In today’s episode of, “Why Can’t I Say The N- Word?”, meet Valerie Smith who is running for the Village Board in Southampton, Long Island who feels it is okay that she used the N-word in describing a group of African-American men that were allegedly standing in front of her house drinking Hennessy. (Because of course if you are Black and having a drink, it is required that it must be Henny. They were also crip walking and pouring out a lil liquor for their dead homies. Okay I added that part.)   Smith feels it is acceptable for her to use the N-Word because she grew up hearing it, comedians have used it, and it should be her right to use the N-word. In addition, because she is White and has chosen to graciously live in a Black neighborhood, she should be given an  I-Can-Use-The-N-Word-Neighborhood-Association-Pass.

Valerie falls in line with many White people that have attempted to find ANY reason under the Sun of the Motherland to use the N-word.

But Jay-Z said it
But Kanye said it

But my Black friend says it
But Eddie Murphy said it
But Dave Chappelle said it
But ya’ll say it all the time
But it sounds so cool
But it gives me street cred
But I don’t see color
But I am down with Black people
But I didn’t say it was an “er” I said it was an “a”
But I went to an HBCU
But it’s just a word
But I donate to the NAACP
But I Milly Rock on any block…

Can I finally use the N-word? The answer is NO. The answer will always be NO.  At no time on this planet or any other planet in the universe will it ever be acceptable for White people to use the N-word. We don’t even give Eminem a pass, and he will always be invited to the cookout.

While some people, even Black people, may or may not agree with how this word has been integrated, reclaimed and repurposed, into the African-American lexicon, that is something that is left for Black people to debate.

However, there will never be a degree of Blackness that you will ever accumulate that will ever make it acceptable for you to use the N-word. Even on Bravo’s reality show, Southern Charm Savannah, when Nelson said “schvartze” which is a Yiddish slur for Black people equivalent to the N-word, it will NEVER be acceptable. In any language, in any country, even in Paris, White people will never be allowed to say the N-word. So get over it!

Truthfully, I wonder why so many White people feel compelled to want to use the N-word? It is almost as if some White people cannot understand that some things just are not for them. I know when you have a history of borrowing taking stealing things that are not yours like ideas, culture, food, human cells, music, hairstyles, land, people it may be difficult to understand that everything is not yours. Everything is not up for the taking just because you want it. Everything is not for you because it will fit in with you appropriating all things Black.

And I know it is killing you to know why?

If I were to allow a White person to say the N-word, something deep on the inside of me would rise up. I don’t have time to sit around and decipher, “Did they mean this in the ‘we are down’ way or are they having some plantation flashback and I am gonna have to get all Amistad on them?” It is too easy for us to be cool one minute and the word n*gger fly out your mouth the next minute. I don’t want to guess did I hear an “er” on that or an “a” on that? I would rather not have to decide are you cool or are you an undercover racist?

Amistad

And saying the N-word is a slippery slope. Cause one minute you are wanting to say the N-word and the next minute you are saying, “I don’t mean you, I mean those n*ggers. Why don’t we just round up those n*ggers and keep the cool n*ggas to make up dances for us and sing us songs? You know, like how my family used to have those “house n*ggers’. Of course, I don’t mean you; you are one of the good n*ggers.  You are my n*gga. I mean those thug n*ggers we need to hunt like dogs. My Daddy used to say, “The only good n*gger is a dead n*gger. But of course, I don’t mean you.”

And inevitably just when I think we are cool, the word n*gger will slip from your mouth to describe me because I look like those n*ggers.  I am Black like those n*ggers. I disagree with your public policies like those n*ggers.  I despise police brutality like those n*ggers. I stand with Black Lives Matters like those n*ggers. I believe in reparations like those lazy n*ggers. And just imagine the  shock and surprise you would feel when you realize there is no difference between Black female, college educated, poet and writer Hannah and those n*ggers.

We are all Black and “those n*ggas” are my family, my friends and me. My n*ggas.