[1521] in Discussion of MIT-community interests
Re: NYTimes.com Article: An Ugly Game
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Elizabeth Burr)
Fri Oct 17 12:19:46 2003
Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2003 11:53:44 -0400
From: Elizabeth Burr <lizb@MIT.EDU>
To: MIT-Talk@MIT.EDU
In-Reply-To: <20031017111956.A96B435042@web38t.prvt.nytimes.com>
At 7:19 AM -0400 10/17/03, jwiz@8inc.com wrote:
>This article from NYTimes.com
>has been sent to you by jwiz@8inc.com.
>
>
>Bob Herbert's take on Ghetto-opoly and black culture. If he can say
>"niggaz", "ho's", "bitches", and "pimp" in print, in the *New York
>Times*, then why can't we?
>
>David McIlroy
>
Why? Because the N-word has a tumultuous history in this country, and
there are some provocative guidelines to its use. Unfortunately,
those other words listed above don't have the same history, nor do
they strike the same nerve among a large group of people in this
country, in the same manner, as the N-word does.
In this situation, I am guessing that Bob Herbert can use the N-word
because he is a Black man. If he were not Black, I would pretty much
assume that the NAACP would be after him too.
If anyone else is really interested about the N-word, its history,
and an analysis of place in society, I suggest reading the book,
"Nigger" by Randall Kennedy.
--Liz Burr
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