Mock funeral to 'bury' offensive words - Warning not PC

[Amelia]

Mock funeral to 'bury' offensive words

NAACP hopes to send strong message

By JESSICA BLANCHARD

Seattle P-I REPORTER

Decades have passed since the mass marches of the civil rights and women's lib movements. But it's still common to hear chart-topping songs that contain casual but offensive terms for African Americans and women.

Rap and hip-hop artists are often the culprits, and now members of the NAACP hope to send a strong message: Enough is enough.

As part of a nationwide campaign to end the use of offensive terms and the objectification of women in songs and music videos, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People plans to hold a "mock funeral" for the word "[theN-word]" on Monday during its annual convention in Detroit.

In the Puget Sound area, NAACP chapters are urging people to wear black ribbons Monday to show solidarity with the campaign to "bury" the word. The campaign also urges people to stop using the terms "bitch" and "ho" to refer to women.

Some hip-hop fans have argued it's acceptable for African-Americans to use the n-word casually and that doing so could strip it of its power to hurt. Others, such as longtime Seattle civil rights activist Oscar Eason Jr., strongly disagree.

"It was meant to degrade you, to put a certain amount of fear into the conversation," said Eason, who serves as president of the NAACP Alaska/Oregon/Washington State Conference. "And to have our kids to use it like this ... it's frustrating."

The "funeral" comes just months after high-profile instances of celebrities using the terms prompted public outrage. In November, former "Seinfeld" actor Michael Richards used the n-word repeatedly during a tirade against a patron at a Los Angeles comedy club. And in April, radio shock jock Don Imus referred to members of the Rutgers University women's basketball team as "nappy headed hos."

Imus was ultimately fired.

After the Imus controversy, more and more voices called on popular hip-hop artists to stop using the words.

Eason hopes the funeral will help younger African Americans -- who may never have had it used against them as a slur -- rethink their use of the word in the future.

"We're constantly trying to get that word erased from people's vocabulary," he said.

[olger]

I wonder who the pall-bearers will be?

[D. Allan]

It wouldn't be good for Caucasians to be calling each other 'whitey.' '[theN-word]' is even worse for Aframericans, i would suppose.

btw if youre old 'nuf you may recall that comic who made a career using 'bad words.' It's not the word itself that is bad but the intent with which it is used that can make it offensive. A "bad word" then is one which denigrates. Lenny Bruce was the comic's name. He also said a very funny thing about church, "These days more and more people are leaving the churches," he said, "and going back to God." Or was it 'religion?' :-| So does that remark denigrate religion, is it offensive? Or does it make a valid point? Well i'm waaay off topic.

[Stan]

Ever feel gypped?

Ask a Gypsy, how much that word hurts...

Truth is we have a zillion offensive words.. most we do not know are offensive..

As a kid the "n" word had nothing to do with Blacks... just has gypped for a lot of people do not connect it with Gypsys

[olger]

When I bought a truck in 1986, the guy said I was trying to jew him down on the price. Well, I did drive a hard bargain in those days..

olger

[D. Allan]

Quote:

Truth is we have a zillion offensive words.. most we do not know are offensive

Right. My daughter's boyfriend is from India. They don't especially appreciate hearing Native Americans refered to as 'Indians.' Of course it had never crossed my arid mind.