*Dehumanization through Words*
NIGGER, WET BACK, JEW, CRACKER, GOOK, CHINK, BOG RAT, NIGGER , RED NECK, BLACKIE, AYE-RAB, EXTREMIST, BUCKWHEAT, CHICO, CHINAMAN, CANUCK, COLORED, COON, DARKIE, FAGGOT, NIGGER, DYKE, GREASER, GREASEBALL, NIGGER , HALF-BREED, MUT, JAP, HONKY, RETARD, JUNGLE BUNNY, JIGABOO, MICK, KRAUT, OREO, PAKI, POLACK, REDSKIN, SAMBO, SHYSTER, NIGGER, RUSKY, SPOOK, SPIC, UNCLE TOM, TOWEL HEAD, WASP, WHITE TRASH, WOP, WHITEY, YID, ZEBRA HEAD, WHIGGER.
Words, (especially the perversion of them) have a powerful affect on the mind.
"It is not whether your words or actions are tough or gentle; it is the spirit behind your actions and words that announces your inner state."
-- Chin-Ning Chu
-- Chin-Ning Chu
I can think to when I was about 10 or 11 years old I had my first run in with being called a nigger. It was not another African American it was a middle aged Caucasian gentleman. At that time, living in a neighborhood with few blacks, and being the first African Americans on our street, my family and I experienced a lot of racism and racist things at that time as I grew up. Nothing so chilling as to me remembering that man calling me a “little nigger”. Can you imagine how that felt at that age?
I think that is where my self pride grew from the black little girl to the budding young Bell Hooks you see before you.
Despite the circumstances, what child deserves that type of dehumanization? An adult to a child. Would you say the effects of this is less than that of molestation? I would say worse. Attempting to degrade me and raping me of who I could be....Yet, I learned this is really the American way through the eyes of many. This is what we are taught. How many have those conversations in the home, you would not dare to have outside the home.
Remember, "if they can't use the comb, don't bring them home..."
Remember, "if they can't use the comb, don't bring them home..."
This is how I began my quest to understand people.
As I grew older, and pass that experience I come to the realization, that most people who are ignorant do not know they are ignorant, and common sense is not really all that common. This type of generational ignorance is deeply rooted and subtly plays on insecurities of people. It is a mere reflection of the person projecting. It speaks to the victims superiority and the victimizes insecurities. There is no reason for it. It really does not matter what color you are if your ignorant, your just ignorant. I come to understand, people hate what they fear most. They seek to destroy it.
Dehumanization is a DIRTY conventional warfare tactic played on the minds of those who are ignorant or unaware. Through frames and messaging the mind is easily influenced in many cases, particularly if it’s subtle or subliminal. Let’s take the “residue of slavery” which remains, and is reflected in the historical racist and dehumanizing treatment and views of African Americans/people of color as it is projected and plays out in modern society.
My personal experience caused me to think about those who have been in institutional settings such as prisons, and schools. Those who were told they would not be amount to anything. And if your told to aim at nothing, your are surely to hit it! I am sure, that put them in the mindset to feel like nothing, leaving them at a disadvantage, mentally. Bureaucracy keeps them running in circles. Men and women who return home from prison are at a much greater disadvantage because they are stripped of certain rights and denied certain transitional opportunities, especially if they are a minority.
No matter how awful, nigger is a popular word. “Nigger is a noun in the English language, most notable for its usage in a pejorative context to refer to black people, and also as an informal slang term, among other contexts. It is a common ethnic slur. The word originated as a term used in a neutral context to refer to black people, as a variation of the Spanish/Portuguese noun negro, a descendant of the Latin adjective niger
Dehumanization through words only perpetuates and reinforces stereotypes behind words such as Nigger, Spic, Gook, etc we see it ingrained in the social fabric of America
Look at the competitive factor among whose race is superior. If it was not, groups like the KKK would not be so successful. Because America are the main consumers of this bullshit, we are socially unaware and unconsciously are shifted into treating one another indifferently because of modern day racism reinforced through stereotypes built upon a hate and a perversion of words. Thus reflecting and projecting this ignorance on an international basis. Promotion of this dehumanizing way of thinking.
A way of thinking, a way of being taught for generations. Killing ourselves, by working against one another over something that is unrealistic. Man can accomplish so much more by working together. Race is arguably socially constructed....I mean, who is really black or white nowadays?
Yet, aren’t we all mere human beings?
“Chapters of the same book just a different page, Niggers in the struggle all out to get paid”…Beanie Siegel
ON THE OTHER SHOE: RACISIM beyond COLOR LINES…
Nigger I believe is the primary root of separatism among African Americans. To an educated black man a “Nigger” is someone who looks like all other black people in terms of skin color, yet messes everything else up for the rest of the proud African/Jamaican/Haitian Americans. A nightmare walking, and a shoot out waiting to happen! Now, you don’t see any black person referring to Martin Luther King Jr as a nigger…?
