First let me start out this piece by saying, I am not black. I understand the negative connotation this word carries and I also understand that I’m not going to feel the same pain a black person can feel when they hear that word because neither myself nor my ancestors dealt with what they did. I get that and I fully agree with CERTAIN reactions. Something like the story I’m about to share, however….I feel it is RIDICULOUS. People use the term “racist” WAY too freely these days. Alec Baldwin’s daughter went on Twitter the other day and professed her love for Jay and Kanye’s song, “N*ggas In Paris,” but instead of the little star I kindly inserted in place of the “i” (thus censoring the word,) Ireland wrote it out. Her dad quickly RT’d to attempt to clear it up (I don’t think he realized it was a song name at first) and wrote, “think this is reference 2 a celebration of hip-hop music in France. Just clearin’ that up.” (LOL….gotta laugh at that one). His daughter immediately started catching flack from both her and her father’s followers, with the term “racist” filling up her @ replies.
Ireland got frustrated and stated how crazy it was that people are calling her racist and it was never meant to be negative. “Everyone gets it. Don’t worry. Thankfully, your generation has defused the hate that word carried. Miss you!!” her dad tweeted to her. He makes quite a valid point. However, the two must realize not EVERYONE is over the word and while it may have defused SOME of the negative connotation…the history still remains. Eventually Alec got a little frustrated himself and started to make a statement toward the people calling him a racist, something he’s far from. “I love that song NIGGAS IN PARIS!!! I love Kanye!! I love @IrelandBBaldwin most of all!!!” he proclaimed. “Anyone who thinks that quoting the title of that song is racist is a disgrace. To the human race,” he then added. And while that’s a little dramatic…I have to agree with what he meant. How is that in fact RACIST? Did SHE name the song or did Jay and Kanye? OFFENSIVE that she didn’t censor it? Yes, that I will give to you (although I don’t 100% agree with that either but I won’t debate that right now). But racist? In no way, shape or form. In fact, the “white girl” is giving PROPS to music done by two African-Americans, so how folks…how is that RACIST? Alec then made one of the best statements I’ve ever read. “I don’t assume anyone is racist. I give them the benefit of the doubt. Anything else is racist.” THIS couldn’t be more truth! If you weren’t making assumptions about another race (whether it black, white, Asian, Indian, whatever!), then you wouldn’t assume they were automatically racist. Racism doesn’t only exist in white people against black people you know. And it doesn’t make it right, no matter WHO is doing it.
I say all that to say…in Ireland not censoring the word, it was rather poor judgement. It is an offensive word at the end of the day, but she was merely quoting a song, of which it is in fact the title. Simple mistake, simple fix. To call her racist is just…ridiculous. I’d really love to hear your thoughts on this! Sound off below.
