[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 45 (Thursday, March 15, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E553-E554]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PRAISING THE WORK OF TONY BEST, WHO JOINS MEMBERS OF THE NEW YORK CITY
COUNCIL IN SPEAKING OUT AGAINST THE N-WORD
______
HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL
of new york
in the house of representatives
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to enter into the Record an
op-ed article drafted by Tony Best and printed the Carib News. The
article, ``A Racial Slur That Causes Black Nanny To Cringe: Why New
York City Council May Ban Use of N-Word,'' published March 6, 2007,
highlights the power of the word and the need for more thoughtful
conversation about its implications and usage.
As stated in the article, the N-word is ``a degrading term and should
never be used to describe anyone.'' These words are particularly
salient for Cindy Carter, a West Indian nanny who was physically and
verbally disrespected by her employer, who insisted in calling her a
``stupid N-'' among other equally offensive expressions.
Since its inception the word has been used to pierce the minds and
hearts of black people throughout the Diaspora. Despite being
``reclaimed'' by generations who prefer to use the term as a familiar
greeting for one another--an attempt to take a word that has been
historically used by whites to degrade and oppress black people, a word
that has so many negative connotations, and turn it into something
beautiful--the slur is abusive, ignorant and derogatory.
I applaud the work of Mr. Best and New York City Council persons, led
by member Leroy Comrie of Queens to call for a moratorium on the use of
the N-word in our city.
A Racial Slur That Causes Black Nanny To Cringe, Why New York City
Council May Ban Use of N-Word
(By Tony Best)
Every time Cindy Carter, a West Indian who lives and works
as a nanny on Long Island, hears the racial slur, it brings
back nightmares.
``It's an awful word,'' said the young woman referring to
the infamous and derogatory N-word.
Her nightmares go back to 2005 when an employer, Fontaine
Sheridan, allegedly pushed her down some steps at the white
woman's Massapequa Park home in Nassau County, scattered her
clothes on the lawn, screamed vulgar expressions, called her
a ``stupid nigger'' and ordered her to get ``off my
(obscenity) property.''
The housewife didn't stop there. She reportedly told the
Black woman who had been looking after her children, ``I have
been waiting for three years to call you a nigger.''
Almost a year later, Sheridan pleaded guilty to simple
assault in a Nassau County court and was placed on probation,
ordered to do community service and to attend anger
management classes.
The N-word and the circumstances surrounding Carter's
injury, allegedly at the hands of her former employer are at
the heart of a federal civil rights case in which Carter is
seeking substantial damages from the Sheridan family for
abusing her civil rights. Fred Brewington, one of New York
State's top civil rights attorneys, is handling Carter's
case.
``It's a degrading term and should never be used to
describe anyone,'' said the West Indian.
The slur, its abusive use and why it should be banned are
the subject of a resolution, which is to be debated by the
New York City Council this week in Manhattan. Introduced by
City Councilmember, Leroy Comrie of Queens, the measures
describes the word as ``an ignorant and derogatory'' insult.
Because of constitutional issues, such as the First
Amendment right of free speech, the resolution which calls
for a moratorium on the use of the word in New York City
wouldn't have the force of law but its approval would be
symbolic while drawing attention to the importance of not
using it.
Austin ``Tom'' Clarke, one of Canada's top novelist whose
book, ``The Polished Hoe,'' won the Giller Prize, Canada's
equivalent of the Pulitzer and then went on to be chosen a
few years ago as the best novel in the Commonwealth of
nations in Africa, the Caribbean, Asia, Australia, Canada and
New Zealand, objects to the use of the term.
``It is a degrading word meant to be just that, degrading
and no one, including Blacks should find it acceptable,'' he
said sometime ago in Brooklyn. ``I vigorously object to its
use.''
Irving Burgie, the composer of some of the world's best
known music, such as ``Day-O,'' ``Island in the Sun,''
``Jamaica farewell'' and ``Mary's Boy Child,'' agrees with
Comrie, Clarke and other advocates of its ban.
``The history of its use has always been degrading and
there is nothing redeeming about it,'' he said from his home
in Hollis Queens. ``We shouldn't try to fool ourselves about
that.
``Burgie was referring to the rappers who have embodied
``nigga'' in their lyrics and contend it's a term of
endearment when used by Blacks to describe other Blacks.
For example, Mos Def, a rapper, said in 1999 that they had
taken ``a word that has been historically used by whites to
degrade and oppress us, a word that has so many negative
connotations, and turning it into something beautiful,
something we can call our own.''
Linguists and others trace the origin of its use in the
U.S. to 1619 when John Rolfe, a colonist in Jamestown wrote
in his diary that a Dutch ship had arrived there with 20
`negars,'' meaning African captives.
While some scholars argued that Rolfe's use of the word
wasn't meant as a slur but was simply another way of
describing ``Negroes'' others contend that it was always
designed as a pejorative expression. Nineteenth century
American literature was laced with it, reflecting the
attitudes of White racists and slave owners who believed that
``niggers'' were sub-human species.