And let us not forget the infamous, Whigger? WHIGGER—whites who act “black” or like “niggers” depicted and defined by educated blacks. Emenim , the Beastie Boys, and MC Search would be the along and among the Whiggerish ones.
“Possible Characteristics of a Nigger: Laziness, Ignorance, Racism, Belligerence, Kleptomania and an all around urge to just do dumb shit all the time.”…Unknown
For example: Shooting and killing a police officer on Broad Street, in broad daylight on Halloween or Mr. Malvo training a teenager on sniping innocent people across Washington DC…yup, I admit, that is some real nigga shit. Yet, although comical in a sense, this is a word used to separate us from ourselves. Nigga shit embarrasses the educated black. Yet, I think the "nigga" really knows no other way. The only way they know, is the way we have known for over 300 years, "survival of the fittest"...
It is for the educated black man to make the difference, pave the paths and show the way. Like they say, "it takes a village"...
Some understand being a Nigger is a behavior trait based on a foundation of ignorance, yet by the use of the word, we dehumanize ourselves. Because we can distinguish, it does not mean it is okay. And those on the outside looking in cannot distinguish, so as African Americans we are grouped, and we categorize and catalog ourselves and in turn are grouped in the eyes of the media, in our homes, in our schools and within the walls of the prison. So if you want to stop being called and/or treated as such, please look within. And be sure to help those who cannot help themselves...
“Even if you in a benz you still a nigger”….Kyane West. Nigger, Nigger, Nigger, Nigger, and we drill it into ourselves…what is the purpose, and where does it end? Self destruction....or?
Another example of the skillful use of the ideologically based dehumanization in action is, Adolf Hitler's references to Jewish as 'vermin' or 'rats'. “Dehumanization is a psychological process whereby opponents view each other as less than human and thus not deserving of moral consideration.[2]” Word removes personal identification, annihilation of character all allowing the public to override their repugnance to conflict by perceiving their enemies as inhuman. After 9/11 notice the increase in Muslims now labeled “Terrorist” and “Extremist” in turn making it okay to murder. Do you hear them saying hey "rat" sup, or hey "terrorist" wassup?! No, we as a people need to learn to lead by example. Be proud!
“Who pulls the strings?... Are you making things happen or watching them happen? Set the stage or you will become a mere character in a play Its best to be a puppeteer of life and not a puppet….” F. Mabry
The next time you or someone you know calls you a nigger, or uses the term nigger as a description, think about the mighty weight that word carries and has carried for over 300 years.
Progression or regression…
Niggerism and using the word nigger is thinking backwards, not forward. Think about what you are saying. When you judge someone based on the color of their skin, this does not speak to who they are as a person, it speaks to who you are.
As a African American, if you are using nigger in a way to describe someone African American considered uneducated, low class…etc…try helping your fellow man. Never throw stones when living in a glass house, remember how society views you no matter what IVY League degree you possess.
Do we really wonder why we as blacks are so separated? Look at yourself. If you see no problem there, move on. If so, there is the problem, change your way of thinking, the generational problem resides there. Words we use not only among ourselves on a micro scale, think on a wider global level. How do we expect to be considered an international force if we can't get our own shit together, and utilize resources instead of always trying to exploit them?
If you don’t want to be put in a box, don’t put yourself in one, and don't box others in either.
Words can be weapons used for good or evil. Writing and freedom of speech is one of my weapons against the atrocities we face. I personalize the struggle, because struggle is part of life, and life is very personal to me. I am thinking of those human beings who look like me in disproportionate numbers wrongfully imprisoned, hated, degraded and dehumanized, just for being born. I am from the community and for the community.
If I am too intense, or too passionate, or too overbearing, I am not only thinking of my life, I am thinking of yours too and the lives of your children. So I apologize in advance for my realness.
“Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”
WATCH YOUR WORDS you may be forced to eat them.
As Albert Einstein says, “you cannot change a problem with the same mind that created it”, so you have to change your way of thinking in order to change the problem. Although I have to curb my tendency to use the word, I see the harm it caused, and causes. Not just on an external level, on an internal self-esteem level of the African American community. Why are you broken? Who wants to be viewed as no matter what you accomplish you are still a “stain” on society i.e. a nigger.
That was then, this is now! Today, calling me a Nigger, you are guaranteed to get your feelings hurt no matter what color you are. Ain’t no niggers over here. I am for respect no matter who gives it. As Pearl Strachan Hurd says, “handle them carefully, for words have more power than atom bombs”.
Fareeda "TheMaverick" Mabry
niggers suck
ReplyDelete