OPINION: The Weight of the Word

By Kyle Ridley, Communication

I always find myself gripped by the constant debate over whether to ban the “n-word” or reclaim it. This hot button issue is obviously a delicate topic and part of me feels the need to step back and keep quiet, like it’s not my place to chime in.

However, while taking Professor Mark Hopson’s course on Black Communication and Identity, I have been able to gain a better understanding of the deep rooted emotions and history behind the “n-word” while also taking in both sides of the debate with a more appreciative mindset. My classmates and I have spent several sessions sharing our views on the calls to bury the word for good, to take it back with new honor attached, or to redefine it by pronouncing it with an “a” at the end instead of an “er.”

Seattle Post-Intelligencer recently published an editorial by John Foley, a high school teacher in Ridgefield, Washington, that suggested books with the “n-word” have no place in schools now that Barack Obama is president. In his editorial, Foley stated that Obama’s election to the presidency meant that racism was essentially a thing of the past. Furthermore, he noted that popular literary texts taught in school, such as Of Mice and Men, To Kill a Mockingbird and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, portrayed African-Americans as “ignorant,” “inarticulate” and “uneducated.”

This controversial editorial has sparked a widespread flurry of comments and criticism. Several teachers from around the nation have blasted Foley’s suggestion, stating that these books are vital for students to better understand discrimination and the history of racism in the United States. On the other hand, many educators have expressed their similar unease while teaching these literary works. Lastly, some noted their fear that censoring these texts might promote shared ignorance and a return to prejudices of the past.

These mixed emotions led me to ask the following: If we aren’t exposed to voices of the past, how can we learn in the present, further educate and evolve in the future?

Obviously, banning books with the “n-word” would impact African-Americans in the classroom, but I think that Caucasians could be just as, if not more, affected by the word’s disappearance. If the “n-word” was removed from educational facilities, would students truly grasp the harshness of its history or casually let it seep into conversation here and there?

I think by including the “n-word” in texts, it fosters vital discussions among students and although the topic is uncomfortable for many, it forces them to absorb the heaviness attached instead of allowing it to roll by unacknowledged. Caucasians, including myself, develop a strong awareness of the “n-word’s” impact on society by studying its history, and most likely, we’d experience a loss of sensitivity and connectedness amongst our peers with its desertion.

What would happen with this new generation if the “n-word” were banished from books? Yes, it’s extraordinary that in this new era our children will grow up with an African-American president, but with this comes the risk of allowing a skewed interpretation of the past to flourish. If the youth of today are raised accustomed to African-American leadership and the “n-word” only heard in popular music and movies, then the historical weight of the word is lost in a shielded, pop-culture bubble.

While I understand the unease that comes with studying texts containing the “n-word,” I feel that banning these texts would be a giant step backward. As I read Foley’s comments and the various responses regarding free speech, I realized how strong of an impact the “n-word” has on me in just writing this article. I never use the word and often get a nervous churning in my gut when I hear it used by others. The power to be put on edge by a single word is rare, and in the case of the “n-word,” a necessary quality.

I am still unsure of how I feel in regards to the word being used as a term of endearment or brotherly love. I know I could never say it without being on edge, but it’s hard to say whether or not others can “take it back” and “reclaim” the term. One thing that particularly sticks out in writing this piece is how I won’t even spell the word out. I also choose not to capitalize the letter n, because capitalization would denote some type of respect.

I don’t feel I would have had such a strong reaction had I not been exposed to the “n-word” in school. If I hadn’t been confronted with the derogatory term and experienced the negative backlash, I think the historical significance encompassing the word would have fallen flat. Whether you’re comfortable with the word, revolted by it, or on the fence as to whether it’s okay to use it or not, your position is heavily influenced by your past experiences and interactions. We develop much of our sensitivities, reservations, boundaries and compassion through our class studies.

There’s a lot to be said about gut reaction. Maybe I wouldn’t think twice about using the “n-word” had I not examined its impact while growing up. Maybe I’d be unaffected by its use in every day conversation now, or even casually toss it around myself. In any case, I know many of my current core principles were shaped by past lessons, and I’d much rather flinch at a word in a book than be untouched by its historical impact.