While academics and commentators line up to denounce the plan of New South publishers to edit out the n-word from Huckleberry Finn, a federal jury is set to decide whether there is a different standard for a white person as opposed to a black person in using the n-word in the work place. Former Fox29 reporter-anchor Tom Burlington has sued his former station alleging that he was the victim of racial discrimination and a hostile work environment over the use of the n-word.
U.S. District Judge R. Barclay Surrick has decided that a jury should decide the question of whether Burlington was improperly terminated after he used the “n” word during a June 2007 staff meeting. The staff members were discussing reporter Robin Taylor’s story about the symbolic burial of the word by the Philadelphia Youth Council of the NAACP. He was fired in 2004 for using the word and has been unable to get another job in the media. He says that two other employees who are black used the word without any action being taken against them.
In the meeting, Taylor noted that participants at the burial had said the full word “at least a hundred times or more.” Burlington then asked “Does this mean we can finally say the word n-?”
Nicole Wolfe, a producer and anAfrican American, objected and exclaimed “I can’t believe you just said that!”
The case puts the double standard issue directly to a jury. There has long been a sharp dichotomy between whites and blacks on the usage of the word which appears often in films, comedy acts, and song.
Surrick held that a jury would have to decide whether Burlington was a “victim of political correctness run amok” or whether he was appropriately terminated for his own poor judgment. Burlington, however, did not want one thing to be revealed to the jury. He unsuccessfully sought to exclude his alleged statement to his former coanchor Joyce Evans that someone had referred to her as a “n- bitch.” He insists that he was making a point in the inappropriate use of the word. However, that is a fact that can be argued to the jury.
I presume that the defense will try to move the focus of the trial away from the double standard and argue that Burlington used the word as part of a generally racially insensitive history. I doubt the defense would want a straight vote on the double standard issue, which is unlikely to appeal to many jurors.
Burlington is now working in real estate.
Teachers often face this question in dealing with texts that use the word. This issue came up last year in Colorado when high school teacher Tim Thornton was fired for using the word in discussing a literary work. The class at Mullen High School was discussing the short story “Poison,” by Roald Dahl and a racially loaded discussion between characters. While a black was put in the place of the n-word, Thornton used the word and then made a joking reference to the Ku Klux Klan. He was fired.
In another case, the teacher used the word in a non-textual reference. Towson University adjunct professor Allen Zaruba (who noted that his stepfather is African-American) was teaching a visual concepts class and referred to himself as “a nigger on the corporate plantation.” He was also fired.
In another case, Waltham principal Peter Silverman was fired from Plympton Elementary School after he quoted John Lennon’s song “Woman is the Nigger.” Silverman insists that he used the quote to show that he was sympathetic with the plight of the teachers and that no students were present.
This cases make the Burlington case particularly interesting and potentially important. We will be following the case closely, but what do you think?
Source: Philly
Jonathan Turley
Kudos: Allison K.
Carlyle Moulton,
“The correct name for the so called “War On Drugs” is “The War on Niggers” or if one wants to be absolutely precise “The War on Niggers, Hippies and Poor People”.
Thank you for expressing so much so well
Carlyle Moulton, is this the article you were referring to? It’s a stunner and your comment is excellent. I’ll have to get the book from the library.
Thanks for posting your comment here, I didn’t see it on Huffpo; I think I got the link off RawStory this morning. I just put links on my desktop and and purge then every few days if they don’t prove useful or I don’t want to copy the article and file it.
link:
“The New Jim Crow
How mass incarceration turns people of color into permanent second-class citizens”
by MICHELLE ALEXANDER
http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=the_new_jim_crow
CM,
“The correct name for the so called “War On Drugs” is “The War on Niggers” or if one wants to be absolutely precise “The War on Niggers, Hippies and Poor People”. I suggest that opponents of mass incarceration get into the habit of using either of these terms. They may not be polite but they are the ugly truth.”
Good job. Well played.
RE: Carlyle Moulton, January 7, 2011 at 9:19 pm
“Purging the N-word is not the result of left wing political correctness rather it is about removing the only means minorities have to prove that whites actually hate them.”
Thanks.
