The Inflammatory N Word :: Media Racism Essays

The Inflammatory N Word The evening of February 25, 2002 started innocuously enough. My fille Elena is an avid fan of the television fancy, Boston Public (Fox), and she was looking preceding to watching the newest episode. Because Boston Public can contain controversial subjects, I monitor the show while my kids are watching it. The issues addressed in a kid-friendly show turn into a good starting aspire for watchwords with my two teenage children. The new episode non only rancid out to be the epitome of controversy it was the beginning of new example of dialogue with my children. I had not intended to watch the television show Boston Public (Fox), but when I saw the topic of the show, I set aside my homework and soon became engrossed. The February 25th episode center on on the inflammatory N rule book (Randall Kennedy) when two boys, one ashen and the other black, affectionately call each other n----r. Another boy, excessively black, objects to white person calling a bla ck person this word and a fight ensues. When the teacher discovers the reason for the altercation, he assigns the class to understand n----r The Strange Career of a Troublesome Word, by Randall Kennedy. The class discussion that follows causes controversy with the administration of the school because the teacher leading the discussion is not an African-American. The show ends with the principal, who is black, teaching the class instead. After the show concluded, my daughter and I had a fiery discussion about the issues raised in the show. Elena matte up it was entirely appropriate that only an African-American can teach a class on the N word. I was unhappy with the ending and felt that it would have much impact if the principal and the teacher conducted the class together. hotshot thing both of us agreed on we had many questions and valued more information than what a television show could give us so we decided to purchase Mr. Kennedys book and learn more on the issue. What are the origins of racial slurs and why are they used? era it was impossible to find the exact origins of racial slurs, it seems that through out history, in that respect is always a history of an oppressed race or religion. break apart of this oppression has been the use of words to help the powerful remain in control. Alarmingly, some of these racial slurs have even slipped into every day language.