Was Dr. Laura right about her use of the N-word? (originally posted 8/27/10)

“A handful of black activists have waged war against the N-word. Their target is those rappers and writers that have turned the N-word into a lucrative growth industry.” – Earl Ofari Hutchinson

Dear friends,

Almost 40 years ago, back in the early Seventies, a brilliant, albeit small, book was published called The Myth of Black Capitalism. Its author was a man named Earl Ofari. Only a few years later, I started seeing the same writer’s name more and more, although he had added the surname “Hutchinson” to his earlier pen name (which may have already been his surname anyway).

Nevertheless, he is nationally syndicated. Yet, I have had issues with his analyses, at times, over the years, because he seems to relate to ideas that are largely based upon disciplines like sociology and psychology that, at least to me, are two of many genres that analyze both the conditions and behaviors of people as if we are talking insects. Still, Brother Earl has been and always is on the right side of African American liberation. Moreover, Hutchinson’s piece on the link below, about the recent Dr. Laura Schlessinger debacle, in her use of the “N-word”, as it were, is right on point.

Also, while the article is fairly comprehensive, unfortunately, Hutchinson never brings up “Black self-hatred”, the other half of racism – the euphemism for White Supremacy.

To be sure, the self-hatred just mentioned is the sentiment that is both self-imposed and replenished in us through, for example, Black television, movie, and theatre productions that invite us to come laugh at ourselves, over experiences that involve everything from barber shops, to boat cruises, to weddings, to hitting the lottery. This self-hatred, of course, legitimizes the systematic exploitation and oppression that is inflicted upon us by White Supremacy.

Consequently, our self-hatred is the main culprit that keeps African Americans using the word “nigger” as some type of affectionate term, since far too many of us continue to use it amongst ourselves.

Additionally, the N-word has now, mostly due to the buffoon minstrelsy that is known as hip-hop, become part of American vernacular, as it is also a term used by, especially, young people of many other cultural groups, particularly, those of European American (so-called “white”) Latino, and Asian descent. Still, please check out this very thoughtful piece.

Cheers!

G. Djata Bumpus
http://www.baystatebanner.com/Opinion58-2010-08-26