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Too often, as a society, we insult our young people, labeling them as a lost generation. Here's a young man who has taken leadership in to his 11-year-old hands.
Jonathan E. McCoy gave a rousing speech earlier this year to his church in Baltimore about why our community needs to drop the 'N' word. His speech, "A New Petition," called for the discontinuation of that six-letter word, and the slang usage of the word.
"I'm sending a message to everyone who knowingly or ignorantly uses this word to describe our people, whether you're a gangster rapper who uses it to communicate with your boys, or someone who looks down on us who haven't got a college education," said the pint-sized orator. "Whatever the case, it's time to discontinue the use of this word. It is implausible that 40 years after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we still use this word that holds no worth in our lives nor our future."
Watch McCoy's speech:
According to his Facebook fan page, Jonathan has always been a gifted child. At an early age, he learned about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and was immediately drawn to Dr. King's commitment to justice for all. Jonathan's early desire to effect change, inspired him to use petitioning as a way to call out injustice.
His first act of petitioning apparently involved hand washing. While in the second grade, says his Facebook profile, Jonathan asked his fellow classmates to sign a petition that would allow students the choice to opt out of the school's enforced hand sanitizer policy and instead wash their hands with soap and water. When his teacher found out about the petition, she settled the request in the children's favor.
Since presenting a "New Petition" to the 1,500 plus congregants at Empowerment Temple in Baltimore, Jonathan has appeared on Black America Web with Tom Joyner, and spoken at numerous events around the country. Through his relationship with Morehouse College, Jonathan has promoted what is called a "Free Zone" initiative which discourages sagging, cursing, and use of the "N" word.
According to his fan page, Jonathan maintains a high GPA and has been the recipient of a plethora of awards, citations, and acknowledgments for his academic achievements. All of this comes at the encouragement of his parents, who support his talents.
Vintage Racist Advertising
Top left LOS ANGELES - DECEMBER 1: Brigitte Nielsen and Flavor Flav present onstage at the VH1 - Big in '04 on December 1, 2004 at the Shrine Auditorium, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) Top right: 1899 -- Uncle Tom's Cabin: Topsy Illustration --- Image by © CORBIS; Bottom right: 1930s AC spark plugs ad in The Saturday Evening Post -- Photo by The Authentic History Center; Bottom left: This cartoon image provided by the New York Post appeared in the Post's Page Six Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009. The cartoon, which refers to Travis the chimp, who was shot to death by police in Stamford, Conn. on Monday after it mauled a friend of its owner, drew criticism Wednesday on media Web sites and from civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton. (AP Photo/New York Post) ** NO SALES ** Credit: Getty Images / Corbi / Authentic History Center / AP
Getty Images / Corbi / Authentic History Center / AP
Advertisement for an African-American slave sale.
Although the enslavement of mankind in general has been recorded as early as 1200 BC; the first African slaves were reportedly transported to the 'New World' in 1517. This is 76 years after the first black slaves were captured and taken to Portugal.
Bettmann / Corbis
African American Stereotypes: Products and Advertising c.1880s Tin of Nigger Hair Tobacco
For decades this product was sold in stores as chewing tobacco or for smoking. It was advertised as 'pure, unadulterated, fine old burley leaf.'
Photo Source: The Authentic History Center
The Authentic History Center
1888 -- Seal of North Carolina Tobacco - The Darktown Bowling Club Poster -- Image by © Swim Ink 2, LLC/CORBIS Seal of North Carolina Tobacco - The Darktown Bowling Club Poster
Swim Ink 2, LLC / Corbis
ca. 1890 -- Zoulou Powder Poster (French advertisement)
Because offensive advertising was permeated throughout the world for many years, (and still is, as you will see in a few upcoming slides) it should come as no surprise that in more modern times 'racism has become the scourge of European soccer stadiums.'
Swim Ink 2, LLC / Corbis
ca. 1899 --- Uncle Tom's Cabin: Topsy Illustration --- Image by © CORBIS Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
Topsy was a stereotypical pickaninny character in the book, 'Uncle Tom's Cabin.' Uncle Tom was a slave in the book. The term 'Uncle Tom' is recognized to be offensive and a derogatory name for a black man who is abjectly servile and deferential to whites.
Corbis
ca. 1899 --- George Thatcher's Greatest Minstrels Poster --- Image by © CORBIS George Thatcher's Greatest Minstrels Poster
Early definition of minstrel: a medieval poet and musician who sang or recited while accompanying himself on a stringed instrument, either as a member of a noble household or as an itinerant troubadour.
The black-face minstrel act was a very popular form of entertainment in 19th-century America. White audiences were receptive to the portrayals of Blacks as singing, dancing, grinning fools. T.D. 'Daddy' Rice, the original Jim Crow, became rich and famous because of his skills as a minstrel. Interestingly though, when he died in New York on September 19, 1860, he was broke.
Corbis
African American Stereotypes: Products and Advertising 1899 Durkee's Salad Dressing advertisement, Harpers Magazine
Notice the broken English purportedly spoken by black Americans, 'We're gwine ter live high ter-night ...'
Photo Source: The Authentic History Centerr
The Authentic History Center
Advertisement for Clarence Brooks and Co.'s Fine Coach Varnishes uses racist stereotypes to depict a group of African-American adults and children as they cheer and watch two shirtless boxers, one of whom appears unconscious, accompanied by the text "the Championship Fight, Sullivan Wins," late 1800s. The Sullivan in the text is a reference to boxer John L. Sullivan, who fought bare-knuckled in several famous bouts.
