>No it does not. None
>of us are perfect. We
>all have terrible habits but
>that does not negate the
>message. Dr. Huey P. Newton
>was a crackhead and smaked
>women around. Does that make
>his message any less powerful
>or make him any less
>sincere in his goals?

Personally, I think people like Huey P. Newton and other "fallen" revolutionaries succumbed to such deviant activity because the public demanded so much out them that when they became exhausted from trying to help Black folks, no one was left to have their back. So either they became drug addicts and domestic abusers, snitches, or contributors to the status quo. I think that this is why there is an absence in Black leadership, because brothers and sisters are afraid that they'll be left stranded by the community they represent when the reactionary white supremacist structure gets the best of them.

But to speak in accordance to the topic at hand, I agree that this is something that has been brought up repeatedly, and personally these are my least favorite posts because the conversations never go anywhere. They're basically one-sided arguments that become battle of wits that become shouting matches that become a competition to see who can get the last word. I'm not saying that an overall solution to this problem should come out of each discussion (because I'm not afraid to admit that I don't have one), but something a little more productive could arise from these discussions, such as acknowledging our disagreements but realizing that we're on the same side.

As far as the Okayartists saying NIGGER (or BITCH for that matter) on their songs, it's a natural knee-jerk reaction to be disappointed about someone who you feel is doing something out of character (I'm sure some of y'all have been watching the Malik vs. Nicole battles recently on MTV's The Real World). I'm sure they, just like other Black folks, knows that it's not in the best interest of our people or themselves to use such a word, yet use it anyway. It's almost like smoking, people know that there are dangerous chemicals in cigarettes, yet people buy them anyway. (the same goes with marijuana---btw, I'm surprised no one hasn't made a post about this) Although I may disagree with their use of the word, I personally don't think it should be the end-all of whether they are credible artists along the standards of being "conscious" or a "revolutionary".

I respect people's concerns about the use of this word and I do feel that it's important for them to express these concerns. However, I'm concerned about how people think that Black people applying their own forms of double standards in regards to using NIGGER somehow marks the death of our culture and our people. I'm not saying that it isn't problematic, but there are some other things we need to call people out on aside from just brothers and sisters calling each other niggers and bitches. I personally think bringing forth positive action will bring forth positive rhetoric, which means that as Black people, we will have to change a lot of habits in our familial practices and how we see ourselves collectively and individually, which hopefully will remedy the mentality that has us calling each other NIGGERS in the first place.

I know that last statement may have sounded lofty and clichéd, but hopefully someone out there feels me.

anonymubiquity
(aka ma)
meudontno@hotmail.com

"Just because we're well-spoken and intelligent doesn't mean we're not human."
--?uestlove, justifying why the Roots have a stripper pole in their studio