Well, as Emily’s housemate said soon after hearing the fatal word, that was
some f***ed-up s***. If Big Brotherhad been on the air 40 years ago, it
would have been the F-word that would have landed the girls in trouble.
Forty years ago, the Nword did creep on to the TV screen now and again, and
Alf Garnett was always on hand with “sambo”, “coon” and “wog”.
Times change. Fewer and fewer of us flinch at hearing the F-word on the
screen, especially since lazy screenwriters insist on using it as an easy
form of streetwise punctuation. “Nigger”, however, remains in a different
league, even if it is in general circulation among teens and
twentysomethings.
Emily Parr’s real offence, many would argue, is that she was simply too dim
and unworldly to realise how much offence she could cause.
But then white people in general can be forgiven for feeling confused, because
the rules surrounding the use of the Nword have become so vague. Most people
know, for instance, that “nigger in the woodpile” is definitely
unacceptable. The last time I heard it was 20 years ago when a Sloaney art
critic blurted it out in an office conversation. She had no idea that she
had said anything untoward, and I saw no point in correcting her.
People used to bandy the phrase around quite casually, but if you look up the
definition in Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase & Fableyou are left
in no doubt about the derogatory tone: “Originally a way of accounting for
the disappearance of fuel; it now denotes something deceitful or
underhanded. . .” The phrase “nigger-brown” has also faded away, to be
replaced by much more exotic titles on those multi-coloured paint charts.
But “nigger” itself has flourished and multiplied. Even back in the days when
African-Americans thought of themselves as “Negroes” or “coloured”, the
Nword was freely used with a multiplicity of meanings, some friendly, some
ironic, some hostile. Using the word among themselves, the victims of
prejudice sought to drain some of the poison from the ultimate expression of
white supremacy. The early wave of politically committed comedians, led by
Richard Pryor, took the process further, parading the word on stage and
making Whitey feel uncomfortable in the process.
It’s worth noting, however, that Pryor renounced the use of the word after a
trip to Kenya in 1979. Travelling in a country where almost everyone was
dark-skinned had a transformative effect, as he later described in his
autobiography. He wrote: “There are no niggers here,” I repeated. “The
people here, they still have their self-respect, their pride.”
Rappers have broken their share of the taboos. “Nigger” or “nigga” has become
the homeboys’ badge of honour. Randall Kennedy, an academic and the
freethinking author of the book Nigger: The Strange Career of a
Troublesome Word, has recalled how the late Tupac Shakur explained that, to
him, the word “nigga” stood for “Never Ignorant, Gets Goals Accomplished”.
Does Kennedy think that it is acceptable for whites to use the term? Here’s
the answer that he gave in a postpublication interview: “I’m glad the word
nigger is a stigmatised word. I’m glad that it is a word that causes people
to have anxieties. I’m glad that for the most part it’s a word that is
presumptively wrongful to use. I think that’s fine. But that’s not the end
of the conversation. It’s presumptively wrong to use nigger, but a
presumption can be overcome. So if a white guy uses the word nigger – if
anybody uses the word nigger – I’d say presumptively there’s a problem. But
then dig a little deeper and say, Well, what’s going on? What is this person
saying? Why did he say it? What is he attempting to accomplish? There may be
answers to all those questions that are perfectly fine. And at the end of
hearing the perfectly fine answers, I’d say, fine. It’s okay.”
So young white devotees of the hip-hop lifestyle have carte blanche. Ali G may
be a fictional creation, but there is no shortage of real-life “wiggers” –
white youths who copy the gestures and slang of the ghetto. Half a century
ago, Norman Mailer hailed the birth of a new American existentialist, the
White Negro, a figure who embraced the wilder mores of what would become
known as the counterculture. Wiggers have been indulging in a similar
journey, with the difference that their horizons tend to be confined to
bling and foxy ho’s.
It is no surprise, then, that the average Big Brother contestant wants to
join the fun. Life, however, is not quite so straightforward because,
historically speaking, “nigger” is a word which reeks of hate, and worse
still, dehumanising contempt. For many black southerners in the civil-rights
era, there was no more chilling sound than that of a white police chief
drawling the word “nigra”. Forty-odd years after the march on Washington,
“nigger” must be handled with care, like unstable explosives. The comedian
Michael Richards – brilliant as Kramer in Seinfeld – learnt that
lesson the hard way when he fired off some brash Nwords at noisy audience
members in a club.
If you wanted to be charitable, you could say that Richards was trying to be
sarcastic and ultra-edgy in a Lenny Bruce sort of way. But he misjudged the
mood entirely. In another well-publicised case, a municipal official in
Washington DC was forced to resign after using the word “niggardly” in a
discussion about budgets.
