Empowering of Racist Slurs - Essay Example

Empowering of Racist Slurs As with many other things in life, words have the power to convey positive or negative connotations according to the way they are spoken, and by whom they are spoken. The words ‘nigger’ and ‘chink’ may mean degradation or simply to describe a minority group or community. Racist slurs assert the fact that they are different or unique. Perhaps they have understood that they are taken as people with different and unique qualities and abilities. Their hard work, zeal, strength, and will power are also associated with their label- Black or Chink. It must have taken a hell of strength to accept the racist slurs and to derive the positive meanings and effects from it. Racial slurs can actually become a source of empowering the victimized individuals and groups. They can learn to value their individuality and their peculiar characteristics that differentiate them from others. By valuing their culture and norms, they can perhaps make others see that they might be different and unique, but in no way inferior or outcasts. It is therefore important to understand that it is up to the person who hears the word to make out positive or negative connotations. Optimism always helps- especially if one is surrounded by difficulties and hatred. It is not until a person realizes that his/her survival is at stake, when he/she decides either to face it or to give up. Those who face it are empowered by racial slurs, while those who give up get internally racist. Self examination and education have been the main factors of changing the mindset of the Black and Chink communities, which in turn changed the mentality of the oppressive communities. Education has changed the life style and the social status of the Blacks and Chinks. The contemporary society of US has to a great extent accepted the abilities of such communities who were victims of racism who have struggled to make a respectable place in the educational institutions, white collar professions and the main stream work force. Hence, they are accepted in the educational institutions and in all white collar professions, and respected for their hard work and courage to stand up to the racist slurs barked at them. This was however, not the case a few decades ago, when the oppressed communities had limited scope and horizon to take part as respectable or equal human beings in the betterment of the society. A Black US president demonstrates the evolution of the thinking pattern of the American people. It is one example how the oppressed communities derived strength from the racist slurs and became a part of the main stream life. Internalization of racism is a phenomenon with which many people might not agree like the authors Naylor and Leong; though it seems logical and natural, and is quite obvious by the behaviors and the patterns of discriminated communities. Internalization of racism has taken centuries to strengthen and deepen its roots, but the young generation of all such communities like African-American and Chinese-American deny it vehemently- and that too for good and valid reasons. It has been witnessed in the past that internalization of racism had further deteriorated professional, personal, and social attitudes and relationships; work performance; self respect and optimism. This phenomenon had created a deeply rooted hurt and resentment among the members of such communities that were targeted by racism. They were strategically forced to believe that they belonged to inferior groups of mankind. Internalization of racism affected individual relations, children, group efforts and leadership, and isolation from other Blacks or Chinks. Furthermore, it gave rise to internalized stereotypes of Blacks/Chinks created by the oppressive communities. Under such circumstances, they were bound to start mistrusting their judgment, skills, abilities, and criticizing their appearances. The hostile or discriminating attitude of the oppressive society members, groups or communities urged them to indulge in drug and substance abuse, pervert sexual behaviors, crimes, and flashy consumerism. As victims of attack, humiliation, criticism, and exploitation, the oppressed communities play out these behaviors on others in order to survive. The survival behaviors they adopt stigmatize their individual and group image. The common thing between the authors of ‘The Meaning of a Word’ and ‘Being a Chink’ is that they have faced discrimination on the basis of their ethnic backgrounds- yet they managed to study in reputable institutions. It was perhaps their upbringing that taught them to face the harshness of the world with courage and patience. Technically, they belong to the same communities whose members become internally racist. Yet their outlook towards life is far different from the ones who are sidelined- or maybe, who chose to be sidelined by the oppressive communities. Such people are blessed with the power to introspect and understand their natural potential and abilities to carve a niche for themselves in the discriminating society. One needs to overlook the pain caused by the racist slurs hurled at them, because those who have successfully done so have managed to look beyond the limited horizon and earn respect for them. Even if they were criticized for their looks and appearances, some of them have actually entered the world of fashion and modeling. Black supermodels on the ramp; Black actors, doctors, senators, lawmakers, and ordinary Black citizens have actually made a difference to their individual and societal lives, in general. The Chinks have also excelled in almost every field- but only those who were empowered by racist slurs. They learnt it the hard way to make them acceptable in the alien societies they were living in. The individual and communal efforts of small communities to get them understood by the native communities were magnanimous. They must have done so by rising and looking beyond the miserable circumstances caused by racism. An important point to consider is the acceptance of racism instead of denying or minimizing it. It acts as a propeller for a person or a community to rise and to achieve the real purpose of life. It is wrong to declare that African-Americans or