On Monday morning's episode of The View, the cast discussed the "Niggerhead" controversy. As you may know, this nickname was painted on a rock at the gated entrance of the hunting camp of GOP presidential hopeful Rick Perry. You can read more about the controversy in a Washington Post article on the story.
The discussion took an unexpectedly interesting turn when co-host Sherri Shepherd took offense to Barbara Walters' use of the term "nigger".
I think Sherri is off base on this one. Since Barbara used the term within the context of the news story, I don't think she did anything wrong. Recently, I was in a similar situation with the host of the radio show that follows mine. As me and him often do, we had a conversation towards the end of my show/the beginning of his. We were discussing WAMM 1420 AM (a Flint soul station from back in the day). My colleague (who is white) was telling me how he loved listening to WAMM as a kid back in the late 60s. Once while he was staying with his grandmother, she caught him tuning into WAMM. As a result, she whupped him and said something along the lines that he better not ever listen to "nigger" music in her house again. When he detailed the story, I could sense his reluctance as he said the word "nigger". Because it's not a word I often hear in everyday conversations, I was caught off guard by his use of the term. However, I wasn't offended because he wasn't directing it at me or anyone else... he was giving an account of what went down between him and his grandmother.
Before I published this post, I sent him an email to gauge his feelings on me retelling the story of our conversation. In addition to him being OK with it, he expressed his apology for using the term. I assured him that it was all good.
Do you think it was OK for Barbara Walters to use word "nigger" in the context of the news story involving Rick Perry's hunting camp?
10 comments:
For me, it's perfectly acceptable.
Part of it is my belief in the "American" label. I do not subscribe to language some groups and people can use while others cannot. I find that to be ridiculous.
My question is if Sherri was truly offended or simply feigning offense. I've seen offended people before, and she seemed to be mailing it in from the start.
It reminded me of when Sharpton jumped on Imus for dropping a "you people" on his show some years ago. At that point, it was more reactionary for Al to bark, but he wasn't angry enough to show his teeth. So these types of things make me wonder.
I can't know if she was actually offended by this or took exception to it. But it seems to me to be more of a trained response some people have when someone not "supposed" to say a word says a word.
It's obviously not just a black vs. white thing. We're building a long list of words certain people can't say but are still acceptable for others to say. I've been reamed out for saying "Indian" before.
who gives a crap?
Josh: Since people have varying reactions when they are offended, I'm not going to question Sherri on that. Also, consider these two facts:
"The View" is recorded live and Sherri is friends with Barbara. We may have seen a totally different reaction from Sherri if this wasn't live TV and/or if she wasn't on friendly terms with Barbara.
Chuck: I love it when people take the time to comment on things they claim not to give a "crap" about. Thanks for visiting.
I'm not saying she wasn't. I don't know. She may have been.
But I have--I think we all have--been witness to people feigning offense because they're "supposed" to be offended.
The live TV and the friends angle certainly also make sense.
But I just wasn't convinced of her offense over it. It seemed more like a point she was trying to make.
Definitely could be wrong, and it wouldn't be the first time nor the last.
I think we feel the power of that word because it's been just a short time since the Civil Rights era when we remember how that word was used to diminish and demean people. I think over time it will lose its power to hurt people, and then it will lose its power to hurt.
When used in the context of telling a factual account, I don't see it as disrespectful, but I would try to gauge how the person I'm speaking with would feel.
People, and especially groups who have been at the receiving end of murderous hatred, have the right not to have to hear words that remind them of the oppression.
Shaw: Hopefully, the time will come when the word loses its power to hurt. I just don't think that time will come during our lifetime.
When me and my colleague had the conversation in which he told the story about his grandmother, I appreciated the fact that he was sensitive to how I might feel.
OK serious Sherri needs to grow up. It is a word. She acts like it was here that had to go through all that back in the day. It was before her time and she needs to loosen up a bit. That is what is wrong with black people these days. They think we all owe them something because their great, great, great grandparents had a horrible time. Guess what?! We don't!
Anon: You were doing OK until you made that silly comment about what's wrong with black people these days.
I have read the Harry Potter books where a whole bunch of people, wizards, went around talking about He Who Must Be Named like as if just by mentioning a name would bring automatic death and calamity. This is the same argument that Sherri has. This is the same argument that should be left in children's books.
Adults shouldn't have to hide from a word. Use it or don't use it. Accept it in your company or don't accept in your company, but don't in a public forum pretend it doesn't exist because Sherri darling it does.
Curious: Even though I disagree with Sherri, I'm glad she made her feelings known because it gives us the opportunity to debate when the word should/shouldn't be used. I know there are others who feel the same way as Sherri.
Thanks for visiting. I look forward to reading your thoughts on any future topics we discuss here.
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