Moreover, not all African-Americans are happy about the role played by the
hip-hop stars. Cultural critics such as the pugnacious Stanley Crouch argue
that far from overturning stereotypes, the more thuggish rappers play to the
very worst stereotypes in what amounts to a modern, yet extremely lucrative,
form of the minstrel show. Is there really much difference, they ask,
between the black-face clowns of the 19th century and the baggy-trousered
wannabe pimps of the MTV age? It is a compelling question, and one that the
mainstream American media tends to duck, partly due to the notion that
anything that comes from the streets is “authentic” and thus above reproach,
and partly because too many people and corporations are making fortunes from
the status quo.
Still, Emily Parr’s lapse is not a sign that we are living in a society riven
with long-suppressed racism. That is not to say that prejudice does not
exist. But as a mixed-race person who grew up in a council estate in the
1970s, I’m pleasantly surprised at how much less overt prejudice washes
around in our daily lives. (Mixed-race was an unknown term back then. We had
to put up with “half-caste”, a word that evokes all sorts of unpleasant
sub-Aryan connotations.) True, I was called a “Paki” on my doorstep soon
after 9/11, but the generally muted reaction to the 7/7 bombings was
encouraging, to say the least. And let’s not forget that it was Shilpa
Shetty who came out on top in the last Big Brother furore.
My theory about the new row is that, like the Shetty business, it serves as a
proxy for the public’s unease about immigration. Well-meaning media worthies
have shied away from discussing numbers and consequences in too much detail.
They would prefer that the conversation moved on. Which means that we are
left to talk about symbols and ciphers and teenage girls who can’t stop
uttering naughty words. As the son of an immigrant, I suppose I should be
grateful for the broadcasters’ discretion. But I’m not sure that it really
it helps in the long run.
How does a 19 year old, white girl know that she is middle class and must be careful about what words she uses! How does she know she is white? With present standards of education, you expect a lot of our children who have been told we are all equal. Some of them probably believe it and are confused by reactions they create!
Brian Lewis, Manila, Philippines
I have a friend who is directly decended , on her mother's side from a black slave. She, however, appears white, as she is mixed race. As she appears white, it is socially unacceptable for her to use the "n" word, and yet it is acceptable for any black-in-appearance person to use the word, even if they have no ancestral links with slavery whatsoever.
I find that a little racist.
I do have to say though, I wish it would disappear from everybodies vocabularly altogether. If rappers had not "reclaimed" the word and brought it into popular rap/youth culture then I doubt the Emily would have used it. She didn't strike me as the type to be a fully-paid up member of the NF.
Anna, Birmingham,
I am inclined to joke about things that other people find unacceptable. I think that lessens the tension. But am I being very daring in commenting at all? Better let sleeping dogs lie - oh dear, better be careful about every harmless English phrase! I am white - well, actually rather pink and ancient. The rest of my family is a mixture of (southern) European, (indigenous) South American, Asian and maybe even Polish. I don't think I discriminate against any of them, but I do expect them to have a sense of humour and defend themselves in conversation. I suspect we all discriminate in reaching judgements in some way or other. When I was in South America, I thought 'negrita' in Spanish was a term of endearment for any girl-friend, white or black! 'Negrito' was a cup of black coffee: and 'negro' was simply the colour black. I cannot resist ending without using that lovely English word 'niggardly' which people now hesitate to use all the time! Silly to write at all on such a subject!
Brian Lewis, Manila, Philippines
People don't see what the fuss is about?
Although the word offends me when I hear rappers use the word, I can understand why they do. It is used in defiance.
It is used to demonstrate that I can take the worst of what you can call me. It shows that I can belittle a term which so hurt my fore fathers.
It is NOT the same when a middle class,19 year old, white girl uses it.
I'm not really surprised to read a lot of the comments here. We English are racist. The sooner we address that, the better.
Jite, London,
And joe, claydon, if by 'they', you mean black people. The answer is yes. Just like jokes about the holocaust. It's ok if you are Jewish.
Jite, London,
so they can say it to each other as a greeting but they have a problem with whites saying it.
joe, claydon,
This is indicative of the 'plaster to fix a stab wound' situation we have found ourselves in. Word usage is ALL about the implied meaning and intent of the person using it. If I were to say "I love all Niggers" (in a sincere tone), that would be a positive sentiment, despite using what is considered to be an inappropriate word. Conversely, if I said 'I hate all ethnic minorities of the dark skinned persuasion', the fact that I made be politically correct in my choice of words doesn't mean I'm not making a hateful statement. There is a question over why would someone choose to use the Nword, assuming that they are aware of it's connotations. However, this was Big Brother, the girl was hardly demonstrating the summit of language appreciation, so I suspect she made an honest mistake: using a word which in her circles (generation?) has become almost a term of endearment rather than an insult. One cannot be offended by a word, only by the meaning or intent the word is delivering.
Nicholas Ord, Guildford, Surrey
Racism and Specism has been around since the beginning of time and it will always be with us. EVERYBODY is racist under the surface, the right buttons need pressing, thats all.
