The N-Word

We need to establish who the N-word deeply offends. My opening statement may be weird but none the less the answer needs to be established. Using the N-word invokes the connotation of a race uproar and brings back memories of oppression, murder, slavery and all sorts of ugliness. Yet, if this a true picture of how all black American feels? Why do our young use the word so much?

Let’s put the use of the word into a true perspective. If, by a young black person’s standard it is OK for a white, Asian, Indian, etc. person to use the term in the context of "what’s up" it is acceptable. Trust me no young black person has or will complain. But, if anyone (no matter race) call a black person (no matter the age) the same term in a dirty fashion every black person is listening with anger. But then such is life since most races have some derogatory term stapled to them as a race

Does it bother the young as much as it bother the older generation? It must be noted that the older generation can not control the speaking pattern that the younger generation adapts and clearly want to establish. The younger generation use the term to joke, endear and insult. To them, the N-word has it uses. They are not half as upset as the older generation when it comes to using the word.

I have a 17 year old daughter whom I turned to in my attempt to understand the attitude of the young. Now when the N-Word became an issue she jumped on that wagon and started making sure I knew (if no one else) that she found that word deplorable, which made me proud. But it never stopped her from listening to the term being used in music she likes or her good friends using the term as an endearment. We must note that the depth of the full hateful meaning of the N-word is not recognized as intensely by the younger generation. The N-word does not have the same meaning to the younger generation. Especially since the younger generation have no personal experience with hate as the older black generation is all to well aware of from years of persecution, slavery, racism, and fighting for equality. This is not to say the black race’s children have abandoned their history; but, it must be noted that the youth of America will continue to twist the American language and give new meaning to what we know and knew as deplorable words and/or expressions.

It must also be noted that instead of the media having conversation with middle age (or old age) analyst to strive to get at a confirmed opinion of the significant of the N-word there is a real need to approach high school students or college kids from a well mixed area to get to the true meaning of the N-word and what it really means and how it impacts black America’s youth today.

The youth of America are the ones who will be in control of thought patterns, slang, and what words have bad meanings in the near future. The youth of today are also the ones that will break free of all that we believe is important today.