Overcoming the language of Racial Slurs

Another Step Forward in the Fight for Equality

By Michael Kitz

Certain principals have guided the direction and progress of this nation since its beginnings. Though our journey has been rife with obstacles, difficulties, and outright failures, we have paid in the price of blood to overcome these plights in order to sustain and further those principles. One of those principles has been equality, of all men and woman regardless of ancestry, religion or class. Equality of this nature is a wonderful idea but implementing it takes both courage and endurance of which we have not always been so forthcoming or successful. As long as we strive for equality, practice the symptoms of its virtue and the truth and justice that must accompany it, we may someday achieve it. That day has not come. That does not mean it cannot. Sometimes the changes that guide this progress are long or difficult or even extreme, other times the changes are simply a matter of altering our perception. It is the latter that this essay will suggest.
America's quest for true equality has taken a step backwards in recent times, or so it seems in certain regards. The solving of moral dilemna's are always a difficult road to hoe, and overcome with setbacks and the unexpected. With a History such as we have in these United States, no one expected peace and equality to appear overnight. The wounds are deep. The scars are blatant. Whether your ancestors arrived on the deck of a ship, chained in its galley, or were already established on this land no longer can matter: we are all here, and if we spend too much time looking back then what dwells ahead may take us by surprise. We should always expect progress, however small, however difficult, and lately it seems a regression has taken place that is misleading and sad. For too long simple methods of reconciliation have been thwarted almost as if we possess a desire to have the ignorant and absurd tensions live on, driving us down, forcing us back.
Maybe the anger and injustice of it all thrills us in some strange sadomasochistic way. I do hope that this is not the situation. I hope instead we have just lost our way in certain respects, which is to be expected from time to time. I don't expect what wisdom that was passed down to some of us to be some end-all, be-all solution (nothing so important is that easy), but I know that it seems we have stalled in our push for a more true sense of equality. We have in some regard lost our way towards a future where petty difference and insignificant qualms no longer rule our psyche, where we can disperse the smoke and deal with the fire, where liberty might reclaim its perch upon the brow of each of us who desire to call ourselves Americans, not by birth or right, but by character and a burning in our chests that has been called “purpose”.
Language is a primary way a culture communicates, that is its purpose: to express feelings, thoughts and ideas to each other. It is also one of the first ways a culture and even a generation begins to take form and define itself: by the unique way a specific population speaks. That is because language is dynamic: that is to say it is in constant flux, it changes--year to year, generation to generation--and it does so necessarily. History can be understood as much by what is said as how it is said. We choose our words ourselves: their pronunciations, their inflections. We choose our slang, colloquials, figures of speech, etc. Because this choice is real, we can also choose to change or alter our language to better express ourselves and we can also choose to change how we perceive the language we have as well. In this we may find some solutions and a very real application that can deliver us from hurt, fear, and oppression of various degrees.
Most often language changes in a subconscious way, but if we become conscious of a problem in our language, we should seek to improve it. The problem pertaining to this subject that has been so prevalent in our language today has been what has become known as "racial" slurs (now you've probably noticed how I insist on putting quotes around the word "race" and its derivatives. That is because the usage of "race" as describing people with slightly different physical features or different immediate ancestry is misguided. Biologically, there is only one race of man and we are all a part of it. In fact, this accepted wrong usage leads to the type of separatism that fuels ignorance. But that is another chapter.). What "racial" slurs are can be defined as any word or phrase referring to a specific group of people that is considered offensive by the people being referred to. One slur in particular needs to be addressed most seriously. It is a slur that today has come to cause such an amount of animosity and confusion it delves often into the ridiculous and unjust. Since people's general response to this word has been to give it more power and more influence, its corruption has achieved unprecedented heights.
The word, as you have guessed, is Nikhur (also spelled nigger, nigga, niggar, negger, and a slew of other ways. I have used this spelling to reduce the harshness that it seems to provoke, so that what is said here is less clouded by any personal emotional distractions pre-formed.) It is a word that has gained much attention and caused much discussion in these recent years. For a long time I have kept silent on this subject, at first fearing becoming a pariah to some precious to me, but now past that, believing that we could (and should have already) overcome this. I see that it has not happened and it pains me to see us being so horribly manipulated by the very instruments which are suppose to be ours to manipulate. Apparently, this word Nikhur is some indicator of hatred, ignorance, and bigotry in others, but it is really a testament of those qualities in our selves so long as we continue to regard it the way we are.
