February is Black History Month,
and we recently celebrated Martin Luther King Day, a national holiday designed
to honor its namesake, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Just for the youngsters, Dr. King
was a non-violent protester who helped lead rallies and protests in order to
help achieve equality through a “colorblind” society. His dream was for a society in which people
would be judged on the content of their character rather than their skin color.
Along the way many Americans have
proven to be eager to attain those same goals of peace and love and unity.
Blacks traditionally marched
through the streets of South Carolina
Over the last several years we
were torn by another campaign to stop the use of “the ‘N’ word.” This word is so offensive that it can’t even
be uttered. However, if you are black,
you are free to use it with impunity.
If challenged over its use,
blacks simply explain how non-blacks would not understand the pain it inflicts,
recalling the days of slavery from pre-1870 time.
In fact, even the mention of
slavery is becoming more offensive by the minute. It seems that the word “slavery” has been
documented to cause apoplexy in the overly-tender sensibilities of the
African-American community, and pandering politicians.
This is purely symbolic, similar
to the use of the phrase “slaving away” to describe over-working, or “slave
driver” to describe a mean, overly enthusiastic boss. Those phrases are verboten in public, and
viewed as insensitive by those easily offended in today’s society.
To preclude any further
animosity, pain, and suffering from the use and/or recollection of American
history concerning blacks and their unique culture, ardent efforts have been
made to better help us creep closer to Dr. King’s goal of colorblindness.
Following a June 2015 shooting of
a traditionally black church in South
Carolina
Later that year, the South Carolina
But on MLK Day, the throngs of
marchers normally protesting the South
Carolina
And on the fifteenth of January
2016, the Academy
of Motion Picture Arts
Excluded from this prestigious
list of nominations was any reference to black actors, black actresses, or black
subject matter. This, too, has caused a
surprising kerfuffle among cinema-industry blacks.
It seems as though there is one
notable black film entitled “Straight Outta Compton.” The gist of this film is the birth and growth
of the hip hop movement in Compton ,
California
For music novices, this featured group
is named NWA. The WA part is an
abbreviation of ‘with attitudes.’ The N
part is the oh so-offensive “N-word.”
Racist director Spike Lee, and
overly thin-skinned Jada Pinckett Smith, publicly announced their displeasure
at the racial imbalance of the nominees.
No word yet on their feelings of the racial disparity within the
National Basketball Association and the National Football League.
Although I haven’t seen this
cinematic masterpiece I surmise this movie is laden with liberally salted use
of the N-word. I can only hope was
stopped by the Oscar’s folks the instant the first time it was spoken.
Congratulations! Mission
