(9) THE N-WORD: N-NICEST FRIENDS

Often, when controversies over the N-word and others are mentioned, proponents for its use make rebuttals analogous to “but it’s just a word.” To those people, I would like to ask how often you greet your parents or the elderly by calling them a “cunt-faced-bitch,” tell a depressed person to kill themselves because everyone hates them, or got shivers the last time someone said they loved you. Even better, the last time you got upset because you were told that you couldn’t use a word like the N-word. After all, the examples I mentioned are “just words.” And the N-word is “just a word” too. Therefore, why would not being able to use this “just a word” bother you so much? 

    The thing this line of logic neglects, as indicated by the examples above, is the significance that that compressed air leaving our throats has. The ability to speak and convey complex, abstract thoughts is one of the things that separate us from other animals and is literally one of the reasons we evolved to be as successful as we are. So yes, it’s “just a word” but this fact is one of the very reasons it is so powerful. I do agree that context is important in determining how to evaluate the person using the word. I agree that the “rules” for when it can be used and who can use it can be confusing. For example, if someone’s reading a book for class, quoting a movie, or singing a song with the word, is it permissible? My opinion is that it is, but other’s will disagree.

    I also agree that people can overreact when the “wrong person” uses the word. Part of this reaction is because of the issue’s complexity. This comic and explanation are the result of me pondering on it for years, and it still likely fails to convey everything I want to say. If I’d tried to confront this my freshman year, it would have been even worse. The other cause for this reaction is, not only the negative history associated with it, but to ensure that the person will not make the mistake of using the word again. Truth be told, it isn’t always the best method, but it is the only one some people know. The aim of this show is to hopefully present an alternative. 

    In closing, the semantics behind the N-word can be confusing, and I’ll likely make other comics addressing them. Some people will be fine with its usage, while others won’t. The safest bet is to simply not use the word and, if you do, to make sure the environment is appropriate. (This means knowing your friends well enough to know they won’t get upset, not to smugly use it around your White friends because you think you’ll be able to get away with it.) And if you are really conflicted about it, for example, you don’t know what to say in response to a Black friend affectionately calling you “his/her nigga’ ”, literally, just ask them what to do. It never hurts.