Boston Public N-word episode
- Thread starter JagsPride
- Start date
kevdawg
Skrong Bulldog Pride!
I saw it...
I think they handled the subject matter well. Both the teacher (Danny Hanson) and students wanted to explore the use of that word because they knew it was negative and they were trying to break through the negativity. That desire to explore the issues and try to break them down and overcome them is inherently a great idea. But the negativity in that word is so personal that you can't explore it without someone feeling hurt.
Marla Hendricks expressed what a lot of our people would feel - hurt because we know the heritage behind the N-word. Steven Harper - as perhaps a more open-minded educator who still has to be responsible as a principal - could see the benefit in exploring the negativity. But he also knew that it was too harmful a word to let it be used freely, especially by whites who are looked upon as having always meant it negatively. Boston Public showed us that we should realize how deep the pain runs around that word and that there should be some efforts to deal with it rather than sweep it under a rug. But it's not gonna be solved overnight.
Personally, I don't think Whites or Blacks (or anyone else for that matter) should use the N-word. There's simply too much negativity around it to mean anything good. I felt the use of it in rap started out with a negative connotation (What you lookin' at, N!gga? "N!gga, I'll bus a cap in yo a$$") and it was only justified as positive when the public started questioning rap artists' use of it (just like with b!tch). The show is right - the word is just too closely linked to every negative thing that has happened to Blacks in America to be considered OK to use by anyone.
Note: didn't realize they'd **** cuss words - sorry, I only used them to make my point.
I think they handled the subject matter well. Both the teacher (Danny Hanson) and students wanted to explore the use of that word because they knew it was negative and they were trying to break through the negativity. That desire to explore the issues and try to break them down and overcome them is inherently a great idea. But the negativity in that word is so personal that you can't explore it without someone feeling hurt.
Marla Hendricks expressed what a lot of our people would feel - hurt because we know the heritage behind the N-word. Steven Harper - as perhaps a more open-minded educator who still has to be responsible as a principal - could see the benefit in exploring the negativity. But he also knew that it was too harmful a word to let it be used freely, especially by whites who are looked upon as having always meant it negatively. Boston Public showed us that we should realize how deep the pain runs around that word and that there should be some efforts to deal with it rather than sweep it under a rug. But it's not gonna be solved overnight.
Personally, I don't think Whites or Blacks (or anyone else for that matter) should use the N-word. There's simply too much negativity around it to mean anything good. I felt the use of it in rap started out with a negative connotation (What you lookin' at, N!gga? "N!gga, I'll bus a cap in yo a$$") and it was only justified as positive when the public started questioning rap artists' use of it (just like with b!tch). The show is right - the word is just too closely linked to every negative thing that has happened to Blacks in America to be considered OK to use by anyone.
Note: didn't realize they'd **** cuss words - sorry, I only used them to make my point.
Taylor-Made'90
I'm 'Citrix SSO' batch!!!
The Fox Station in Dallas (Fox-4) did a follow-up story on the N-word on the news after the show last night. And they interviewed several teenagers about their use, and ideas about the N-word. And almost all of them felt that the word was 'no big deal'. They used the word quite frequently and didn't think anything about it. They even interviewed some white kids, and one dude even used the word in the inteview 
eek2: ). And he didn't have a problem with using it, saying he's used it when talking to some of his black friends....But he did say that he knew that the word waas considiered offensive to some blacks, and that he knew when and where NOT to say the word......And I was like Hmmmmmm.....
I think the show did a good thing, by opening dialog about the word. The N-word is still a 'trigger' word for many African-Americans. And I think they 'danced' around the issue as politely as you possibly could, given the setting. But I do think dialog is the only way to deal with the POWER the word still has.
I happen to agree with Marla's statement that everytime the word is spoken, we're giving it life, and as long as it has life, it will continue to spark emotions for blacks. And while I also believe that 'our' using the word, to take 'away' the power, does actually work in some instances. But the question is, is that enough. And I don't think it is.
I think we (as parents) have to educate our children about the TRUE meaning of the word. The INTENT of it's use. And while we can't expect our kids to feel the exact same way our grand-parents felt, they still need to understand the significance that the word carries. Education is the only way to change the MENTALITY of the word, and the minds of the people who still use them, in contexts different from what 'we' use.
An old man once said, "If you see a n****r, then whupp him"
And if you're looking at me, you ain't seeing one.........
eek2: ). And he didn't have a problem with using it, saying he's used it when talking to some of his black friends....But he did say that he knew that the word waas considiered offensive to some blacks, and that he knew when and where NOT to say the word......And I was like Hmmmmmm.....I think the show did a good thing, by opening dialog about the word. The N-word is still a 'trigger' word for many African-Americans. And I think they 'danced' around the issue as politely as you possibly could, given the setting. But I do think dialog is the only way to deal with the POWER the word still has.
I happen to agree with Marla's statement that everytime the word is spoken, we're giving it life, and as long as it has life, it will continue to spark emotions for blacks. And while I also believe that 'our' using the word, to take 'away' the power, does actually work in some instances. But the question is, is that enough. And I don't think it is.
I think we (as parents) have to educate our children about the TRUE meaning of the word. The INTENT of it's use. And while we can't expect our kids to feel the exact same way our grand-parents felt, they still need to understand the significance that the word carries. Education is the only way to change the MENTALITY of the word, and the minds of the people who still use them, in contexts different from what 'we' use.
An old man once said, "If you see a n****r, then whupp him"
And if you're looking at me, you ain't seeing one.........
Attack Dog
Well-Known Member
I enjoyed the show and think that no one should use the word. This word is a waste of letters and any ofay who uses it knows why they use it and what it means. They think that we are so stupid, but too many of us give them the fire power to think that way. I cannot see the word for anything different than what it is. WE NEED TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN ABOUT THEIR HISTORY SO THEY WILL NOT MAKE FOOLS OUT OF THEMSELVES!!!
kevdawg
Skrong Bulldog Pride!
AMEN to that, ATTACK DOG...
It's because we "let things be" and don't teach our children about what happened in the past and what is learned from it that the world goes to hell and we end up wondering how things got so bad in the first place. If we want our world to be a better place, we all must act better and we all must teach our children to act better. All of us must improve - it only takes a few bad seeds to bring us right back down again.
Everyone must stop using that word NOW.
It's because we "let things be" and don't teach our children about what happened in the past and what is learned from it that the world goes to hell and we end up wondering how things got so bad in the first place. If we want our world to be a better place, we all must act better and we all must teach our children to act better. All of us must improve - it only takes a few bad seeds to bring us right back down again.
Everyone must stop using that word NOW.