New York City Bans The N-Word

[R!ck]

REUTERS

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York City symbolically banned use of the word nigger on Wednesday, the latest step in a campaign that hopes to expunge the most vile of racial slurs from hip hop music and television.

The City Council unanimously declared a moratorium that carries no penalty but aims to stop youth from casually using the word, considered by most Americans to be the most offensive in the English language.

The New York City measure follows similar resolutions this month by the New York state assembly and state senate, and supporters of the ban are taking their campaign to The Recording Academy, asking it not to nominate musicians for Grammy awards if they use the word in their lyrics.

Many rap artists and young New Yorkers toss the word around as a term of endearment or as a substitute for black, angering some black leaders who consider those who use it as ignorant of the word's hate-filled history in slavery and segregation.

"This could be the beginning of a movement," councilman Albert Vann said.

Councilman Leroy Comrie, a sponsor of the moratorium, said the campaign against the word has gained strength since comedian Michael Richards spewed it in a racially charged tirade in Los Angeles. The Laugh Factory club where Richards performed has since banned comedians from using the word there and the former "Seinfeld" television star has apologized.

"The Michael Richards incident really brought it to another level. It has forced people to express their outrage. Many people had been seething quietly," Comrie said. Comrie also asked TV network Black Entertainment Television to stop using the word in its shows. Representatives of BET did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A Grammy spokesman said he doubted the academy's 11,000 voting members would support any measure that might censor artists. "They are not going to be supportive of something that excludes someone simply because they are using a word that is offensive," said Ron Roecker, vice president of communication for the Recording Academy.

The city resolution calling for the moratorium traces the etymology of the word from the Latin "niger," meaning black, to its first documented written use in 1786 as a term slave masters used to label their African slaves.

Use of the word by blacks exploded with the rise of rap music in recent years, and some black comedians like Chris Rock continue to use it in their routines.

"What, is there a fine? Am I going to get a ticket?" Rock mocked in a Reuters interview when asked about the City Council move. "Do judges say, '10 years, nigger!"' Rock said politicians were trying to divert attention from real problems: "Enough real bad things happen in this city to worry about how I am going to use the word."

[bellcurve]

Hmmm...not sure *HOW* I feel about this. Don't want to say anything else other than BET should have been the FIRST to ban "the 'n' word." But they haven't been on the forefront of black issues since Viacom took over.

[alwaysAMC]

I'm torn.

I think its a good idea to stop using this word altogether as a society.

But banning the use of a word...isn't that a violation of the 1st amendment?

And when the black community almost uses it more than the white community, well are they willing to give it up or will they think they are excused from the ban bc of who they are?

[Brandeis]

I have no problem with it. It's a symbolic ban, it has no legal teeth, more of a suggestion.

[Danni]

[alwaysAMC]

I think that's a legitimate question though Danni.

[Danni]

My problem with the question is that it then comes off as if someone who is not black so desperately wants the right to say it. Why do you want to be allowed to say it? Hell, why do you want to say it so damn badly?

[bellcurve]

Why does ANYONE want to say it? That's the $1,000,000 Question.

If we HATE it when someone else uses the word, why do we use the word? I mean, it's a blatant double standard.

Stopping the use of the word starts when rappers, comedians, etc. take it out of their songs and make a stand that they refuse to use to word. Will it ever happen? NO! Because a lot of black people want to hold onto to that word "because they can." Use it at their convenience and then rake someone over the coals of a different race who has heard it in a rap song or think it's cool to use it with no racial implications whatsoever.

I try as much as possible to stay out of the race threads and "the n-word" threads and be as PC as possible, but I just don't really care to anymore.

If black people, as a whole, don't care to change using the word, why should anyone else?! It's outrageous.

It's fine to be offended by the word, to be uncomfortable with the use of the word. But for Christ's sake, don't say, "I can use it. You can't. Why do you want to use the word so damn bad? Nanny nanny boo boo." It's just a copout for what the REAL issue with this word is...black people(as a whole) have to take a stand and stop using the word if we expect for no one else to use it. Otherwise, the argument has no merit, IMO. If no one else has the right to say it, then we shouldn't say it either.

[Andre]

I love when people read things into stuff that isn't there. There was absolutely no indication of that. Though since no one has said anything racist that you can latch on to, I guess the next best thing to fabricate something. Ahhhh, nothing like basking in victimhood, is there?

Well, that's how your post "comes off" to me.

[Marilyn_M]

I swear to God, without a doubt you just know how to take something and just twist it. Chill the heck out for a second and quit pulling the racist card everytime someone asks a damn question. It is not needed, its annoying and is dead and tired. He asked a simple question that has a lot of validity to it. So instead of going on the war path, just step away. I'm tired of the 10 page threads because you feel that you have to give everyone the tired degree just because they don't see your POV and then accuse everyone of being a racist. Its just not needed.

[Danni]

I love how instead of answering a perfectly valid question, you take it upon yourself to attack me personally. I haven't accused anyone of saying anything racist because everyone knows that if I wanted to, I would've said it. I have told specific people that I think they're racist. I'm not going to circle around it. My question was not directed to AlwaysAMC personally, but rather to everyone. It's a question that I've asked repeatedly whenever racial issues have come up on this forum that no one ever seems to answer.

If you think perfectly valid issues are "basking in victimhood" maybe you need to look inside yourself to see how you view POC.

Maybe, if you stop attacking me because I want to put my voice into the matter, we'll have a rather simple discussion. He asked a question, I responded with one of my own. If you choose to answer it, fine, but don't get on me because I decide to be a part of a discussion.

[Marilyn_M]

And it was so don't even sweat it. I was thinking the same thing too and was going to post that until I saw your post.

[Andre]

First off, yes you have.

Secondly, personal questions are directed via Private Messages, not on the boards. You wanted this to be public, or else you would have kept it private.

And lastly:

:lol: :lol:

[Marilyn_M]

well lets see, you quoted what you said and then you also said:

and then you also proceeded to say:

You quoted his post, used the word you so more than likely you were directing it at him. That doesn't sound like a general question. And of course no one wants to answer your questions, because you attack everyone and just beat them over the head.

[Danni]

It's called a typo, Andre. People do make them from time to time.