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The other day I was listening to the radio and they were discussing the use of "the n word". I heard a really interesting point that I think applies to bitch too, but maybe has been more fully realized because it doesn't have the same historical impact as nigga.
One of the callers on the show proposed that we have reached a point in this society where for a number of black people, whether we prosper or fail is up to us. There is NO word out there that can bring us down. You can call me a nigga or a bitch all day and at the end I am still going to do what I have to do. It only has power over you if you let it.
I have been thinking about that since I heard it. I am still not comfortable hearing that word. Am I giving it undue power in allowing it to make me feel uneasy?
I think many women have overcome that with the word bitch. That term has become fairly popular as another way of saying that you are a strong woman.
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It may be said with rough accuracy that there are three stages in the life of a strong people. First, it is a small power, and fights small powers. Then it is a great power, and fights great powers. Then it is a great power, and fights small powers, but pretends that they are great powers, in order to rekindle the ashes of its ancient emotion and vanity.-- G.K. Chesterton
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