Much has been made of late of the "N" word in black circles, and in the news. For years, accomplished blacks have become pariahs in their black communities when they leave the victim mentality behind and take responsibility for their own success. Unfortunately, when men like Bill Cosby or Jesse Jackson call for blacks to stop using the word, they are mocked and scorned. But what these men are really saying is that the culture of victimhood and the anti-social posturing and hatred are immature and self-defeating.
Now adding his voice to the chorus of black conservatives is author and political commentator John Ridley, who has written novels (Everybody Smokes in Hell, Stray Dogs), films (Three Kings, U-Turn), television shows (Third Watch), and plays (Ten Thousand Years), and who has done political commentary on NPR. In the latest Esquire magazine, he’s written The Manifesto of Ascendancy for the Modern American Nigger, which says many of the things non-black observers have been saying (at the risk of being called racist) for a long time. Bravo.
LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT NIGGERS, the oppressed minority within our minority. Always down. Always out. Always complaining that they can’t catch a break. Notoriously poor about doing for themselves. Constantly in need of a leader but unable to follow in any direction that’s navigated by hard work, self-reliance. And though they spliff and drink and procreate their way onto welfare doles and WIC lines, niggers will tell you their state of being is no fault of their own….
That which retards us is the worst of "us," those who disdain
actual
ascendancy gained by way of intellectual expansion and physical toil
-who instead value the posture of an "urban", a "street," a "real"
existence, no matter that such a culture threatens to render them
extinct."Them" being niggers.
When I think of Jesse Jackson, I definitely think of "black conservative." Particularly the "black" part because "conservative" is so obvious…
…Couple of years ago, my favorite columnist Dan Savage had his readers address all letters to him thusly: Dear Faggot. By encouraging its use, he believed that the word lost its power. I have no idea if I agree or not, but what do you think of that sort of reclamation of a damning word used by others? The times that we have seen the N-word used by whites recently, we've been awfully taken aback by its occurence, haven't we?
Also of importance: why is this an issue here?
why is this an issue here?
I think because we emphasize a biblical world view, one that includes personal responsibility as a partner to liberty. Also, when we talk about changing the ghettos, Christians have been emphasizing not only responsibility for years, but the traditional family and it's breakdown as a major cause of urban poverty.
So this is an issue because Christians believe that the real cause of the problem within black culture is one of values, values that need to be replaced by the biblical virtues and values of chastity (to reduce out-of-wedlock pregnancy and disease), fidelity (to spouse), responsible parenthood (no more absentee fathers), industry (hard work), honesty (no more robbing), sobriety (no more abuse of intoxicants), not to mention faith, hope, and love, all which make for vibrant individuals, families, and communities.
NOTE: I didn't call Jesse Jackson a conservative ;)
Seeker,
Those issues on which you focus are issues everywhere, in every community. Is it particularly fair to single out blacks for your focus and implicit condemnation? (Further, I'll note that it was noted LIBERAL Daniel Patrick Moynihan who first argued that the decline of the black family was leading to dangerous social realities in black communities. Liberal.)
Anyway, seems like singling out particular groups is less effective than focusing attention on general societal problems. I may disagree with your approach to those problems, but this is more a process based questions: if these problems exist in every community, why not focus on the general community of America, as opposed to simply upon blacks?
NOTE: yes you did. You inferred he was a conservative. I knew what you meant, but I loved the opportunity to needle you.
Those issues on which you focus are issues everywhere, in every community.
No, actually, they are disproportionately represented in the black American community, as this author and many others have pointed out. The pernicious problems of poverty dog the black community from generation to generation, while other races and ethnicities work their way into the middle class in about 3 generations. The black community has special issues, history, and circumstances that should be addressed.
I'm not saying other ethnic populations don't have problems – I know, I'm married to a Mexican. But the primary problems in other groups are often different, and poverty and ghettos have been particularly persistent in the black community, and conservative blacks are now calling out the problem that we've all seen – the major external and systemic problems have been addressed to a large extent (but not complete), enough to blacks to stop screaming "victim" and start taking responsibility for their destinies. You should read the article if you have not – it's good.
Seeker,
My objection is when you write something like, "…blacks to stop screaming victim." You're inferring that it is all blacks that are doing this, which is where the problem comes in. The langauge here suggests something more sinister than blacks need to change. What's strange is that you provide the evidence here that all blacks aren't doing these: you provide us three names of outspoken advocates of change. And you well know that there are millions more black Americans asking for nothing more than a fair shake.
Sure, there are loud people screaming for whatever, but there are loud people screaming for whatever in every group.
It's not just the loud people – as these black conservatives have said, the victim mentality is a pervasive and common ailment in the community – I am merely restating what I got from the article.
This tirade against poor people of color should make the 1% super, super rich laugh. You want welfare? Look at Halliburton,Boeing and the rest of the corporate welfare bums. Its easy to trash those who cannot speak for themselves. You are cowards. you can't even see the big picture.
seeker, mi hermano!
SO, the "bigoted bible thumper" y "el nazi pharisee" both are in love with brown women! Exquisite. Kind of puts to bed the racist comments both past and future …
"This tirade against poor people of color should make the 1% super, super rich laugh. You want welfare? Look at Halliburton,Boeing and the rest of the corporate welfare bums. Its easy to trash those who cannot speak for themselves. You are cowards. you can't even see the big picture." ——->
daybreaknow, you can blame all of the usual suspects, but personal responsibility plays a large if not the most important role with any human being. That stretches from the "snitches get stitches" philosophy which allows thugs to remain unchecked, the adoption of gangsta mentality, use of illegal drugs, an unusually high child born out of wedlock rate, and daddies not hanging around. ALL personal responsibility issues.