.

PS- I dug asshat up out of your backyard, asshat.

The NAACP obviously accomplished their objective; I have not heard the n-word thrown about with so much wild abandon in many years.

Also, isn't using Cochise going to stir up the Native American culture? Can you defend a point on racism whilst using such colorful colloquillisms?

i want to bury "Proactive" everyone uses it wrong and sounds like a douche when they try and use it.

That's a proactive paradigm to grow. Cheers.

There's only one solution here: start referring to blacks as colored people. Rappers, everyone. I'm referring to everyone as a "my colored people" from today. Especially white people. Unless they're albino. Can I say albino?

You want to... bury the children instead? That's so crazy, it just might work.

They prefer "Melanin-challenged". If you say "colorless people" though, you're a horrible racist.

Not to hijack, but how is it used wrong...? I've only ever heard it used to mean to act before something happens or to cause something to happen - the opposite of react, which means to act upon what has already happened.

As to the topic at hand, nobody can deny that words have power, but I think everyone can agree that ignoring that power never takes it away. It's kind of like the conservation of energy - power cannot disappear, but can only be shifted. When the meaning of the word nigger was changed and it became acceptable to use it in certain situations with certain people, the power shifted. I disagree with the ceremonial display of ignorance - burying the word is akin to ignoring it, which just causes more problems.

If a person or organization decides that they don't want to use a particular word because of connotation or some other reason, then of course that is their right; but this does not prevent others from using it. Thus, the NAACP has done nothing but plug their ears and sing really loud... it doesn't really change anything.

This Just In...
The word "Nigga" is back from the grave looking for "White Girls"
Police reports are coming in saying they have heard groans like "Back the fuck up off me unless you got some brains dawg"
Please keep all children inside and safe.
Its hard to tell from a true gangsta lean and the zombie walk of the now rotting word.

Stay sharp out there.

I don't think anyone has ever, successfully, been able to keep people from using a word. Burying a word only makes it more interesting.

Now the n-word isn't just offensive; it also has 'undead' cachet*.

I think the best way to get rid of a hateful word is to let the hate-ees purloin it, rob it of it's meaning, and wear it the hell out.

Steal it from the people who would use it for hate and turn it into a joke. Use it for everything -- your cat, your can opener, your shoes, your tax returns, white people -- whatever. Use it as a verb, an adverb, an undergarment, or a bookend.

Before you know it, that word is gonna be beat to hell, soggy, and broken. Anyone who says it with it's original meaning will sound like the anachronism they are, and they'll just evoke an embarrassing nostalgic sickness, just like any reference to 'Spuds Mackenzie', or 'groovy', or 'Are You Gellin'?'

Or worse -- they'll sound like wanna-be hipsters.

The words 'queer' and 'faggot' seem to be croaking their last hateful essence these days. Good for them. I kind of think the hip-hop kids have it right. And as a white man, I think it's my duty to watch that ugly word die, and let people have their justice, pillaging the fuck out of this word in a glorious orgy of reclamation.

(*that's right, I said 'cachet'.)

FearTheReaper said:
"The NAACP in Texas and Florida also held funerals. The NAACP stands for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Yes, a group using that evolved and not at all offensive term, "colored people" is telling kids to stop using the term, "Nigga."

I heard they read this article and decided FTR is right. They are now the National Association for the Advancement of African Americans or NAAAA.

Exactly, how did that happen?

That's the point.... The NAACP and older black adults don't see the difference. It's the same word... just commercial. This embracing talk is BS in my opinion. I wouldn't be able call any of my black/afro-american (depends on your P.C. level, I guess) friends "nigga" and not think about what the word really means.

Anyways.... I just ignore the people that I hear saying it and shake my head. The burial thing wasn't the greatest idea. This word is too ingrained into the culture now. I mean, it's on t-shirts...

So...older African-Americans are racist for referring to themselves as "colored"? Check the source, indeed.

Sometimes, members of a particular group will take a well-known slur & "take it back" by using it themselves...thereby rendering the term ineffective when used by non-members.

For example...."queer" has been used by the gay community to the point where it's no longer socially unacceptable to use. "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" "Queer as Folk" "Queers Without Borders".......

The big difference...as far as I know, because I'm not an expert in the gay or the black community...is that while there doesn't seem to be a backlash by older people in the gay community over the new usage of "queer"...there is a strong contingency of blacks who do not approve of the use of the word "nigger" by younger members of the black community.