Article/Summary

Who's afraid of the "n" word?

• Stimulating Thought about Racial Epithets
• Racism as Learned Behavior
• Modern Implications

Stimulating Though About Racial Epithets

The Ways of White Folks by Langston Hughes, states on the first page the dreaded "n" word. Cora Jenkins was referred to by white folks as Negress when they were being polite and when rude a nigger.

The passage that I read states that the reason why the word "nigger" is not used in classrooms today is because of some misguided sentiment they don't want students to hear, they don't want to be responsible for its learning and usage of the word, the article states that the use of derogatory-tending to detract or make seem inferior terms for "specific" groups has been and is a part of American culture.

Racial Epithets

Racial epithets-a term used to describe the nature of a person or thing; for example, are used by the one group to another group in an inferior light as a means of maintaining power.

Racism as Learned Behavior

Why has The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn been looked at as raciest and "Cora Unashamed" has not? After all, the "n" word appears in both writings and written during the same time periods, when the term was more accepted. The difference between the two writings is not only that one is written by an African American and the other by a white individual,it is the meaning behind the way the term is implied.

Modern Implications

The message Ice-t implies in the song "straight up nigga" is a strong sense of who he is. In the passage it states that his presentation of reality cuts to the core of racism. That's to say, no matter how varied the individuals in minority group might be (e.g. .,socioeconomic status, personality, ability, or morality), the majority group will assume stereotypes about the whole group.

Summary

While reading this article I didn't really agree with all the things that were implied. There are some things that I feel are untrue and when written the wrong message is passed upon to its readers. Reading this article didn't really make me look at the "n" word differently, this article focused on minor usages of the word and not core situation where people are offended by its use from curtain racial groups. Although this article didn't interest me as much as i would have liked it to, I have found a few interesting statements, like where it states, his presentation of reality cuts to the core of racism. That's to say, no matter how varied the individuals in minority group might be (e.g. .,socioeconomic status, personality, ability, or morality), the majority group will assume stereotypes about the whole group. I do not agree with this statement, not only is this an opinion but its false, their is no evidence behind this statement. Why should one statement from one person of one ethnic group determine the ability, personality, and morality of the characters of an whole ethnic group. Everyone has their own aspect of thinking, that's what makes everyone their own person.