I used a whole lot more words in a prior thread, in an effort to convey the idea of the last sentence of your comment, doing so to give personal context from my own experiences with the enigma of hate.
Purging a symbol of terrible hate from society will not change hate; hate is learned by experiencing hate, not by hearing or reading its symbol without being accompanied by actual hatred. Such is my experience, and I choose to not hate those who as-though hate me. It is hatred itself, not a mere word symbol for it, that grieves me into the depths of sorrow.
I used a whole lot more words, again. Oh, dear me…
Thanks, again.
Following is a post that I submitted to a Huffington Post thread on this issue. I had to split it in two because of length limits on that site but only part 1 of the 2 made it. Part 2 fell foul of moderators oversensitive about the N-word. I believe my use of the N-word as a reference to the malign stereotypes that the vast majority of white Americans has of Negroes and which inevitable lead to discrimination against them channeled through the law is legitimate. No doubt some Afro Americans dislike any non-Black using the word but I think the people who are most pained by its use are whites who have these stereotypes embedded in the part of their brains labeled common sense.
==============================================================
Part 1 of 2, post split because of exceeding permitted length. Moderator please treat both parts as one unit
It is not political correctness that has forced this word change but the necessity to protect the New Jim Crow. The fact is that now as long as white bigots are careful not to use the N-word they can get away with the most extreme discriminatory policies against brown skinned people under cover of the criminal law and the war against drugs. These are finally succeeding in bulldozing Blacks and Hispanics to the margins of society, preventing all hope of their sharing in “the American Dream” and putting them back where they belong under firm white control.
The N-word is extremely necessary as a means of referring to all the malign stereotypes that respectable white people have of those with brown skin that inevitably lead to discrimination. It should not be overused but when referring to these unconscious beliefs of white people as Mark Twain is doing it is indispensable.
Part 2 of 2 this post split because of exceeding permitted length. Moderator please treat as one unit
When innocent African immigrant Amadou Diallo died in a hail of fire from four white NYPD police it was not because he was a Negro, but because the police saw him as a Nigger that is a dangerous violent criminal edangering their lives. They interpreted his behaviour prompted by his no doubt well justified fear of four burly white thugs as suspicious so they had to shoot him. The jury of respectable people from Albany who acquitted the four murderers agreed. The combined actions of police and jury are an act of State Terrorism against Afro- Americans.
I suggest readers refer to Michelle Alexander’s recent book, “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness for information on how banishing the N-word with the excuse of political correctness is an act against the interests of Coloured People. The correct name for the so called “War On Drugs” is “The War on Niggers” or if one wants to be absolutely precise “The War on Niggers, Hippies and Poor People”. I suggest that opponents of mass incarceration get into the habit of using either of these terms. They may not be polite but they are the ugly truth. I suggest that these days it is not really Blacks who are most upset by the N-word but white racists.
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One of Michelle Alexander’s most important points is that unless actors in the justice system are caught using the N-word it is impossible to prove that their discriminatory behaviour is prompted by racism. One would think that statistics could be used to prove that racism affects differential outcomes for Blacks as opposed to whites, but the US supreme court has effectively closed this avenue even to the extent that the statistics to determine that there is endemic racism cannot be accessed by lawyers trying to prove racism unless they can already prove racism absent the statistics. Purging the N-word is not the result of left wing political correctness rather it is about removing the only means minorities have to prove that whites actually hate them.
Re: Blazing Saddles. Twas a hoot an’ a holler.
The same comments apply to “Till Death Us Do Part”, one of Britains finest comedies from the pen of Johnny Speight.
All about the mis-adventures of a cockney bigot called Alf Garnett, this was THE best anti-racist TV show EVER.
Alf was “blessed” with every prejudice in the book and a fiery temper, but always ended up looking small and pathetic due to circumstances of his own making.
One running gag was that he looked a little like a Jewish stereotype. One wonders how modern audiences would take to angry howls of “I’m not a bladdy Yid!!!”
Check out Alf Garnett on You Tube.
“No one is born offended.”
Can’t argue with that.
