There is still racism and hate speech in the news; I wonder if we will ever be totally free of it. Just last week, Duane Chapman, star of his own show, Bounty Hunter on A&E, was caught on tape, expressing his disdain for blacks, using the N-word and other offensive language, while trying to get his son to break off his inter-racial relationship with a black girl.
But wait! I thought the N-word was dead? Wasn't there a funeral, with a coffin and thousands of witness, not to mention coverage by mainstream media? To me, a funeral implies certain death and the absolute end of life. So unless we are to believe in the resurrecting power of this word, I contend that there was no funeral, only an attempted murder. The N-word then laid low for a while, recouped, and is now back terrorizing the lives of blacks everywhere.
Was the NAACP a little ambitious in its attempt to bury this word? I'd say so. Since we have freedom of speech in this country, we can never ban a word no matter how offensive. Holding a ceremony, and inviting thousands of people will get you media coverage, but will not change anyone's beliefs, or their rights to voice an opinion. I have respect for human rights, and unfortunately that is a double sometimes triple edged sword.
While I don't agree with using the word, I respect everyone's right to use it. I always say, white people can use the word, but when they do they run the risk of an ass whipping. The main reason I'm such an advocate, is because I know I say a lot of things that people may not agree with. I would hate to have my voice silenced, to not be able to express myself and so I feel obligated to extend the same courtesy to my fellow Americans.
While we may never be able to bury the beast that is racism, we certainly can combat the symptoms. I will admit that using the N-word is one of the more obvious symptoms; however, I would argue that it is not the most severe. Perhaps because I am a member of generation Y and have never been called by that name, or experienced the hate and malice behind it, I don't see it's assassination as one of our community's most pressing emergencies.
Though I would be offended if I were called a nigger, I know that it's not the worse thing that is happening to our people right now. As a female, I'm naturally concerned with the objectification of women, but I'd be more concerned if they were being forced into that lifestyle. Since these women are volunteering in drowns, I don't think it's too much of a problem.
I'm more worried about the physical effects of racism than I am about the abstract. It seems to me that unequal justice is a bigger symptom of racism in America. Police brutality against minorities and the wrongful accusation and conviction of black people is something this country should be ashamed of.
Minorities are more likely to be stopped by police, especially if driving the wrong car or in the wrong neighborhood. Blacks are also disproportionately represented in the prison systems. The Michael Bell tragedy is just one example of what is happening all over our country. While some are guilty, minorities are more likely to be falsely accused of crimes, and because many of them can't afford adequate representation, they are more likely to be convicted.
In addition, Black and Latino boys are more likely to be given harsh penalties for crimes committed as minors and adults. According to the Children's Defense Fund one in three black boys will go to prison in their lifetime. Is that because blacks are more likely to commit crimes, or more likely to be punished when they do? I'll have to go with the latter.
Also, crimes committed against white people are typically treated with more outrage and urgency, than crimes against black people. Just watch the news. JonBenet Ramsey, Elizabeth Smart, Lacy Peterson, etc., when pretty white girls go missing it's national news for weeks, even months until they are found.
Erica Pratt, the black girl from Philly who escaped her captors on her own, was only given the standard 15 minutes of fame. Was her story no less interesting, or was it her skin color. Again we can see that justice is not blind. Since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, 80% of those executed committed crimes against whites, although there was an even number of crimes committed against black and white people.
Looking back in history, the Holocaust, genocide against Jewish people, was a major cause of the Second World War. Now there is genocide going on in Africa, with not so much of a flinch from our government. Hundreds of thousands of lives have been lost in Darfur since 2004, but our government isn't declaring WWIII. Is the ethnic cleansing of one group of people more outrageous than another? I'll have to go with no.
