you...iggers, whatz up...iggas, & dees' my...iggaz

In honor of Black History Month that started yesterday February 1^st.

If you use iggers, iggas, & iggaz or know someone who does. I challenge you and/or them to read this blog and “HOPE” you and/or them will follow through for the entire month of February AND beyond......

An “EXTREMELY” defensive name to a black person or one would think!!!

I don't care how you slice it or dice it and I sure as heck don't give a rats-who-ha if it does have an “a” on the end with the “ah” sound being utilized to identify someone in a buddy term!! Do you think with a different sound on the end redefining it makes it positive?? How F'ing dare you to anyone who has used it even myself saying it when frustrated at a male figure!!!!

When the “N” word is utilized it's more than a slap, spit, hit in the face of our ancestors/elders before us, who have paved the way and done more than fought for “OUR” rights. So many in our family have “DIED” for “OUR FREEDOM” and here it is, we've allowed one little word yet so BIG in meaning to “live” on 'n' on every single time its mentioned. How disrespectful is that??

Yet, another trend in today's society that allows it...boy oh boy??? It's at a point to where other races utilize it and can only get away with it if they fall within the mixed circle who allow it or a circle of their own.

I'm inside the back of the store and hear a bunch of Caucasian teens addressing one another as my “igga” yo dis and dat! Who's getting what? My “igga” I got'chu and you get me next time, aight?. Cool bro' its nuthin'. Phone rings and as sure as I'm female he answers and says; whats bout it “igga”... hey its Mark on the phone dawg! He wants you to pick him up a grape swisher....

Only look I can give you on here is :-/

Now you figure out the rest....

Nevertheless, I knew it was coming from a 8 year old (at the time this occurred) and if you knew my son you would have known it was coming too....Anyway, my youngest son turns to me and says they sound funny talking like that. I say; like what? He says, how the white boys talk like some of the black kids talk I hear. I say, hear where getting hot under the collar. He replies, at school. Next I turn and get down to his level in the store in front of everyone including the teenagers. I proceed to tell him; YOU will sound funny talking also; if I EVER hear you talking like these nuts (pointing at the teenagers), is that understood??? He glances at the teenagers then back at me and replies yes, mom... Well, darn-it!!! It was the only thing I could think of to say; to him at the time...I was taken back and DISGUSTED!!! HIGHLY DISGUSTED might I add....

Understand who, what, where, blood, sweat, tears, lashings, beatings, hangings, tortures, killings from the old down to the infants your ancestors have seen and come through and YOU use the word so freely??? How dare us to allow it, and/or accept it for this freakin' long!!! How smart is that??? If nobody from home is teaching you about your history and the schools hardly discuss it as if it weren't any longer important or they tell you to wait to take it as an elective in college. My answer to all that is DON'T you wait....LOOK IT UP!!!

I challenge you to take a stand with one or more options below:

1. Replace the name with something else and make sure to correct every family/friend from the old to the young; from the light to the dark every single time.

2. Keep a money jar in your home or place of business then donate it to less privileged children in your community or community of choice. Just remember to EXPLAIN why the funds were collected.

3. Wear support shirts as a visual reminder to yourself and others to ban the word (see link below)

   http://www.abolishthenword.com/buy.htm

4. Nothing wrong with a posted or decorated sign banning the word in your home or place of business.

5. There's always the abolish the N word contract (see link below) http://www.abolishthenword.com/contract.htm

6. Have family history night watching Roots, Amistad (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-IGfn6rgMg&NR=1) or other historical movies or documentaries and follow up with discussion and understanding why the word should NOT be used.

7. Every time the word is used write it down throw it away and replace it with something positive like volunteering at a Boys & Girls club etc, etc, and once again explain why your there.

8. Utilize the educate cards (see link below) http://www.abolishthenword.com/educatecards.htm

   All I'm saying is find something that works for you....Just find some time to sit down and make a list of options what will work best for you, your children, your home, workplace, others around you and/or environment willing to adapt, welcome the change and accept the challenge.

We come by the billions over this 1 little powerful word that has taken over. If we take a stand during this month, maybe we can gain that power back to where this goes into the next month and the month after, following into years. We won't know if we haven't tried. Show'em what your working with people and take a stand to band the “that” word!!!

[W]hen you first name becomes "nigger," your middle name becomes "boy" (however old you are), and your wife and mother are never given the respected title "Mrs."; when you are harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro... when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of "nobodiness" - then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait. ~Martin Luther King,Jr.

Here's a video that I encourage you young folks to watch, who may NOT know nor have a clue. I challenge you older folks to watch it, if you use the word too. I encourage others to watch it just because you can and I encourage other races to watch it just so you'll understand!!

Do you all remember Jonathan E. McCoy? Well, when we're stubborn or set in our ways, who better than to tell us right?? From out the mouth of a babe (11 years old at the time of the 2009 link)..... See for yourself...He too challenges YOU!!!

"I freed a thousand slaves. I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves." --Harriet Tubman