A month or two late (as usual), I just want to say something briefly about language and Don Imus. About a month ago, radio shock jock Don Imus called the Rutgers basketball team "nappy headed ho's" and the world blew up. Seriously people, don't we have better things to worry about? I've never listened to the show, (honestly, didn't even know who he was) but I've heard he's always been an ass. Then the rap community bears the brunt of the aftermath as people try to reason his actions out. Russell Simmons, of Def Jam Records, asks his artists to stop using the words, "bitch", "ho" and the n-word. Which makes me giggle. Good luck with that.
We are getting so close to censorship here, it alarms me. The fact that MSNBC didn't pull the show until their corporate sponsors started backing is curious. Since when did we let corporations start dictating what is ethically acceptable? I'm not saying the first amendment was violated here, I'm just saying we need to be careful. Furthermore, "nappy headed hos" is a phrase, that to me, doesn't really ring that offensive. Sure, I wouldn't like to be called one. But I'm not sure it screams racism. Bernard McGuirk's in essence, calls the Rutgers team "jigaboos" by likening the playoff series to the Spike Lee's movie "School Daze"'s main conflict.
But that's not getting any coverage. Interesting how the media dictates what's important to us, isn't it? So blame rap music, blame Spike Lee, blame whoever you want. The key issue here is exclusive language. And that's what I really wanted to get down into.
Language can be a pretty powerful thing. It can make you cry, weep, laugh, or shake with rage. And it's a beautiful gift we have been given. Our level of communication separates us from every other species on the planet. But there are two issues with me. The first is that of giving unnecessary power to words. Words are just words. They are just tones and rhythms. You give them power and context when you speak them. And when you react to them. I think perhaps, if everyone started using certain words, yes, like the n-word, we could possibly take the power from it. It is completely contingent upon the context and circumstance however. And sometimes, white people sound so stupid saying it. Bitch and ho can sometimes be affectionate terms. Isn't the dictionary definition someone of ignorance? That makes no mention of skin color or gender. But if we changed the context, could we take the power? I'm not sure. Maybe in time. Which brings me to my second, and more important point.
I'll put it simply. No more exclusive language. If you can't say it, then neither can I. Since when did we have rules on what you can and can't say in this country? Since when did the color of my skin, limit my verbal capacity? Language is not taboo, it's not nasty, and there are no such things as "bad words". If you can say it, so can I. And that's the way the cookie crumbles. We are so PC concerned in this country, we are in danger of losing our ability to speak freely. This cannot happen.
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