Power Nigger

David Ross Jackson

Now that I have the title of my article out of the way, I will make sure I set an iPhone appointment reminder for the year 2040 so that I can remember to expect a complete over-reaction from the world around me for having typed the word "nigger" today.  

(This is a Paula Deen reference for those who have been sequestered on a jury or living under a rock.)

I'd like to take a moment to point out a few critical facts:

• My heritage is African-American, Scottish, and Cherokee.
• I've been a victim of racism directed at me from both black and white people.
• I've been called a nigger by both white and black people.  
• Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.

Are we clear?  Good.  Moving on...

Let me further clarify, words of any kind, which are said from a place of hatred should not be met with indifference.  I do, however, believe that American society will never be able to move past true racism because we simply choose to focus on words and censorship rather than love and education.  We choose to give certain words power rather than being the living example of true power.  We hold all the power to ending racism, but refuse to use it.  Think about it in the simplest of terms.  If children on a playground are calling another child names and that child exhibits ZERO reaction to the name-calling; 9 times out of 10, the name calling will end.  It's really no different with racist words.  

I truly believe that evolving beyond race and racism in this country will work in the same way.  If we all stop choosing to be offended by a word, then perhaps it will stop being offensive and by default stop being used.  It seems overly simple right?  Well...perhaps it is.  As much as we all like to think we can control what others say or feel; the simple truth is, we can only change the way we react.  

I wont continue to dwell on this subject because I believe "dwelling" is the root issue.  We want to dwell on the past.  We want to lie down and take a long nap in past racism.  Does racism still exist, of course it does.  I have no delusions.  Am I going to give another's words power over my very life?  No. 

The Bottom Line:

An offensive word doesn't exist without offense. Am I suggesting everyone run around screaming "nigger" at the top of their lungs while grocery shopping?  Hell no!  I am fairly sure we are not all evolved enough to endure that.  I am suggesting that we all take a gigantic fucking deep breath and stop over-reacting at every turn.  Only god, or the universe, or perhaps only one's self, can really judge one's heart.  Give weight to one's actions rather than one's words.  After all...

Anyone can say "nigger", but not just anyone can be one. 

Origin of NIGGER

Alteration of earlier neger, 

From Middle French negre, 

From Spanish or Portuguese negro, 

From Latin niger

In Jesus Name We Pray, Gaymen!

As the first truly Autumn-ish day sweeps over the Dallas area, I am unable to pull myself away from all the Bishop Eddie Long commentary.  Let me start by saying that I understand that the allegations have not been proven true.  Even still, the subject of Pastors, Deacons, and church members getting it on with the same sex is still one that should be discussed.

I read though a brief opinion article by Shayne Lee an African-American professor of sociology at Tulane University.  You can read the article for yourself here.  He seems to focus on race, which I'm sorry to say, is not only a bore, but a cop-out.  As a gay man and former minister of both music and youth, I can assure you I am well aware of the amount of energy that goes into bashing homosexuals from the pulpit to the pew in both "black" churches as well as "white" ones.  I can also tell you that there is more gay sex going on between church members than one might be led to believe and race really doesn't matter.  I've been to all manner of churches in my life.  The White folks are doing it; but as long as you show up for church on time with your wife and kids nobody really talks about it.  The Black folks are doing it on the DL(down-low) and then screaming at the top of their lungs about how gays have a first class non-refundable airline ticket to hell, followed by reservations at Chateau a la Sulfur.  Black...White... Martian...it makes no difference   The church is made up of people.  Some people are gay... therefore, gay people WILL be in your church.  A homo was probably sitting a few rows over checking you out this past Sunday.  LOL

I just wonder how many priests, pastors, deacons, bishops, mega-church maniacs, and closet-case music ministers it will take before people wake up and realize that the church is NOT above it all.  It's the words, thoughts, and actions of men like Ted Haggard and Eddie Long(guilty or not) that disillusion people of faith all over the world.  Alleged men and women of god are preaching hateful messages while secretly "gaying" it up in the sack.  It's really all about realizing that god, whoever that is to you, created us all.  God knows better than anyone what is going on.  You think it may be possible that god loves us all?  I mean really...thousands of years of oppression and hypocrites and scandals and wars...for all that, we are no closer to god than we ever were.   

