The N-Word

Usually, I try to be as timely as possible when presenting these blog entries... But I'm at least two full days beyond the news cycle on this one.


When it was revealed that Jesse Jackson used the "N-Word" during his Barack Obama nuts-cutting microphone scandal on Sunday, I hesitated to blog about it. After all, the N-word is about as nuclear as you can get these days. Its political and social implications go far deeper than I would ever care to discuss here. In fact, even as I write this, I feel as though I'm in a mine field... one slight misstep, and I'm a goner. So I shall tread carefully and bulletpoint my thoughts.

• Jesse Jackson is an ass and a hypocrite who has spent his career taking two steps forward and one step back on the issues of civil rights. Unfortunately, Jesse is spending more time these days taking one step forward and two steps back.

You know what? After sitting here for several more minutes, I realize there's not much more I can say about this. I had prepared a couple of video clips, including a killer quote from "Blazing Saddles" and a clip of Elizabeth Hasselbeck and Whoopi Goldberg arguing about the N-word. I have some definite thoughts about the issue, but I also don't need the hassle of trying to explain myself by potentially offending someone.

Of course, this also makes me guilty of cowardice and sloth, I suppose... But I think I'd rather be scared and lazy than be accused of being a racist.

I will say this. I am a First amendment hawk. I believe our right to use words as we choose is what ultimately gives us our greatest freedoms as Americans. The censorship of potentially offensive words only serves to empower those words... and empowers the asses who use them.