MDDM: Washington & Gershom

Paul Mackin paul.mackin at verizon.net
Fri Jul 12 08:05:41 CDT 2002


the rules are OK but putting the emphasis on social realities rather than rules as
Terrance does is certainly the right approach. Of course the social realities in a
film or novel are not the same as in personal interactions.

P.

Terrance wrote:

> Otto wrote:
> > Name Game
> > New book about racial epithet misses the point
> > By Earl Ofari Hutchinson
> > http://www.metroactive.com/papers/sonoma/01.24.02/hutchison-0204.html
> >
> > That controversy lasts to this day, and has echoes in the contemporary feud
> > between filmmakers Spike Lee and Quentin Tarrantino. Lee takes the position
> > that growing up in Newark around black folk does not entitle Tarrantino to
> > use the N-word. Tarrantino, stung, has sometimes replied that his father's
> > girlfriend is black, so his use of the N-word was okay. He has become NBA [....]
>
> Rule 1. the  term   cannot be used by white folk
>
>   Rule 2. Blacks should not use the term in the public arena,
>   and particularly not in the presence of whites.
>
>   The rules have to do with cultural code. One needs to know
>   the rules of speaking the language in the social and
>   cultural context that are an inextricable dimension of any
>   language.
>
>   In other words, cultural and social competence are dependent
>   upon or require the speaker to know who can say what to whom
>   when or under what conditions or in what social/cultural
>   setting.
>
>   The word has many meanings. Among Blacks, only one of these
>   is negative.
>
>   Rule 2 has been relaxed and this has implications for rule
>   1.
>
>   Rule 1 is is under heavy pressure and of course, like all
>   language/cultural codes, there are many exceptions.
>
>   The considerable relaxing of its use,  is not only
>   because of hip-hop, though hip-hop is an important
>   contributing factor affecting rule 2 and rule 1.
>
>   Like other language/cultural rules this change cannot be
>   attributed to a single event or
>   cause or cultural development and is quite complicated. The
>   term is evolving. Latinos and other minorities, "cultural
>   familiars" and "honorary Blacks," dudes that are "down"(who
>   may be white), just as they have used "snaps" are using the
>   term. And, all white groups, all latino, all asian,  and
>   even mixed groups, in public and in private are using the
>   term in its many positive meanings. This has been going on
>   for at least twenty-five years as far as I know.  But rule 1 has been
> relaxed
>   and not eradicated. The breaking of rule 2 is bending rule 1
>   to the breaking point.
>
> Peace out brothers,
>
> T




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