 The Bottom Line:
Gay St. and Church St. are the same road known by two names.  Stop all the hate and hypocrisy.  It is time the church take a detour to Love Blvd. and for once, live up to god's message of unconditional love.  

Negro Nation

Head of a Negro - By Albrecht Durer 1508

As a man of African-American descent, I am confounded by all the drama over race in America.  On the one hand, we are one of THE most liberal nations in the world.  On the other, we are Iran.  Think about it.  We live in a hyper-sensitive, racism-infused culture where people like Sen. Harry Reid are blasted for saying what MANY of us in the world (black, white, or other) were already thinking.

The Statement: President Obama would win over John McCain, because he is "light skinned" and has no "Negro dialect."

While I would not have used the term Negro, we have to remember that Harry Reid is about 150 years old and much more familiar with that term than any other.  I believe he made the statement in the same vein as Asian people being called Orientals.  The terms have all been changed but the meanings are really still the same.  I've said for a long time that the reason people like Jesse Jackson could not win a bid for President is because he was too "black".  I am, however, much more direct when it comes to these type statements.  Jesse Jackson doesn't relate to the majority.  We all know that candidates are elected, to some degree, because of their ability to connect with the American people.  If we think otherwise we are kidding ourselves.  With Jackson, everything is about being black.  Well, in the real world, not every damn thing is about being black.  Sen. Reid's comments about President Obama's lack of Negro dialect is TRUTH.  We speak English in this country, not Ebonics.  Barack Obama shows a stunning level of intellect and eloquence that is evidenced by his CHOICE to speak in an articulate manner.  Notice the word CHOICE.  Ebonics or "Negro dialect" is a choice.  While I see nothing wrong with it, there is a time and a place for it.  Does this mean President Obama can't be "ghetto" when he wants to be?  No.  He's can do that.  He should do that.  It's high time that everyone quit making everything about race and start moving on from this political correctness garbage that is about as genuine as costume jewelry.  We are a nation of people who say what we are supposed to say instead of the truth.  We continue to lie to ourselves.  Is there genuine racism?  Of course.  Should that be tolerated?  No.  Harry Reid wasn't being racist.  He was making what is actually a very good observation about American culture.  I think some people are just bent out of shape because the truth can hurt.  I can't wait to live in a world where white people can talk about black topics without Al Sharpton reminding us all that "we" used to be slaves.  I wasn't on the Mayflower.  I wasn't a slave.  I am NOT a slave.  While I have and probably will always run into racism now and then, I refuse to be defined by it.  I will never forget the profound sacrifices of people like Rosa Parks or Martin Luther King.  I will always appreciate the terrible price that was paid by my ancestors.  In contrast, I will not live in a "me versus the white man" world which is neatly manicured by people like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton.

The Bottom Line:
I am sad to see people like Harry Reid forced to apologize for speaking the truth.  It saddens me more to see others use the opportunity to label someone as a racist who is not.  This was a Negro nation before Barack Obama and will be well after he is gone.  Negroes will always be a part of this nation's great (and not-so-great) history.    Just like the Jokers in a deck of cards... there are only certain games in which the cards can even be played.  It's time to take the Race cards out of the deck and start enjoying the game.

Black Barbie B.S.

So I'm reading up on the black Barbie collection just released by Mattel. There are people actually complaining that the Barbie is not black enough! These same people are saying she needs to have more natural hair or braids. Are we kidding here? I can count on one hand how many black women I know who wear their hair naturally. Better yet, most of the black women I know wear damn wigs or weave!!! I think all these ultra Afrocentric people need to give it a rest. Barbie has NEVER...EVER...EVER...been about representing a natural beauty...EVER. She's never really been fat. She's never been ugly. Barbie is a TOY. Get over it. If Mattel were to make her look like a Pamela Anderson amputee, that's their business. When did we all get so politically correct? For all the haters of the new Black Barbie: If you don't like it, make your own damn doll!

If people are relying on dolls to teach self-respect and pride, there is something very wrong with that. Parents, let the little girls (or boys) play with the dolls they want and BE the example that you believe they should see. It's that simple.

For the record, I don't believe there is anything wrong with wigs, perms, tracks, weave, new growth, natural hair, or any other kind of hair. So get up out black Barbie's Kool-Aid and quit trippin'!