Reply to Do Black Parents Discourage Their Children from Using the "N-Word"?

Forum Index » Off-Topic

Reply to "Do Black Parents Discourage Their Children from Using the "N-Word"?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I was riding on the Metro last night towards Reston, when three black youths (late teens/early 20s) got on the train near Farragut West.  Over the next 25-30 minutes, and in the presence of mostly white and Asian passengers, they spoke loudly, with about every 1/3 or 1/4th word out of their mouth being "niggas."  As I listened to them speak it became clear it was used as a substitute for "we" or for "young workers in entry-level jobs" (like "they make the niggaz stay late to clean up at Shake Shack").

Do black parents discourage their children from using this term, or do they not care?  And, if the latter, how can they take offense when youths of other races are then socialized to think it's an acceptable term?

This is not trolling, but a serious question that merits an honest discussion. [b]As long as non-AA youths are routinely punished for using language that AA youths apparently can use in public places with no repercussions, some people will trend further right[/b], convinced that the left is ready, willing, and able to enforce speech codes replete with double standards. [/quote]

I can't speak for all black parents any more than you can speak for all white parents, OP.  But of course, foul language in all forms is frowned upon in our AA house.  What we emphasize is that repercussions for black people, and males especially, are generally going to be harsher and more swift than they will be for white friends.  That extends to language, dress, behavior and a whole host of factors that can't even be expected or anticipated.

I recall learning this in kindergarten back in the 1970s. I never would have thought that reality would be even more acute 40 years later, but it seems that it is.

My kid is only six, but I can see and hear bad language and behavior from other kids in and around his school and playgrounds we frequent.  The earliest eye-opening experience was a 3- or 4-year-old boy who confronted my then-two-year-old with "What are you doing here black boy? You don't belong here."  It was said within earshot of his father who was conversing with another parent while we were playing at Walter Pierce park in DC.  Nice little liberal enclave full of privileged, educated, well-traveled professionals working at World Bank and the like, which is to say that background and upbringing often doesn't mean squat when it comes to how kids will behave.

If you're talking about values that guide behavior, I can say we're doing the best we can.  But your conclusion about people "trending right" based on what they observe about a few black kids, along with your assertions about punishment and repercussions based on the use of one word but not overall values is what concerns me most.  And I think I speak for a lot of other AA parents out there.  It doesn't matter what we teach or how upstanding our kids are, because there's a set of people out there ready to believe the worst and "trend right" whatever that means, before kids even open their mouths.  I don't think you can even comprehend what kind of fear that realization brings to parents, but I wish more would understand that it's not very...American.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics