LOIE
Gold Member
- May 11, 2017
- 954
- 325
- 190
In light of the recent incident involving LeBron James, I would like to share some portions of Michael Eric Dyson’s book, “Tears We Cannot Stop,” and also add some words from my own book.
“N*****. Admit it, beloved, that word – that abomination – is still with us. Yes, it’s ugly. Yes, it’s full of hate. And yet, a lot of you, or at least a lot of the folk you know, still think of black folk as n******. I remember the first time I heard the white world call me “n*****.” I say white world because it was not an individual man saying that to me, mind you, even though the words came from his mouth. This man was simply repeating what he had been told about me. I was every black person he’d ever met. We were all the same. That’s what n***** meant. That’s what it still means.”
“And please don’t make a silly false equivalence between us. Some of you claim that black folk are racists too when they use epithets like honky, redneck, cracker, ofay, gray boy and the like. That you know that’s a lie. N***** has no rival. There is no rough or refined equivalence between the term and the many derisive references to white folks. Those terms don’t evoke singularly gruesome actions. N***** is unique because the menace implies is portable; it shows up wherever a white tongue is willing to suggest intimidation and destruction. There are no examples of black folk killing white folk en masse; terrorizing them with racial violence; shouting “cracker” as they lynch them from trees and then selling postcards to document their colossal crimes. Black folk have not enjoyed the protection of the state to carry out such misdeeds.”
“The state, in fact, rendered black folk even more vulnerable. White racism was the government’s science project; bigotry was its nightly homework. Evil flashed in a white face in a terrorizing crackerocracy, an exuberantly diabolic band of proud haters of black culture composed of the Klan, the White Citizens Council, neo-Confederate outfits, white nationalist groups, and the legions of unaffiliated fellow travelers. Their mottoes differed, but N***** is the rallying cry for all of them. We must effectively respond in our day to the ugly persistence of racism, even if its form has changed.”
The following words are from a letter I personally received from a young black girl named Jean. She really opened my eyes to how the use of the n***** word can have a devastating effect:
“Dee, the other day I was on a bus and a little white boy spat at me and called me a n*****. Tears came to my eyes. Why must I be called a n*****? I remember the day I Iooked up that word in the dictionary and it said it meant ignorant. I know I’m not ignorant. But if you look up that word in the revised edition it means, Black Americans, Negroes. Why? The walls of anger are getting stronger. I’m tired of trying to love those people. I’m tired of trying to get their education. Dee, as I write this letter I’m in tears. Because I’m writing to you knowing you don’t understand. Getting angry at myself. Hating myself because I’m turning away from God. It’s like I’m second best to him. Hey, wait a minute, those white people are first. Praying to him, wanting him to answer my prayers. Wondering does God love white people more than us. We been the white man’s slaves. Most of our women been their whores. Did God look down on us? Dee, the only desire I have is to die. You know, the first child I have I’m going to name him N***** so he won’t have to learn the hurt I have. He’ll think he’s famous The wall that I have is getting stronger. It’s going to take a miracle. But will your God even help? My mind I going through some changes it wouldn’t have to if white people would leave me alone. I need prayer. Pray for my attitude. The hatred, the pain, the discomfort, the unlovable soul that I have. Maybe God will help then. He’ll listen to you – you’re white!”
I grew up in Missouri and I can not, to this day, remember anything positive being said about black people. I was taught they were dirty, lazy, oversexed and violent. I was told to stay away from them, not to associate with them at all. I heard them called N***** all the time and heard my family say, "They want everything handed to them on a silver platter." This was what was put into my head. And it pretty much stayed there until I met a black man who contradicted every single one of those stereotypes. Thank God I met Henry and since then, the many, many positive black folks who opened my eyes and heart to the truth. I look at things this way. We either recognize racism and the use of the N word for what they are and try to combat them - or we don't. I choose to try.
“N*****. Admit it, beloved, that word – that abomination – is still with us. Yes, it’s ugly. Yes, it’s full of hate. And yet, a lot of you, or at least a lot of the folk you know, still think of black folk as n******. I remember the first time I heard the white world call me “n*****.” I say white world because it was not an individual man saying that to me, mind you, even though the words came from his mouth. This man was simply repeating what he had been told about me. I was every black person he’d ever met. We were all the same. That’s what n***** meant. That’s what it still means.”
“And please don’t make a silly false equivalence between us. Some of you claim that black folk are racists too when they use epithets like honky, redneck, cracker, ofay, gray boy and the like. That you know that’s a lie. N***** has no rival. There is no rough or refined equivalence between the term and the many derisive references to white folks. Those terms don’t evoke singularly gruesome actions. N***** is unique because the menace implies is portable; it shows up wherever a white tongue is willing to suggest intimidation and destruction. There are no examples of black folk killing white folk en masse; terrorizing them with racial violence; shouting “cracker” as they lynch them from trees and then selling postcards to document their colossal crimes. Black folk have not enjoyed the protection of the state to carry out such misdeeds.”
“The state, in fact, rendered black folk even more vulnerable. White racism was the government’s science project; bigotry was its nightly homework. Evil flashed in a white face in a terrorizing crackerocracy, an exuberantly diabolic band of proud haters of black culture composed of the Klan, the White Citizens Council, neo-Confederate outfits, white nationalist groups, and the legions of unaffiliated fellow travelers. Their mottoes differed, but N***** is the rallying cry for all of them. We must effectively respond in our day to the ugly persistence of racism, even if its form has changed.”
The following words are from a letter I personally received from a young black girl named Jean. She really opened my eyes to how the use of the n***** word can have a devastating effect:
“Dee, the other day I was on a bus and a little white boy spat at me and called me a n*****. Tears came to my eyes. Why must I be called a n*****? I remember the day I Iooked up that word in the dictionary and it said it meant ignorant. I know I’m not ignorant. But if you look up that word in the revised edition it means, Black Americans, Negroes. Why? The walls of anger are getting stronger. I’m tired of trying to love those people. I’m tired of trying to get their education. Dee, as I write this letter I’m in tears. Because I’m writing to you knowing you don’t understand. Getting angry at myself. Hating myself because I’m turning away from God. It’s like I’m second best to him. Hey, wait a minute, those white people are first. Praying to him, wanting him to answer my prayers. Wondering does God love white people more than us. We been the white man’s slaves. Most of our women been their whores. Did God look down on us? Dee, the only desire I have is to die. You know, the first child I have I’m going to name him N***** so he won’t have to learn the hurt I have. He’ll think he’s famous The wall that I have is getting stronger. It’s going to take a miracle. But will your God even help? My mind I going through some changes it wouldn’t have to if white people would leave me alone. I need prayer. Pray for my attitude. The hatred, the pain, the discomfort, the unlovable soul that I have. Maybe God will help then. He’ll listen to you – you’re white!”
I grew up in Missouri and I can not, to this day, remember anything positive being said about black people. I was taught they were dirty, lazy, oversexed and violent. I was told to stay away from them, not to associate with them at all. I heard them called N***** all the time and heard my family say, "They want everything handed to them on a silver platter." This was what was put into my head. And it pretty much stayed there until I met a black man who contradicted every single one of those stereotypes. Thank God I met Henry and since then, the many, many positive black folks who opened my eyes and heart to the truth. I look at things this way. We either recognize racism and the use of the N word for what they are and try to combat them - or we don't. I choose to try.
.... 