Some of our "racist" tendencies are so ingrained in us we do not usually recognize them as "racist". Most often we let ourselves off the hook by pointing to the person or thing that inspired our "racist" thinking and say, "YOU'RE the one that's racist!"" or "THAT's what is racist", meanwhile conveniently forgetting the true proverb of "it takes one to know one". Actually, some people are reading this and want to know what color this writer’s skin is (the truly “racist” ones have already decided). The wonderful thing about language, especially written, is it equalizes everyone who knows how to use it so that sort of "racism" need not be satisfied. Language is the great equalizer, especially to those that recoginize it’s purpose and authentic goal.
What good are these slurs? Why do we have words that are taboo to say? If words are for communicating, what value is there is having tools of communication that cannot be said or used? Language should be used for its purpose, there is no such thing as a bad word because words do not possess qualities such as good and evil. Only people possess qualities such as good and evil. To blame the words is to blame the messenger (or not even the messenger, the messengers car) and while that is wrong there is far worse implications for us to know these words and fear them.
Words are utilities of mankind, not the other way around, and while they have power it matters much more why something was said and with what intention then what was said. This is because anyone can say something, but it takes a certain level of quality to mean it or even understand what we are really saying. Saying a word does not make one "racist" any more than wearing a tutu makes one a ballerina. It is what is meant by the words, the spirit it is said in, the thoughts and feelings that provoke it, that really matters.
The issue brings to point all words said to achieve hurt. I go here to the wisdom imparted to me in my youth, being the victim of slurs and bullying words like almost all of us have been at some time or another. Someone wise said to me something to the effect of (I'll use "jerk "here because there is not so much emotional baggage attached.):
"So they called you a "jerk", did they? And why does it hurt you?"
"because I'm not a jerk."
"You aren't? Are you sure? What is a jerk?"
"I don't know, something bad."
" Well what bad? If you don't know what it means than how can it upset you?"
"It just does."
"Well, I'll tell you what a jerk is: it is someone who acts just to make others feel uncomfortable or bad. So are you a jerk? Do you act in that way?"
"No."
"Then what they called you was wrong, wasn't it?"
"Yes."
"Then you shouldn't feel bad about yourself, you should feel bad for them because they are wrong and don't know it. They are ignorant, and you'll find there's no escaping the loud and ignorant in this world. In fact, it sounds like they are the ones who are the jerks, by what they called you unjustly, right?"
"I guess."
"And if they called you a jerk, and you realized that you were a jerk, then you shouldn't be mad at them for being right. You should agree with them. But since you aren't a jerk, it does no good to be hurt by the misconception. In fact, they probably don't even really think you are a jerk, they just want to upset you. And if you let them upset you, then you've supported their assault on you. And if you support their assault then you are wrong with them."
I learned from this that if you can put your emotions aside and understand things as they really are you can overcome. Isn't that what we seek to do with all hatred and ignorance, to overcome? So why don't we do that?
The question is "What is a Nikhur (as it has evolved to mean today)?" Is it a black person? If it is a black person, then what is wrong with being black? Therefore, why take offense? And if it is derogatory for a black person, then why is derogatory? Is it because ignorant bigots have coined it to mean that, to mean lower or bad? Then by supporting the meaning of ignorant bigots language, we support those ignorant bigots. We patronize their thoughts and actions. Haven't they done enough wrong? Haven't they committed enough evil? Why do we insist on supporting and propagating their thoughts and attitudes? Let us instead say, no more! You have no power over us, we have progressed beyond you. We, as a society, as a nation, have decided to take back our language, and have decided to express ourselves correctly, without their control. We will communicate with a language that represents us--now, not them--then. Just as we would not hand our enemies a loaded gun if we met them on the street, we should not give any one the power to hurt us, to insult us so severely with the easy utterance of a single word. Let us take away their ammunition for good, for good. They will not make us use our language against ourselves in the spirit of hate and ignorance. We can choose. So let us.
But then, what does Nikhur mean? It is a word, it does exist. I suggest here that we know what it means, and it has nothing to do with the color of ones skin. A Nikhur is one who acts and thinks only selfishly; one who is incapable of compassion or empathy; one that puts his or her own desires and satisfaction ahead of everything else to a great fault. Now we may all, everyone one of us regardless of our ancestry, have instances where we act like a Nikhur, but are you a Nikhur?