*This article contains offensive language.

Will: “’Cause this is ridiculous, man. Why the fuck, after all these years, you can call me N-word, and I can’t say it?”

Diggie: “Yo, look, we already went over this. I’ll have to slap the shit out of you again. I don’t want to do that.”

Will: “See, that’s not even right. I mean, like, really. You know I’m not the one, right? This is all love here. Hey, you asked me to do something for you. I’m like, “What?” I’m down. I don’t give a fuck. Because you’re my people, all right? You’re my n… and this is where I would insert that word.”

Diggie: “It’s nothing personal. You’re still my nigga. But I gotta slap the shit out of you based on principle.

Will: “Wait, principle? Okay, you want to talk principle. What about Jib here, man? This dude isn’t African-American. He’s like fucking Latino or Moroccan or some shit. Technically, he shouldn’t be able to say the word. Why can he use it?”

Jib: “Because I’m 14% African.”

Will: “What? Four… Shit, I’m probably 14%”

Jib: “I am 14% African. Ancestry.com.”

Malcolm: “Look, we don’t give a fuck. Just say the damn word, okay? It doesn’t matter. It’s cool, right?”

Jib: “I don’t give a shit.”

Diggie: “I give a fuck. Don’t say that shit. I will slap the shit out of you.”

The above dialogue is from the movie, Dope. A few days ago, I was watching this movie, and came across this scene that has struck me with the issue that I have been trying to find the answer to, since high school. It was when Will, a white male, is frustrated over the use of the N-word with this group of three friends – Malcolm, Jib and Diggie.

The N-word is two words associated with two very different meanings. On one hand, “nigger” is a racial slur used against black people. On the other hand, “nigga” is a word that developed from “nigger,” but has been reclaimed by the African American communities as a term of endearment, and can now mean friend or buddy.

What resonated with me was Will’s question: “Why the fuck, after all these years, you can call me N-word, and I can’t say it?” I know quite a few white friends of mine who asked the same question, who talk about double standard surrounding this word. The word has been widely used in hip-hop where a lot of white youngsters have grown up with. When my white friends use the word, I know they didn’t mean it like that, as Will says “You know I’m not the one.” I know these people do not use the word to mean to be rude and insulting towards black people. I know that they want to use the word the same way black folks do – as a term of endearment. I personally would not use the word, even if I could without facing any social consequences. I do not feel the need to explain why I would prefer not to use the word. I just feel very uncomfortable. It makes me wince. Nigger? There is NO way ANYBODY can use it. Nigga? That’s where it gets complicated.

It is hard to grasp the very complexity of the N-word. “Nigger” was intentionally developed to be derogatory and demean black people. Neal A. Lester, Dean of Humanities and former Chair of the English department at Arizona State University, said, “The poison is still there. The word is inextricably linked with violence and brutality on black psyches and derogatory aspersions cast on black bodies. No degree of appropriating can rid it of that blood-soaked history.”

Within the black community, there are ones who want to stop the use of the N-word in general, as it almost gives non-blacks license to use the word freely as well. If they want people to stop using the word, they believe that they need to set an example by stopping the use themselves first, because, then, non-blacks cannot make a claim of ‘double standard.’

However, I believe that the black community can and have reclaimed the N-word. I understand the word itself entails deep poignant history of racism and mistreatment, and thus I understand those who want to erase the word completely. However, I deem it impossible. Language breathes and lives with us. It matters. It is something we cannot simply choose to erase just because we want. If we cannot erase it, we should make it ours. WE are the ones who give language power by attaching meanings to it. In other words, we are ALSO the ones who have the power to strip such words of their previous power by reclaiming it. I believe the black community has reappropriated the word successfully. I think they own the N-word now. It is theirs. I read this quote in one article – that Tupac once said, “Niggers was the ones on the rope, hanging off the thing; niggas is the ones with gold ropes, hanging out at clubs.”

The other point I want to shed light on is WHO can or cannot actually use the word. As seen from the dialogue from Dope, Will argues why Jib can say the N-word when he is not black, either. I see quite a few Latinos and other darker-skinned minorities using the N-word. Watching non-black minorities use the N-word used to make me think, “You guys may have been part of that heart-breaking history of racism and mistreatment, but you are not black.” So they can use the word because they are not white? But I’m Asian, which means that I am a minority as well, but I can’t use it without facing significant social consequences. I feel like Latinos and darker-skinned minorities face fewer consequences, if they ever do (I may be wrong about this but it was my observation as an international student in America). What this brought to me was this question: “Does the N-word itself bring in the notion of one’s complexion?” Even if we all fall under the minority category, if I’m not dark enough, I can’t use it? So, basically, this issue brings us all back to the question of white supremacy? Lighter-skinned people have more power and they are closer to white people on the colour spectrum? And is that why lighter-skinned minorities shouldn't use the word? Then, isn’t this whole issue of reclaiming the N-word deeply flawed?

This question has baffled me for so long, ever since high school, and I never knew what was right or wrong. I was always afraid to even form my own opinion on this matter because I never wanted to upset anyone and because, at the end of the day, I was only this kid who was raised in Korea for 15 years, and who was neither black nor white, who never saw racism as a primary social problem and never experienced first-hand or even second-hand racism until moving to South Africa. Who am I really to say anything on this matter?

However, after all these years, I have come to my own conclusion – that every non-black person should not use it, not just white folks. I’m not here to discuss whether or not white people can use the word. This may sound contradictory now. I just said that I agree that blacks have reclaimed the word and took away its power. I still stand by that point. However, that does not necessarily give non-blacks any permission to use the word as well. They may have taken away the power that was previously given to the N-word, but it does NOT take away its history. I believe that we should never forget where this word comes from. And that is why I believe any non-blacks should really police themselves with regard to whether or not they should and can use the word. There are obviously going to be those who disagree with me on this subject. Some may see me as someone who is bluffing without even knowing their struggle because I’m only foreign, neither black nor white. However, I believe that it is extremely important to share ideas and thoughts regardless of my background. My background does not make me any less ‘qualified’ to talk about this issue, and this opportunity helps me become further educated on something I previously had no knowledge on. Although it is impossible to discuss the complexity of this issue to a full extent in this short article, I truly hope that my words have gone out to as many readers out there. Lastly, I would like to end this article with the quote from Jay-Z, who I think says everything I want to say: "Oprah, for instance, still can't get past the n-word issue (or the nigga issue, with all apologies to Ms. Winfrey). I can respect her position. To her, it's a matter of acknowledging the deep and painful history of the word. To me, it's just a word, a word whose power is owned by the user and his or her intention. People give words power, so banning a word is futile, really. "Nigga" becomes "porch monkey" becomes "coon" and so on if that's what in a person's heart. The key is to change the person. And we change people through conversation, not through censorship."