Notable Chicago Event: Jabari Asim: The N Word: Who Can Say It, Who Shouldn't, and Why 4.25.07
From Seinfeld alum Michael Richards' infamous tirade to conservative pundit Ann Coulter's homophobic slurs to, most recently, shock jock Don Imus' sexist and racist comment (a "two-fer" of a derogatory remark), the recent explosion of bigoted language and the attendant, hand-wringing media circus raise the question: should we tolerate intolerant speech? Tonight, congenial Washington Post columnist Jabari Asim discusses his book The N Word: Who Can Say It, Who Shouldn't, and Why, in which he argues — somewhat controversially — that while the deplorable epithet has no place in public discourse, its use can be acceptable in certain endeavors, like music, art, and scholarship. - Flavorpill
when: Wed 4.25 @ 6pm TONIGHT!!
where: Harold Washington Library, Auditorium (400 S State St, 312.747.4050)
Comments
This sounds like an incredibly fascinating discourse. I do so wish I could attend, but there's no way that I'd be able to make it in time. :(
Reminds me fondly of my days at UIC... :)
I used to hang out at UIC all the time! In fact, it's where I played my first game of pool.
Yeah, I wish I were in town for this...looks like it's going to be good. I'll have to pick up the book
A couple of years ago a former football (that's soccer for anyone in the US) manager here in the UK used the n-word when he thought he was "off-mike". It cost him his job as a football commentator and newspaper columnmist, but what was worse was the excrutiatingly bad TV documentary he then made as a supposed penance, investigating the cultural background of the word(?) and trying to justify his stupidity / ignorance!
I'm definetly interested in this book. Thank you for pointing it out!
I would like to hear his opinion on when it would be acceptable for a white person to say "that word". Because I get the feeling that he probably says yeah in some contexts it's acceptable. But does he really give a green light for whites to say the word, ever?
In my opinion, if you don't want others to use the word, don't use it yourself. Period.
Also in my very loud opinion (sorry) the FCC, such a lovely branch of our current government, is actively encouraging sexism by allowing the B and W words on the air. They not only allow it, they encourage it. They want women to be slapped down.
Also, the B word is not usually used on the air by women. It is most often used by men against women. Charming.