Yep. Studio execs would burst into flame at the very suggestion of making “Blazing Saddles” today. Words only have the power we give them. By giving the word “nigger” some kind of special status, it is only further imbued with power.
Thralldom to words produces these exact results. The solution is 24/7 continuous broadcast of the film, Blazing Saddles, which absolutely could not be made in this anal retentive child’s playpen we call “society.” Hear it enough, and all those words will lose their edge, and we can get back to enjoying each other’s company.
If you are offended by ANYTHING, it is because you freely chose to be in this state of mind. Always and forever. No one is born offended.
…’cept maybe Clarence Thomas…
Way to rise above america. Dont actually come to terms with racism on a social or cultural level, just let a ferderal court decide if whitey can say the n word or not.
Swarthmore mom :
The audiences reactions tells you that there is hope.
Tip Your Hat to Whitey:
culheath:
You mention Dick Gregory,I heard him say that the myth that all black people look alike is not true,his reasoning.He said that since Barack Obama has been president,that no one has walked up to him and said “how are you mr President”LOL!!
Oh, and another thing…will that jury be all black, all white or mixed?
Chris is right – its all context and there’s a huge difference between the n word with an “-a” or “-er” ending.
Comedian and social activist Dick Gregory told a story years back about going to one of those black exploitation movies in the 70’s with a white friend. The audience was mostly black and during the course of the movie when white cop characters were being beat up by black characters would yell out things like “Kick his ass, n-!”
After the movie the white friend asked Gregory why it was ok for the blacks to use the n word when whites weren’t allowed to. Gregory told him it was because white people don’t know how to say it ‘pretty’.
I grew up with and have a lot of black friends. I make a point of never, ever saying the word even in camaraderie or jest. Why would I? Discretion is always the better part of valor, ne c’est pas?
N-word on trial: Verdict should be it’s never ok
By Monique W. Morris
8:35 AM on 01/06/2011
“A federal jury seated in Philadelphia may soon decide whether there should be a double standard regarding the usage of the “n-word” by white and black employees in the workplace. Specifically, the jury will consider the case of former Fox 29 anchorman Tom Burlington, who was fired after using the n-word during a staff meeting, wherein reporters and producers were discussing Robin Taylor’s coverage of a 2007 mock funeral led by the Philadelphia Youth Council of the NAACP to bury the n-word.”
http://www.thegrio.com/opinion/n-word-on-trial-verdict-should-be-its-never-ok.php
Chris rock says “not really”. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iau-e6HfOg0&w=560&h=345]
“decide whether there is a different standard for a white person as opposed to a black person in using the n-word in the work place.”
There should be no distinction,Its a work place not a bar,or joes house its a work place.A persons race gives no preference its a matter of common sense and respect.
“This is what Twain did. It would be crazy to ban the word from his books. Still, I think a state can legally do it.”
Tootie and I finally agree on something. The banning of this word from Twain’s writings is ridiculous. However, in certain contexts I do believe that a State can take action in this area. However,each instance of a State doing so is and should be open to litigation.
As a Jew, there are many offensive words that can be used by non-Jews, but that “in-house” may well be used in an ironic way. This is the same for black people and for almost all who are minorities in a country. Those who usually bring this up as a dichotomy are prejudiced people, without the courage to admit their prejudice.
Congress shall make now law abridging….etc.
Otherwise the states, local governments, businesses, and private groups can make rules about speech.
I suggest the fewer rules the better. Jefferson had in mind that the states (not the feds) still have legal power over slander, lies, and etc. It was just that the federal government ought not to be trusted with such power.
I don’t like anyone thinking they get to judge the proper use of the N-word. Or even words like “dear” or “honey” which are often banned in the workplace (please get a life and then go live there).
That said my religion teaches me to not offend others. And that suits me fine. I don’t want to offend someone by calling them something they do not like.
Nevertheless, there are times when it may be appropriate to use these words. Writers use these terms and many others to better express their points and the fewer prohibitions on them the better in the long run.
This is what Twain did. It would be crazy to ban the word from his books. Still, I think a state can legally do it.
Let’s have Federalism work in America. Let’s have real free states and real unfree ones and let the people see, after witnessing the results, how much better freedom really is.