Yesterday, Saturday morning, on Melissa Harris-Perry show on MSNBC, the black female host from The Grio.com engaged her panel about the use of the word Nigger in the Quentin Tarantino “’Django Unchained.” One of the young white panelist, a thirty-something young man who is well used by MSNBC, was completely bent out of shape because of the extreme overuse of the word. The black panel members tried to get him to understand that the word WAS, and is, used gratuitously.
Today, at about 1:30 PM on Sunday, I’m looking at BET right now and the channel is replaying ROOTS. Remember, this miniseries was telecast on regular television in the 1970’s. I’ve been watching for about ten minutes and the word NIGGER has been used to describe black people about seven times. Also, the word Darkie has been used several times. And the themes of threat and potential violence against the slaves is ever-present!
I’m looking at the scene where the young white Slave Master’s daughter is coming back home after being away for a time. John Amos’ wife just slapped the piss out of her daughter because she just learned that the Slave Master’s daughter, who is on her way home right now, taught her to read and write when they were young children. That is an unforgivable sin among the black people because there is a good chance the Master will have her killed if he finds out.
All of the slaves are now in the yard waiting for the buggy to arrive. When it gets there, the perky Slave Master’s daughter jumps out and gives all the slaves, who are all low key because they don’t want to anger the Master even though the overly happy daughter is bouncing around like a pinball. When the two old friends finally embrace, they are both overly happy.
The Slave Master’s daughter looks at her former friend with real joy and says to her, before they both skip into the house hand in hand, “Well, you’re not my little Nigger baby any more.” And of course, during slavery times, Slaves knew to not react on any level, because that was normal talk.
Sanford and Son used the word Nigger in broadcast television back then. Don’t believe me? Purchase the DVD box sets and marvel at the language. The word Nigger appeared in the media quite often back then. White people today, the ones who will say that word in Caucasian anger, are the ones who protest the most!
I reserve my right to say the word Nigger any time I goddamn well choose to use it. I have spent 53 years with my word Nigger and I am not giving it up for anyone. I don’t say the word in my normal conversation, period! But… if I decide to use the word, you can bet that the word Nigger will come out of my mouth. And, a white person will not be the one who convinces me not to say the word Nigger!
These words just needed to be said!
RLJ
