04/21/07

When Michael Richards lost his cool during a stand-up routine at the Laugh Factory in LA, he may have lost his career as well.  Even after days of back-pedaling, hand-wringing, and on-air apologies, Richards is being ostracized and criticized by activists, comedians, and commentators of all races.  After being heckled by some African-American members of the audience at the mid-November act, Richards said, “Shut up!  Fifty years ago, we’d have you upside down with a f'ing fork up your ass.  You can talk, you can talk, you’re brave now, mother f'er.  Throw his ass out.  He’s a nigger!”

It begs the question—who’s allowed to say the ‘n’ word?  We’ve heard it bandied about in rap songs by African-Americans, in comedy routines by African-Americans, and in movies and television shows featuring African-Americans.  But when people of fairer shades utter the word, no one is quite so forgiving. 

There is no denying the ugliness of the word.  It’s hateful and derogatory and has been used to ridicule, ostracize, mock, and exclude the people of an entire race.  Sure, it has benign enough roots—it’s derived from the Latin word, niger, meaning, “black.”  However, it’s evolution in its English form has paralleled the most painful and violent events in U.S. history.  At its essence, the word is about subjugation.

So why is it okay for some people to use it and not others?  Why can Chris Rock spew it at Carnegie Hall and Ludacris mix it up at Madison Square Garden, but Michael Richards can’t?  The simple answer is that it boils down to race.  Many argue Chris Rock, Ludacris, and other African-American performers have earned the right to use the word as they see fit.  However, others argue that the word carries so much hate and degradation that no one should use it so glibly.

Should the word be off-limits to everyone?  Have black people earned the right to use any word they see fit?  Should there be legislation for hate language, or would that violate the first amendment guarantee of free speech?  What should happen to Michael Richards?  Are there double standards in Hollywood?

Have an opinion? Post it here:  Dontbanme Forums