I'll post something intellectual for a minute
 

For those who dare get a little intellectual on me, I wanted to discuss something and thought this would be a good place. Read the poem at the link (I don't want to post the actual piece, I don't want anybody getting their copyright undies in a twist) and tell me what you think. I'll post my opinion later, still thinking on it see. It's got my brain a little twisted, I wanna know what other people think. You can talk about the subject in general to an extent, BUT I'M NOT LOOKING FOR A DEBATE, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE PIECE. Please and thank you:).

http://www.quandra-speaks.com/poetry.htm

Poem was very thought provoking, but we talk about the issue of the "n" word and how it has gone through its cycle, but what is being done to stop the cycle.

I can only speak for myself when I say it is not part of my vocab, however, I am only one person.

hmmm. You cannot make all people ban a word from their vocabulary. Even if everyone was educated on the orgins of the word and how it was used as a tool to make blacks feel inferior. Young Blacks in the inner city use the term just because- I mean in some instances even if they were taught not to do it they still would just because they can. JMO

I think a lot of the problem is that people just don't know any better. This is a word that was not used in my home often so it never became a part of my vocab. But many people grow up hearing it said by every single person they know. I'm not saying it's ok, but how are they supposed to know it's wrong if no one is telling them? We need to continue to try to teach each other, especially our youth, to show more respect for ourselves and each other and that the "N" word is degrading and when you say it makes you sound ignorant, especially when "others" are around. Now you can't reach everybody because we all know some folks could care less. People are going to do what they are going to do. But that shouldn't stop us from trying to make a differance where we can.

I think the use of the word as part of daily vocab is a clear result of Black People desiring the wrong things. As a people, and I see this all the time, we 'want' what 'whitey' wouldn't let us have. Whitey had Wealth, we have chains, cars, etc. Whitey had power, we have misogynistic hate towards what is affectionately known as a bit$(black woman). We 'took' the word nigger as we do all these other desires and never thought once that decades later our young women and men would actually not move on from it. Like chidren in a candy store, we are not going to stop the 'want' we are going to unfortunately consume the 'candy' until our teeth rot. Education, Spirituality, and Community Empowerment is our only defense. God help us...

I have to disagree with this part of your statement. I do believe that people do know better, and kids do know better. We all know better, but we don't always do better (if that makes sense). Saying that folks don't know any better is give them an excuse..

cosign

This is the part that took me off-guard a bit: "every time we say “hey nigga”/to a black king or queen/guised as a greeting/we piss on dr. king’s dream/of reaching equality"

Comments on this particular portion?

SIMPLY STATED: THE POEM HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.

I don't know. I suppose when we use the word, we are essentially giving others permission to use it - and seeing it's derrogatory background - the poem is correct in a sense. I thought it was interesting - I was looking at "Mind of Mencia" on comedy central. He traveled the street asking people the difference between the word Nigger and Nigga. There was a black guy standing next to a white guy. The black guy went on to say how nigga was in present day terms a way of saying "my boy, my friend, or dude". Yet, when the white guy (older - mind you) was like "It's a term of love or endearment actually..." the black guy was looking incredulous, like "be for real...". :confused: