Culture Cannibals of Color 

Now there is one thing that I cannot say enough; that is that there needs to be a great healing in this world but in American culture and politics in particular. There must be an honest and very mature conversation about the past present and future of race and class. Here, I’ll start. I would like to speak to you about culture cannibalism amongst the people of color who insist on justifying the use of the n word in any shape or form. Just because you replace a consonant with a vowel it in no way shape or form excuses the fact that you are rationalizing your pain instead of addressing it. How are we to cure the self-deprecation that takes place amongst an entire people every time these words are spoken releasing the energy that they carry with them into the atmosphere. Children can and will listen from the time that they develop ears in the womb. So, when is it enough? After there are criminals murdered by police brutality who inspire rioting? Or when said victims’ own families speak out and say that they were no hero so people should not worship them or riot in their memory? Or when a person is still a rowdy teenager chewing the fat with their friends impressing each other with the amount of times that they are able to use this cursed word be it noun, verb, or adjective? When a young mother is speaking in front of her child and it gets imbedded in their developing brains that such language is socially acceptable? 

I have, for many years watched the people I know build and develop their lives on the foundation that our education supplied us. Yet, all these years later, with children, and sometimes grandchildren of their own these individuals who I hold in the highest regard will still post on their social media some long dead rapper who consistently disrespects women, glorifies gratuitous violence, and yes, par for the course uses the dreaded n word. Why? We respect one another and therefore go out of our way to be tolerant of the differences that form our unique collective as a population of educated young people who always have their craft and training to fall back on. It gives us the ability to enjoy the responsibilities of adulting while allowing for choice. Even amongst these individuals I cannot find an answer. Why? Why is the use of this word continuously allowed? Once upon a time if someone wanted to say that you were ignorant, they would use the term with the consonant. Be they of one ethnic group or another it was meant to be offensive. Some used it to degrade a different ethnic group. Others used it to remind members of their own ethnicity that there is a standard that the Community of Color lives by and that to act so ignorant as to be referred to by such a term is the lowest act possible so they should correct their behavior. Now it has been replaced with a verb and used as a term of endearment. What has changed between before the Civil Rights Movement triggered by the murder of Emmit Till and bombings of various communities of color? Why now is it socially acceptable?  

Have systemic racism and bigoted racism won? No one seems to have an answer. So then how do we stop this from continuing to happen with future generations? Is there a cure for the cannibalistic nature of social development that feeds on the soul of colored folk? Oh, and don’t get me started on the light skin versus dark skin debate…

Until next time, just think about it amongst yourselves. I’d love to read your responses. 

M