Chinese-Americans are at fault for the rising racism. They have contributed to the American society even before they became a part of the mainstream life of America. They have played their invaluable roles by taking insults and forgiving those who hurled racist slurs at them. They channeled their energies into industrious work, and earned respect for it. Ironically, the racist slurs never succeeded in killing their spirit and the hope of most of the people. The weaker members of such communities are still considered more vulnerable due to their socio-economic situations. However, those who believed in themselves and loved their identities, the racist slurs became only a mean to enhance their confidence in themselves. Being a nigger or a chink meant that they had identities of their own, which are not to be mixed up with the native citizens. But they are by no means inferior to any other human being on the face of this earth. Racist slurs have a strong impact on the people against whom these are hurled - some take the impact positively, while others take it negatively. As with any other adverse situation in one’s life, a positive attitude bears success; while a negative attitude only results in despair and hopelessness. In ‘The Meaning of a Word’ Gloria Naylor recollects the time when she first heard the word ‘nigger’ (407) by someone belonging to another community. Not that she had ever heard it before; it was the first time in her life when it was spoken to humiliate her. She had heard that word before, but in altogether different meanings, spoken by the people of her own community; spoken only as a word with which they were labeled- not as a word to be insulted or humiliated by. That particular moment, and later when her mother explained to her, proved to be turning point in her life. She must have realized that she has an identity- and lots of positive aspects are attributed to it. Leong likewise, after reading the word chink on an old envelope was forced to think about her identity, and what it really meant to her. These women, like many others saw a light coming out of the dead end of the tunnel and began their individual struggles. The racist slurs, therefore, altered their outlooks towards their identities and the roles that they could play in their respective societies. They not only accepted the label but strove to earn a respectable place for them and for their future generations. It became vital for them to understand and love their personal and ethnic identities. Once a person realizes his/her identity and the purpose of his/her life, all kinds of obstacles and hindrances become meaningless. Racial slurs have a very powerful effect on human psychology. It becomes a means of searching for one’s true identity. A hostile society that is not only discriminatory on the basis of race and color but also apprehensive and insulting towards the human qualities and attributes of the non-native community produces unimaginable living conditions for the later. The human mind is perceptible to the minutest discrimination or insult, and therefore it can react instantly, objectively, or emotionally. An emotional reaction would render more harm to the person or the group against whom discrimination has been made. However, an objective approach would help the victimized individual or group to ponder over the matter and to rise above it. It is unfortunate that others do not see the beauty and the human qualities while hurling racist slurs. The best kind of self defense under such circumstances is to acquire the ability to love and to trust oneself; this in turn will change the way one looks at racial abuse and help one to tackle all sorts of difficulties in life. From a historical perspective, people belonging to minority ethnic backgrounds have a greater resilience and the spirit to move on in life. The racist individuals, groups or societies resort to this practice out of their own fear of survival. They see these ethnic communities as their competitors in their everyday lives. Even though slavery was abolished a long time back, its resonance can be heard and seen in the attitudes of the oppressive communities. The ‘Survival of the Fittest’ theory compels them to adopt such racist behavior and herein lays the power of racial slurs- they can obviously see the potential of Blacks or Chinks, and use mean ways to belittle and to humiliate them. In other words, it is a kind of psychological war that is waged by the oppressive communities in order to defeat the will and power of the oppressed communities. In her story, Leong admits that she and her friends frequently address each other as chinks. By doing so, they do not mean to humiliate or insult each other- it has become sort of a label of their identities in a foreign land which has become their homeland. “The word chink may have been created to harm, ridicule, and humiliate, but for us it may have done the exact opposite.” (415) Leong and Naylor realized the importance of being a chink and a nigger, respectively. The meanings were of far greater importance than the words. Naylor recalls that she had often heard her own people calling each other nigger, but in different and various contexts. It related to some bad characteristics e.g. “Parents who neglected their children” (408) or as “a term of endearment,” (408) but, when she heard it from a boy in her class who had got lower grades than her, she shockingly learnt that it was an abusive word. This incident also points out to the fact that that boy was furious at her because she had earned better grades than him, and he saw her as a viable competitor in academics, and in life in general. Racist slurs have redefined the communities in a rather healthy manner. They have actually taken over the labels upon themselves, and have found a positive dimension to it. By doing so, they have been undoubtedly been empowered by racial slurs, in all fields of life. They have discarded the stereotypical notions associated with their labels and have proved that having a different appearance and skin color does in no way affect their human potential, abilities, and zeal. Work Cited Kennedy, J. X, Kennedy, M. D, & Aeron, E. J. “The Brief Bedford Reader”. 10th edition. Bedford: St. Martin’s, 2008. Read More