I can say it… But you can’t by Ashley Reynolds @bashinla

To say that I was shocked when I heard about the recent racist SAE viral video would be a complete lie. In fact, when I first caught wind of it I shrugged it off. It’s definitely not anything new, and far from surprising.

America is infested with closeted racists, sexists, homophobes – and all around bigots – who believe that as long as they’re friendly and p.c. in public, it’s totally acceptable to make “harmless” jokes in the privacy of their abodes. Not realizing that they’re offending almost everyone that they come into contact with on a daily basis, or maybe realizing it but simply not caring.

I honestly didn’t watch the actual chant in discussion until today. Again, I wasn’t surprised – disgusted, but not surprised. I must’ve watched 10-15 different news reports, interviews and opinion videos tonight. Each of them describing how devastated the OK campus is and how using that “type of language” is “never” ok. I started to rule it out to be a nation’s consensus that the N-word should die, until I came across an interview of OK Alum and former SAE African American members on the verge of tears as they commented on the 2nd viral video in the wake of recent events. The house mom, Beauton ‘Mom B’ Gilbow, was caught on tape rapping along to a Trinidadian song, not missing a single N-word in cadence. Now, this could’ve just been someone’s grandmother merely trying to be “down”, but Mom B was just quoted saying how she thinks the SAE member’s video was devastating and disrespectful 5 minutes ago. And then Don Lemon asked:

“Is excusable for Mom B to say the N-word if she’s rapping along to lyrics in a song?”, knowing good-darn well that he already knew the answer to that question.

Absolutely not.

And I know what you’re about to ask:

“Well, how do you expect non-blacks to not use the N-word if blacks say it all the time?!”

Because… We’re black. It’s as simple as that.

Point. Blank. Period.

Confused? Don’t be. Watch the SAE video again. That’s a perfect example to why non-blacks should never say the N-word.

You see, it’s all good when you get lost rapping along to your fave Waka Flocka track. And I know a bit of liberation gasses you up as you let a few N-bombs slide off your lips. You can taste it. You’re that much closer to being down with the swirl. Not to mention the black guy at the gas station just complimented you on your sound system. Your bass is dope and you just potentially made a new black, best friend? Man, you’re golden.

But just as Al Sharpton was about to put your certification of honorary blackness in the mail, another person of color cuts you off on the road and the N-word that once proudly wore an “a” quickly dresses itself with an “er”.

You let your anger get the best of you, and just turned a term of endearment into a racial slur.

Honorary black accolade revoked.

You. Can’t. Sit. With. Us.

Non-blacks abuse the term.

As soon as a black person pisses you off or threatens you in any way you use it to insult or degrade. That, at least for me, is enough to take away your N-word privileges all together (not that non-blacks had the privilege to begin with, but you catch my drift).

Now, I would never want to offend or make anyone reading this feel uncomfortable. I just think it has to be said. Bottom line, if you don’t know how to treat the N-word, you shouldn’t use it. And seeing as there are far too many non-Blacks to keep a tally of who’s an actual offender, I just have to ban you all. Thank SAE 🙂

No disrespect. No hard feelings.

@bashinla