Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Whoopie Goldberg got into a heated debate about the use of the N-word yesterday on The View. The whole thing started when Jesse Jackson got caught on a hot-mike making derogatory statements toward Barack Obama. He apparantly used the N-word, though I have not seen any clip that proves that. The thing is that Jackson spoke out against the use of the N-word after the Michael Richards incident saying that no one should be using the N-word and that even rappers should stop using it. So, now he sounds like a hypocrite.
Something funny? Rev. Al Sharpton agreed with Elisabeth. Did the world stop? I heard him myself last night on AC360. I agree with her, too. I never agree with Elisabeth. But she is right. That word should be banned. It is a hurtful word and no one should use it. The black community is the only one who happens to use a word that degrades their own cultures against themselves. No one else does that. They need to stop.
Listen to the controversy for yourself.
What is your take on this subject? Do you think the N-word should be used by anybody? Do you think it should be banned? Tell me what you think.
2 years ago
Posts
3 comments:
Wow. I have a stomach ache after watching that. I don't watch this show, so my first response is, "Barbara Walters is extremely annoying." She doesn't seem to have a lot of respect for Elizabeth--kept trying to shush her and I think at one point she even said "Stop talking."
I actually thought Elizabeth stated herself really well and made some good points--but she seemed in a losing battle, because it's all a matter of semantics. When she said, "We live in the same world," I think she meant, "We all live on planet Earth" or "We all breathe the same air," but Whoopi seemed to take it as, "We all think the same and are treated the same." From there it went down hill, because they were talking about two different concepts. And had equally valid points of view.
I do think Whoopi and the other gal (sitting next to Elizabeth) contradicted themselves a little, but they were speaking off-the-cuff and I think if they had more time to put their words together they would clear up what they meant by saying it's okay to use it in private but not in public or when they pointed out that it's a unique word in our language and that there's no misinterpreting it (Whoopi's speech was bleeped out a lot, so was hard to understand) but also said it's a versatile word that means different things to different people, and can even be used as an endearment.
I didn't watch the show, but to answer your question, yes people should stop using the n-word. I don't like hearing it, don't use it, and no one in my family is allowed to use it. But ban it? I don't think that will ever happen. It would be nice. But if the n-word gets banned, then so should the g-d word. I'm tired of hearing that crap on cable tv shows.
I'm sorry, I had to pause in the middle of the video to say this: Whoopie, you do not live in the same world as your mother. You CAN vote in the United States of America. We DO live in the same world. You, me, Elisabeth - all of us - the same world where we can all vote. The past is the past. It was horrible, awful, disgusting and it makes me want to vomit to think about it, but the time has come for us to move on now. Okay, back to the video.
Okay, I finished the video - and although I have never lived as a black person in the black community, granted, I just do not get how using that word is viable in our culture. If we want to get ahead and we want to move beyond racism and derision, what possible use does that word have in our world?
It's sickening. It's a part of a past that was born of ignorance, hatred and separatism that the black community says it wants no part of - so how can any member of that community use a word like "nigger?"
Sorry to use that word. I HATE THAT WORD. I only used it in this context to prove my point. It's vile!
Let me be blunt - if you don't want to be called the n- word, then don't use the n-word. Period. Let's rid that nasty word from our vocabulary - one person at a time.
How come it's the white people that are more offended by this word than the blacks?
I don't get it.
leisa
Post a Comment