'N-word' gets symbolic end

To be honest, it bothers me more that black folks will direct this term towards each other than it does if a white person does it. I would kind of think of it as somewhat self-hating while if it was a white person saying it, well it would be racist. It's more damaging if blacks use it towards each other and at least with people of other races (especially) white if they say it, we'd know exactly where we stand on it.

To be sure it is certainly a negative term. There are those who might use that term to describe people with certain attributes such as criminal behavior, ignorant or uneducated behavior, perhaps even mode of dress. Still this is a term that shouldn't be used at all if possible and avoided.

So while giving the 'N-word' a burial is a stunt, we have to find a way to lessen the use of this word. I can see this as one step towards some form of racial healing.

You know I saw some criticisms of this though, but I still think this is a good step...

While the event might have seemed like a fresh idea to put the spotlight on a growing movement to crack down on the use of the highly inflammatory word, the NAACP held a similar mock funeral more than 60 years ago. In 1944, also in Detroit, the NAACP buried Jim Crow—the laws that systematically discriminated against blacks in the South.

The NAACP said Monday's event was organized by the civil rights group's STOP Campaign, an initiative of its youth and college divisions.

Though the funeral garnered attention, many doubted that it would have a significant effect. Some said the fact that the NAACP, which has struggled to revitalize a declining and aging membership, would hold a mock funeral for the word shows it is out of touch with younger African-Americans.

Todd Boyd, professor of critical studies at the University of Southern California, called the event an "incredible waste of time." He said the effort will do little to affect popular use of the word and that this energy should be directed toward more pressing issues within the black community.

"It is particularly ironic that an institution that is regressive and out of touch as the NAACP would bury the n-word while they continue to use 'colored' as a form of identification. That seems like a bit of a contradiction," Boyd said. "They are putting a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. The issues that plague black America far transcend the usage of a word."

Lex Louch, an Atlanta rap artist, had not heard about the event but he said he does not expect the word to remain buried.

"It's sad to say it, but it's hard to get rid of it," said Louch, 27. "When you are happy to see a friend, the first thing that comes out of your mouth is my [n-word]. What can you use to substitute for it?"