By Tavarsha Timmons Engl 336.001
To kick off Black History month at Frostburg State University the brothers of IOTA PHI THETA Fraternity INC. had a forum on the N-WORD; A very controversial topic in America today. The brothers of the Fraternity, Christopher Inskeep, Dwayne Winslow, Indiana Addison, and Craig Thomas, showed videos of racial slurs, talked about the meaning of the racial slurs, showed people of other races using these slurs, and left the crowd with one question.
The brothers started the forum with a clip from the movie Clerks 2 were a fast food employee uses the word porch monkey not realizing that is a racial slur against black people (link provided below). After the clip they asked what racial slurs had people heard about any race? The crowd responded very enthusiastically with terms such as koon, cracker, oreo, bunny, spic, wetback, jungle bunny, etc. The brothers then brought up the N-word term and what everyone thought of the word.
Kenyatta Malloy, a sophomore mass communication major, answered “No one should use the term unless they know the history.”
William Harris, a junior accounting major, responded that he uses the word “When greeting friends, I’m not saying nigger, I’m saying nigga. To me there is a difference between the words.” He then went on to say “It also depends on how you grew up.”
Dwayne Winslow, a junior psychology major, then used Harris’s point to segue into the next point of discussion by playing the video of a white rapper named VNasty from Oakland who uses the N-word and defends her right to use it (link provided below).
Winslow then asked audience members “Did you feel ok with Vnasty to use the word.”
Brandon Ragin, a senior exercise and sports science major, responded “it has less to do with the racial aspect and more with the intent.”
Chris Inskeep, a senior marketing major (who is also white), responded back “So your saying its ok for me to say it,” the whole room explodes in nods and yes. Inskeep responds back, “but I wouldn’t say it anyway some words just aren’t meant to be said. For example I don’t have a problem with any other white racial slurs like cracker or wonder bread, but I hate the term honky. To me that is the most offensive thing you can call me.” He then goes on to explain that he grew up around people who used the N-word but that he would never use it.
The topic was then bought back around to whether there is a difference between the words Nigger and Nigga.
Kenyatta Malloy said “I would rather not use the word at all. If your meeting someone new and the first thing that you say is that word then that could put a bad judgment on you.”
Winslow responded, “If someone judges me right away without getting to know me for one word I use, then I don’t need them as a friend.”
DeAndriea Norman, a senior theater major, responded “you never know who the person is. You have to be mindful of your surroundings because that person may be your future boss.”
As the forum came to its close the brothers decided to leave the people with one last thing a poem called “Nigger, Niggas, Niggaz” by Julian Curry. (The poem below).
So as the students filed out of their seats the four brothers of IOTA PHI THETA INC left them with something to think about. Is it ok to use the N-Word.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD-UpHlB9no (Julian Curry)
No comments:
Post a Comment