But Black rappers and a few Black comedians began
incorporating it in their using it more than 25 years ago,
giving it some measure of acceptance among young Blacks who
object to its use by whites.
Comrie and the resolution's supporters contend the use of
the N-word by Blacks is
[[Page E554]]
misguided because the young people don't ``realize how their
self-image is debilitated when they use this awful word in
public.''
____
The N-Word and Black History--Why It Should Be Banned
(By Tony Best)
Julius Caesar, Gnaeus Pompey and Marcus Crassus used it
liberally in Rome, Britain Gaul, the Balkans and Greece.
Whether as a writer, military general or orator, Caesar
used the Latin word ``Niger'' liberally in his historical
accounts of the Gallic Wars, conquests of Britain or in
reports on the Senate in Rome. And when he spoke or wrote it
around 50 BC he was describing a color, as in a piece of
armor, house, chariot or a horse.
But somehow ``Niger'' that meant Black in English became
``Negars'' in Jamestown in the United States in 1619 to
describe with contempt a shipload of African captives who
were put into a state of bondage in the U.S.
Although scholars are divided over why John Rolfe, a
Jamestown colonist, recorded ``Negars'' in his diary to
describe the Blacks, whether he wanted to be verbally abusive
or was simply describing Black people, what has happened
since then is that the pejorative term which eventually
became ``Niggers'' has taken on a long-lasting life of its
own. This highly offensive word or some form of it has found
its way into literature--Amos Zu Bolton II's ``Niggered
Amen'' and Carl Van Vechten's ``Nigger Heaven'' are
two examples--in comedy routines by Blacks and in the
lyrics of rap music in the late 20th and early 21st
century.
At the urging of New York City Council member Leroy Comrie
of Queens, the legislative body at City Hall is this week
considering a resolution that calls for a moratorium on the
use of the N-word in our City. While opinion is split over
what action the Council should take, it's clear that the use
of the word is offensive to most right-thinking Blacks and
should be expunged from our vocabulary.
Yes, some Blacks, especially rappers, may wish to defend
the use of ``Niggas'' or ``Niggaz'' on First Amendment
grounds of free speech or as a term of endearment among
Blacks to describe each other; what's not in dispute is that
the term is meant to be degrading.
Andrea C. McElroy, a Black member of the Irvington Council
in New Jersey, which placed a symbolic ban on the word's use
there, put it well when she said that Black adults and
society as a whole should give the youth a history lesson. We
may be at the end of Black History Month in 2006, but
learning is a continuous process.
``There is a swelling population of Black youth that use
this word as if it is a term of endearment,'' she said. ``And
I think it is basically incumbent upon us to remind them of
what that word meant to so many of our ancestors. This is
something we probably should have done years ago.''
Yes, the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which
guarantees free speech prevents the legalized banning of the
word but there can be nothing wrong with sending a message to
young people and others, whether comedians, reporters,
novelists or historians, that the N-word was meant to degrade
Black people, not to praise them.
Austin ``Tom'' Clarke, one of Canada's most celebrated
novelists, whose latest work, ``The Polished Hoe,'' captured
the Giller Prize, Canada's equivalent of the Pulitzer, had an
important reminder for the lawmakers at City Hall.
``It doesn't matter if it is used in Black circles and
societies as a term of endearment,'' said the West Indian.
``Historically its usage has been offensive. One may attempt
to argue that when it is used by Blacks to define or address
themselves, the bad meaning of the word is softened. But the
fact is that its usage is either seen or heard by white
people who might themselves feel that what is good for the
goose is good for the ganger. That was exemplified with very
negative effect recently by a white comedian in America
(Michael Richards, who played Kramer on Seinfeld) and who
thought he was being heckled by an aspect of his audience,
used the word to ridicule his audience. His demonstration and
use of the word in a public place might very well be
reflective of his thoughts and feelings.'' Interestingly
Richards declined to attend the Council meeting when invited
to do so. Although he later apologized, the vehemence of his
original mouthing told a story about vindictiveness which his
anger brought into the open.
Richards isn't alone. Time and again, whites in particular
resort to the N-word whether in literature, on the stage or
the screen to suggest superiority over Blacks and to hint at
violence to force them into submission.
The historical connection with violence and the N-word
isn't simply 400 years old. Lynchings were commonplace in the
20th century and the N-word was often the rallying cry of
racists to justify their lethal actions.
While it's true that Richards didn't commit violence as he
uttered the two syllables, it's not difficult to see him
being driven by rage and contempt for Blacks in the audience
by turning to violence.
On Long Island, that's what a white middle class mother of
three children apparently did when her children's West Indian
nanny didn't feed the family dog on time in 2005. She
subsequently pleaded guilty to assaulting the Black woman by
pushing her down some steps, injuring her leg and then
throwing her clothes on the lawn, all while calling her a N
...
Apparently, she had waited three years to call her that.
Thankfully, that incident is now the subject of a federal
civil rights civil case seeking damages.
Contrary to what some misguided Blacks and whites would
wish us to believe, the N-word can't be transformed into
anything beautiful.
____________________