White Playwrights Who Write The N-Word For Black Characters- Page 2
White Playwrights Who Write The N-Word For Black Characters
#25White Playwrights Who Write The N-Word For Black Characters
Posted: 7/1/20 at 11:38pm
What a silly culture we have become! We are questioning the deliberately distressing use of the "N-word" by a villain in ASSASSINS, when the same character advocates killing presidents at length. Is the former really worse than the latter? Are we 5-years-old?
What is it we white people are supposed to learn from African Americans about that word? That they hate it, too, even more than we do? That would be the entire point of using that word that context.
#26White Playwrights Who Write The N-Word For Black Characters
Posted: 7/2/20 at 12:03am
In the first half of my comment, I was trying to make it clear that I agree that the usage of the n-word makes sense in that context, and if the decision were up to me, I would 100% advocate for it being kept, especially because it would be difficult to carry that same effect in any other way. Still, if there were a large number of black people who took issue with the fact that a white person (the actor playing Booth) would be using the word in the modern day in any context, I think their voices should matter more in conversations like these because they understand the issue of racism on a more personal level.
So far, I haven't really heard any backlash against that specific lyric. All I'm saying is that if it arises in the future, I'd be open to the conversation.
#27White Playwrights Who Write The N-Word For Black Characters
Posted: 7/2/20 at 12:37am
You were clear that the objection wasn't coming from you personally, and I didn't mean my response as a personal attack. Frankly, I think the biggest nonsense on this subject comes from white liberals, not persons of color.
It's not as if the Balladeer uses the word and someone is arguing, "Well, it was a common usage in 1865." (I honestly don't know if that is true or not, nor do I think it matters. There is no excuse for the Balladeer, or the ASSASSINS' characters in general, to use the N-word.)
But the word is put into the mouth of one of the greatest villains in American history! And it is there precisely to shoot (pun intended) a fatal hole in Booth's show of pious patriotism. It isn't even directed at a character of color, but refers to Booth's victim. What are we going to ask BIPOC about that and whom will we gather for the poll?
To me, personally, the "F-word" is as bad as the "N-word". But on the rare occasions when I hear it, it is used to signify a bad, or very ignorant, character. Nobody needs to come and ask me how I feel about it. I "feel" it's a painful word, but I have no objection when it is used thoughtfully and purposefully.
#28White Playwrights Who Write The N-Word For Black Characters
Posted: 7/2/20 at 12:51am
GavestonPS said: "What a silly culture we have become! We are questioning the deliberately distressing use of the "N-word" by a villain in ASSASSINS, when the same character advocates killing presidents at length. Is the former really worse than the latter? Are we 5-years-old?
What is it we white people are supposed to learn from African Americans about that word? That they hate it, too, even more than we do? That would bethe entire point of using that word that context."
I see. You find the very word offensive. Don't like to see it in print. I used it. Usually I don't, but on this topic we just have Oscar throwing it out there on opening curtain. But Paul Robeson didn't want to sing it.
