What the Bleep?!

Townhall.com ^ | July 22, 2008 | Chuck Norris

[Kaslin]

Jesse Jackson (on an off-air mic before "Fox & Friends") and Whoopi Goldberg (and another host on "The View") have raised the cultural language debate to a new level: Who has the right to say the N-word? Their answer: Blacks can, but whites can't. Unfortunately, this derogatory debate has degraded into Don Imus on steroids.

I agree with a lot that Whoopi had to say about the imbalances between the races. But I disagree with her for going off on an intentional N-word marathon, which was bleeped out repeatedly in order to demonstrate her point. There's a reason her diatribe was bleeped and our society still veils our full expression of the N-word: because it still is regarded by most as derogatory and demeaning. (Even among blacks, the N-word obviously can be defamatory, as Jesse Jackson proved when he used it in the same breath he used to describe how he would like to cut off Barack Obama's genitalia.)

This is more than a race issue and far more than a debate over freedom of speech. When will we learn that just because we can say something doesn't mean that we should? Once again, we're confusing liberty for licentiousness. It is a classic example of what happens when a society leaves its moral absolutes: Everything becomes culturally relative, with each deciding what's right in his own eyes. Language is one more infected arena in America's societal degradation.

Think about it. What word is nasty or unwholesome anymore? There are no "bad words." Words once considered evil are now terms of endearment. There's the B-word, the D-word, the A-word, the F-word, etc. Even bleeps are mere blips on America's moral radar screens. When ministers use G-- d--- in their sermons and moral activists threaten to cut off a presidential candidate's genitals and call him the N-word, can't we see the signs that we're heading in the wrong direction? We have become desensitized to everything, from profanity to pornography.

Today's America is certainly not the one in which I grew up during the '40s and '50s. Profanity of any sort was wrong back then and frowned upon by most in private or public use. Today profanity has become a positive form of expression, with studies even showing that it releases stress and boosts morale at the workplace!

I genuinely believe we can do better. I believe we must do better. We need to leave a better legacy of decency, civility and respect for future generations. I believe we need to give them our best, and our best must be more than justifying the use of derogatory language based upon cultural or racial relativity or even freedom of speech. If we're going to reverse negative trends among our youth, it's going to begin with us establishing a better model for them of how we treat and speak about others.

Whoopi proposed that we must find a "new way to move forward." I propose that that new way is not new at all, but an old way that has been discarded and forgotten. It is a way that simultaneously addresses equality, respect and decency. It is a way that was promoted by America's Founders and eventually resulted in increased unity and civility across the land. And it is also a way that I devote an entire chapter to in my upcoming book, "Black Belt Patriotism." The chapter's titled "Reclaim the value of human life." Here's a little of what I say in it:

"The Founders believed equality would give legs to freedom. As John Adams said, 'We should begin by setting conscience free. When all men of all religions … shall enjoy equal liberty, property, and an equal chance for honors and power … we may expect that improvements will be made in the human character and the state of society.'

"The Founders knew that America was not perfect. Slavery, in particular, troubled the consciences of many of them. … Nevertheless, our Founders believed there was something inherent in humanity that called it to a higher purpose. For all the shortcomings of early American society, the remedy was always there -- expressed in the founding documents of our nation. The Declaration of Independence set America's course. Though we have sometimes drifted from its highest principles, all Americans have ever had to do was steer by its compass to acknowledge or rediscover the inherent equality of slaves, women, the poor, Indians, and the unborn. All were -- and are -- children of God, endowed by their creator with 'certain unalienable rights.' …

"The Founders could not immediately abolish slavery. It was too entrenched in the economy of the South, but the Declaration eroded its foundations in a way that made its end inevitable. That 'all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights' is one of the most powerful principles ever enunciated in the history of politics."

And that power can be unleashed again to help us in our day. The sooner we get back to our Founders' words, our country's original calling, the sooner we will start treating one another (red, yellow, black and white) as our Founders' prescribed and the sooner we will get beyond these slanderous debates about language and humanity. It's time to grow up, America -- to move beyond the arguments of yesteryear. You're older than 200 now. It's time to act your age.

[John Valentine]

Ed Tom Bell: “It starts when you begin to overlook bad manners. Anytime you quit hearing “sir” and “ma’am”, the end is pretty much in sight.”

[Kieri]

There are times I could almost — almost — be persuaded to vote for McCain. A McCain/Norris ticket would be very tempting.

[stevem]

I s’pect for the most part Chuck Norris’ thoughts are well worth the conversation. Well, they are at least after the part about Whoopi Goldberg having anything worth while to add to the discussion.

[Joe Boucher]

About tired of blacks carping against folks using the the word nigger but they continue to do so towards themselves.
Bunch of crap.

[TennTuxedo]

Liberals have always wanted double standards, so they can act as moral authority when it suits their needs.

[G.Mason]

"About tired of blacks carping against folks using the the word nigger but they continue to do so towards themselves.
Bunch of crap. "

I couldn't agree more.

I am black, therefor I can use the word nigger. You are white, therefor you can't?

The insanity is that most people see nothing wrong with this selective restriction.

I wonder what would be said should it be forbidden to speak, say German, unless you were German?

[MissEdie]

I’m tired of the set-aside mandates for government contracts, special allowances for admittance to universities, job preferences, and the use of my tax dollars to support the DamRat’s voter base.

[nathanbedford]

Your point is well taken. In fact, I think it deserves amplification.

The question really is important because language not only expresses a lot but in the process shapes the way you think. That means language becomes a tool in the political wars in which one part of society seeks to gain a monopoly in physical power expressed, if necessary, at the point of a gun. He who controls language has a fulcrum and a lever with which to move the political world.

