>If I agree with this, which I almost do, I would have to
>accept Common's usage of the slur in artistic expression, and
>I would basically have to just stop listening to Common
>because he doesn't really make the music for me.
>
>Is this the case?

I just want to make it clear that my comments were about the perspective he was trying to represent, not this more nebulous question of "who the music was made for".

>Does he write strictly for Black Americans? Do I not have the
>right to complain when I'm offended by his lyrics as an Arab?

Answer me this: since you know you'd be a liar if you acted like there are not sometimes disrespectful views held by people in the Arab community about black people, would you think it wrong if an Arab MC descriptively made reference to these views (without condemning them) as part of a verse representing life in a certain community?

I think you need to think about this before you even go back to the question of whether he was trying to represent DISRESPECT in this song... cuz the amount of people who seem to have no idea that this pronunciation offended anyone is starting to sway me on my interpretation of his motives.

But remember, on the off chance he didn't say "ay-rab" thinking it was any different than saying "Arab" (in other words, on the off chance that the interpretation I made the first time was wrong in thinking there was any purpose in the pronunciation), then that still doesn't decide whether he would think it true to his purposes to change it once someone told him how people are justifiably offended by this pronunciation.