[Serious] Singing the N-word

[Brian37]

Before going to sleep this afternoon, I was lying there in bed playing on my phone and occasionally looking up at the television that the boyfriend was watching. I have never seen the show, though I have heard of it, and honestly it just does not appeal to me to want to watch it (Dear White People) even after having seen a controversial scene that has prompted me to make this post.

In the show, there is a college party with a mixture of individuals. At one point, they are all dancing and singing along to a rap song that not only has the N-word in the title but is used constantly by the rapper in the lyrics.

The black people who heard the white boy sing the N-word along with the music informed him that he should not use that word. Eventually, the argument devolved into the white boy being called racist by the black people while the white boy was defending himself because he was merely singing along to the song.

I don't hate to say this, but I have to agree with the white boy on this. There is a difference between singing along with a song that contains the word and using the N-word maliciously against an individual of darker skin tone. In my humble opinion, the black people at the party were out of line and being emotionally illogical.

It is not a matter of free speech, it or even cultural appropriation. It is a matter of that white person knowing and accepting the history of that word.

The usage in that song was not for white people to say, "You use it, so why can't I?" That is not how that works.

It certainly isn't against the law for a white person do do what he did, no, but it still shows ignorance as to why they should not. 

The scene wasn't written for whites to falsely play victim. It was written to demonstrate a white person's ignorance.

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A better argument if you want to make one, isn't defending him singing it. A better argument would be pointing to blacks who say blacks shouldn't use the word.

Just because one wants to claim they merely like the song and they have no ill intent, does not erase the the history of that word.

As a rule of thumb, it is always best to know your audience before doing something.

You can find some blacks that might even say, "Let him, he merely likes the song". 

Problem is in a huge setting like that in any case, it is probably not a good idea anyway because you cant assume 100% of your audience is going to agree with you. And that script demonstrates that.

Point is, it isn't as cut and dry as you want to make it. Life is complex and humans are individuals, so it is best to know your audience as individuals.