It's always amusing to see the media get in such a tiz over a word. It reminds me of being in the playground at school when someone said a rude word and the other children would make a big deal out of it...for no other reason than we children liked seeing other children in trouble.
Seems that for some things most people never grow out of.
Phill Barlow, Wirral, UK
I find it interesting that the Nword was used in a Radio 4 play on the same day as Emily's eviction, without apparent comment.
Peter, Coulsdon,
So if, hypothecically, a black person had used the term in the same context would they have been evicted? If your answer is no then you are a hypocrite.
To sight the use of the word as "wrong", regardless of how it was meant to be used, would mean it should be wrong for all who use it.. like the K-word in South Africa.
If your answer is yes though? Why? Black people use the term all the time and its use in that situnation would not have been construed as discriminatory.
It seems to me that people have once again built up a little problem into a bigger one purely for its tabloid effect. Race and discrimination had nothing to do with and I am therefore angry that she was kicked off the show and lost the chance to win becuase of a joke which has been thrown out of proportion. Get a life and bring your head out from under the clouds.. If we are to punish someone for this let it be those who have kept the word alive and allowed it's use in the counterculture of todays society.
James, Leamington Spa, England
Emily seems to have used the N-word to say that Charlie was 'acting stupid' i.e. acting like a N****er. Obviously the circles she moves in associates being stupid with being black although I don't think Emily had any knowledge of the history of the word. I think she was genuinely sorry. Still I'm glad she was evicted. Should have been done quicker though.
On a wider note, at the rate it's going Big Brother will be the direct cause of a death at some point in the near future. Now that really will be REALITY Tv but not what I want to see.
Time to draw a line under the series I think.
Steve, N. London.
Steve , London, UK
I think what Big Brother has done with Emily is perfectly right. Discrimnation of any nature especially as far as race is concerned SHOULD NOT be tolerated and WILL NOT prevail.
No one has the right to label anybody on the basis of their racial appearence. We live in today's Global Village and have come a long long way where Africa or Asia was considered another world altogether.
Although Emily has not intentionally meant to offend anybody, such an expression should be dealt with sternly in the quickest possible manner.
I am an Asian man who has had to really struggle through various hardships all of my life.
With honour, dignity and tolerance. Thank you.
Trent, London,
The N word is historically different from many other racial slurs or insults because of its dehumanising intent during the slave trade. Emily only has knowledge of this word through pop culture and hip hop, she is completely ignorant to the roots of the word. It is sad when important cultural movements like hip hop are embraced by the worlds youth, but the message has been diluted and forgotten.
Emily's nonchalant use of a word which has become commonplace in pop culture displays a deep ignorance of the sensitive nature of the word. The context in which it was used was very offensive. There was no irony, or reference to hip hop....it was just a white girl calling a black girl, a N*****!
raj, london, uk
i dont care bout the use of this word, its lost its shock value due to overuse in films and music, surely its the intent behind its usage that is more important.
The politically correct brigade are all too quick to jump in and label someone a racist, while turning a blind eye to fiery islamic speeches, usage of the n-word by 'n-people', and anything that upsets their fantasy world of everybody getting along in perfect peace and harmony.
jahrek, poole, uk
Let me make it clear here and now for everyone. White people can not and will not be allowed to say Nigger. Thats because they are White. Simple. Black people can not say pig to white people neither, but of course everyone can call themselves what they like. I will be very offended if a White person calls me Nigger irrespective of how close we are. If you are White please desist from calling Black people Niggers (in their presense at least). Dont be fooled by those rap and hip hop morons who believe going to prison is an archievement
Regis, London,
I find the word offensive whether it is used by a rapper or a person of whatever colour. Its as simple as that. We fought long and hard to rid this world of that word and I for one don't wish to go there again
Norwell Roberts, Kenton, United Kingdom
It's totally ridiculous!!!
Would there be such a furore if she had said 'Honkey' instead of the ‘N’ word?.... never, it would have been laughed off as a quip just it should have been.... please please, let's not descend into the 'thought police' ere here!
paul bell, abu dhabi, UAE
I am white and live on the North Side of Chicago. However, I work at Illinois Institute of Technology which is on Chicago's black, sorry, Afro-American South Side. I ride public transportation to work and every day I hear Afro-Americans use the N-word, usually as a jocular greeting, such as, "Hi Yo, Nigger," but also in conversation, such as, "This Nigger won't (expletives deleted)."
It has always puzzled me that Chicago Afro-Americans use such a hated word so freely in conversation.
Roland Finston
Roland Finston, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Black people hate white people. White people hate black people.
The muslims hate everyone and everyone hates the muslims.
This is Tony Blairs true legacy, race hatred at its worse since the abolition of slavery and cicil rights at their lowest since the end of feudalism.
Henry Adams, manchester,