Who should control language?

In my student days, language was codified in dictionaries and they were at pains to point out their scrupulousness in weighing every movement and the meaning of words by learned committees and permitting their introduction into the dictionary only under the strictest scrutiny. nota bene: these committees were non-governmental organizations. In those days an educated person was expected to draw language from the King James version of the Bible and from Shakespeare.

In the Western world outside of the United States, the people have given over control of their language to their government and to courts. In Canada, for example, hate crime prosecutions can be brought against people like Mark Steyn at the drop of an unguarded syllable. These are clearly governmental agencies blatantly controlling thought by controlling speech by controlling language.

America has enriched the world's English and indeed all the world's languages by our contributions to English which come out of sport, music, aviation, a cowboy experience, and perhaps most interesting of all, African American speech. However, there has been a significant downside to the contributions to English which come to us from the African-American experience. You have rightly decried the coarsening of the language. Undeniably, ghetto speak, introduced to us through vehicles like rap music, have coarsened the language. There is a school of thought which says that we as a society should operate like a committees which control what goes into a dictionary, that is, if it passes into the language by usage, it cannot be denied.

Interestingly, what we have here is an attempt to regulate language (motivated no doubt by the political implications of the words used) by one race which often uses the word complained of but which would forbid its use to another race. In other words, the usage is not given, it is not even loaned.

Sorry, but I am not inclined to concede control over my speech or my thoughts to people who will not share.

[HHFi]

The reason men like me don't watch shows like "The View" is because we see no point in arguing over feelings. Arguments won't sway feelings. Real arguments are for establishing propositions through the use of supporting facts.

In this case, from what I saw in the news clips, Whoopi and Sherrie Shepherd's points were irrelevant. Whether or not black people have special dispensation to use this word is beside the point. The point is that Jesse Jackson used it, and he had already given up any claim to immunity when he launched a campaign against it and became the self-appointed spokesman for eradicating it. He said at that time that it was as bad for black rappers to use it as it was for Michael Richards to use it, and we needed to apply this ban with total consistency. He accepted no excuses from others, just because they were black. When he was caught using it, he revealed himself to be a complete hypocrite, damning all others for doing the very thing that he does himself. Case closed.

Of course, that's an argument based on cold logic and provable, indisputable historic facts, so it would be totally pointless to try to use it on any of those mindless banshees on "The View."

And for the record, I don't believe that any word should ever be "banned." All you're doing is quashing free speech; imbuing the word with a power it doesn't deserve, making it a more potent weapon for your enemies; and giving someone else control over your vocabulary. You should avoid that word because you're a civilized human being, not because you're afraid someone will hear you using it. Then you'll never have to worry about being picked up by an open microphone, eh, Jesse?

[kenmcg]

The wraps are off; if such black spokespeople like Whoopi Goldberg and Jesse Jackson say it’s ok for black folk to use the “n” bomb then it’s ok for the rest of the population.

[Married with Children]

Don’t see what the problem is. I could care less if someone calls me Whitey, Cracker, Honkey, etc. Doesn’t hurt my feelings one bit! I guess I’m just proud of who I am, if I wasn’t proud of who I was then I might get offended.

[Elsie]

Jesse Jackson (on an off-air mic before "Fox & Friends") and Whoopi Goldberg (and another host on "The View") have raised the cultural language debate to a new level: Who has the right to say the N-word? Their answer: Blacks can, but whites can't. Unfortunately, this derogatory debate has degraded into Don Imus on steroids.

It is similar to the argument:

Who has the right to call themselves MORMON?

The wished for answer: SLC LDS members can; but FLDS members can't.

[snugs]

What about white trash that I think is the nearest comparison to what the word nigger conveys having said that it is not the words themselves that are the problem but the context and in particular the historical context in which they are used.

[Elsie]

The reason men like me don't watch shows like "The View" is because we see no point in arguing over feelings.

Arguments won't sway feelings. Real arguments are for establishing propositions through the use of supporting facts.

In this case, from what I saw in the news clips, Whoopi and Sherrie Shepherd's points were irrelevant. Whether or not black people have special dispensation to use this word is beside the point. The point is that Jesse Jackson used it, and he had already given up any claim to immunity when he launched a campaign against it and became the self-appointed spokesman for eradicating it. He said at that time that it was as bad for black rappers to use it as it was for Michael Richards to use it, and we needed to apply this ban with total consistency.

He accepted no excuses from others, just because they were black. When he was caught using it, he revealed himself to be a complete hypocrite, damning all others for doing the very thing that he does himself. Case closed.

EXCELENT conclusion!

[Elsie]

EXCELENT

FR's SPELLCHECK sucks!

[Tennessee Nana]

Who has the right to call themselves MORMON?

The wished for answer: SLC LDS members can; but FLDS members can’t.
____________________________________________

Whoever is acting mormon and following Joseph Smith...

That would be the fLDS....

The LDS in SLC are an off shoot that decided to disobey the commandments of Joseph Smith’s teachings..

[Calm_Cool_and_Elected]

As my teenaged son would say, "Chuckmate!"

CC&E

[Marauder]

I wonder what would be said should it be forbidden to speak, say German, unless you were German?

I live in a border state, fairly close to the U.S. - Mexico border, and I've noticed in recent years that some Hispanics are getting somewhat snooty about who speaks Spanish, even complaining about us gringos speaking it. Kind of a screwy attitude in my view.

[Doc Savage]

Sorry, all I get is an image of Ted Danson (sic?) on top of Goldberg and then I start to retch uncontrollably.....................................................