White Playwrights Who Write The N-Word For Black Characters — Page 2

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.

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.