Brothers and sisters, we meet here in this most sacred place to commit the remains of “N*gger” back to the earth.

Okay, so I’m no preacher.

In case you’re wondering if I lost my mind, let me explain. In an act of symbolism, the infamous “n-word” was put to rest at a funeral in Beloit, Wisconsin.

The funeral was part of a daylong event organized by the Black Star Project of Beloit, which was recently formed to pursue educational and job opportunities for blacks in Beloit and strengthen spiritual growth for families. The thrust of the event was to explain that use of the word among blacks demonstrates self-loathing and is symptomatic of larger issues that confront the black community.

I couldn’t explain my sentiments on this word better myself. For a long while, I, like a lot of people, said that it’s “just a word”. But, too often, this word was used to diminish our humanity. People say that by using it, we are taking ownership. But, to me, why would we want to own it? I could think of dozens of other things that I would like to be called and none would diminish me as a black man.

I urge more “funerals” like this, even if they occur only in the minds of people.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Sphere: Related Content