Transcendental Graphics, Getty Images
Advertisement for the St. Louis Beef Canning Company features an illustration of a stereotyped African-American character sitting on a can of beef, accompanied by phonetically rendered, stereotypical dialect-style text that reads: 'No Sah! dont jine no Exodus so as dis Beef lasts,' late 1800s.
Showing blacks to massacre the English language, further perpetuated the false idea that African Americans were somehow unable to be educated.
Transcendental Graphics, Getty Images
Comments: (2230)
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By: lashawn on 9/30/2009 4:51PM
You cant dictate and tell teenagers how to talk, young adults and teenagers should be able to say what ever they need to in order to express themselves. what the language for time they live in.
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By: Jasmine on 9/30/2009 4:52PM
This boy makes me so proud to be African-American and from Baltimore. It is so comforting that their is positive light for the future. I'm behind him 1 MILLION percent!!
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By: Tyler on 9/30/2009 4:57PM
I'm tired of seeing these kids that get news coverage for doing nothing significant. If he was 35 years old no one would care.
Moreover, what he is attempting to do is no less ignorant than somebody who holds firm racist sentiments. Trying to ban a word will do nothing. The power and hate that a word can carry cannot be erased nor forgotten. If you cannot stare directly at the deepest of animosities unmoved, then you cannot say that you are free of them yourself. As they used Dr. King as an example, so will I; he did not wage war on the US government or racists when fighting for civil rights. In truth, he did not even fight. His message was not to fear hate or to oppose it, but to love one another. There is a great disparity between the two, I believe, and those who cannot realize that are of no more help than the ignorant.
In today's world, I don't believe racism or bigotry can be stopped by movements like the one young Jonathan is attempting to create. To paraphrase another post on here, you cannot fight ignorance by asking people not to be ignorant. Issues like racism have to be fought on a personal level. In my opinion, being intolerant of ignorance only adds fuel to the fire. If you accept someone for how they are, but show them what you believe and why, it's much easier for them to understand. Nobody, and I repeat, nobody, likes having ideals imposed upon them. When I want to make a point to somebody, I don't tell them they're incorrect and state my opinion; I tell them that I disagree with them and calmly explain the logic behind my belief. Sometimes I'll say nothing at all. But I never try to force somebody else into agreeing with me.
Hate is a vicious cycle.
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By: jennifer flo on 9/30/2009 5:27PM
okay yes its good that he wants to get rid of the n word but hello every race has some kind of raciest words to them. blacks has the n word. mexicans has the word beaner and many other, whites have honky and so forth with other raciest. one racial word does not have more offense than the other. but i agree the n word should be gone i never liked it when people said it. i also hate how black people call other black people the n word but get upset when someother race says it in the same way the say it.
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By: DC Rizz on 9/30/2009 5:02PM
As a white male in his 20's I've noticed that the majority of people that use the six letter word these days are black people. I have some black friends that use that word constantly. I think it's ironic that I'm the one who feels uncomfortable when I here them use it. I asked them why they use the word so much, and they told me that it doesn't have the same meaning as it once did. That it's like saying "man" or "dude". I'm sure there still are racist white people that use the word, but I don't know any...
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By: Dr. E. G. on 9/30/2009 5:02PM
Of course the word should be dropped. Unfortunately, as French president Sarkozy said about Obama's resonse to Iran, "we don't live in a virtual world". I'm willing, but since I don't live in Fantasyland, I think it's here for a very, very long time.
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By: Charles M.(Mike) Hacke on 9/30/2009 5:29PM
I admire this young man and his noble quest. However, that ugly word is in the vocabulary and if someone uses it, that usage speaks volumes about the lack of character in that individual.
Words hurt more than the physical act of striking someone. That hurt is emotional and causes a life time of pain.
Like other words of the same nature, once said, they cannot be taken back.
As a young, white, Roman Catholic youngster of 8 years of age, I heard my mother use that word on a young 11 year old black friend who wanted to be the Boy Scout Den Chief in our Cub Scout Den which was sponsored by the Catholic School I attended. i heard the young man break down in tears and I was absolutely mortified that my mother even used that word. I felt so embarrassed for both that young man and I and just couldn't find a place small enough for the both of us to hide in from my mother.
I learned a valuable lesson from that experience that I have never, ever forgotten to this day! Words hurt and we need to be mindful of that second commandment that Jesus gave us Christians about loving our neighbors!
Again, the words we speak tell much about our character and those that use that or any other degrading words are people I do not want to even be around, be they black, white, plaid, or purple! We need to speak to one another with respect and a loving nature, regardless of the circumstances. It says a lot about our hearts!
Scientifically, it has been proven beyond a doubt, we are all, after all, brothers and sisters with a common relative! Skin color is nothing but a environmental reaction which has helped us, the human family to survive our particular environment!
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By: mccrarytrucking2 on 9/30/2009 5:15PM
sadly, im afraid it's going to be IMPOSSIBLE to put the N word to rest. Too many people out there just dont give a crap. Also, the racist card has been so overplayed one too many times. My family (great great grandparents) that came over from Germany were sold and held as slaves in Mexico (they gave their money to be sent to america, but were actually sold to mexicans instead) before relocating to Kansas. You dont see me holding anything against the mexicans do ya? Hell naw, i like me some mexican food!
Seriously, can we just drop the race issues? I'm tired (as a white person) always being stereotyped as a racist, when in fact i am very far from one. Lets face it, whites are becoming the minority, so there. Lets just leave the past, in the past, because no one can change it.
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By: joshua floyd on 9/30/2009 5:22PM
this littlee kid needs to mind his buisness ....he should not try to get a word removed from our vocabulary just because he doesnt like it..or he doesnt use it...and sagging jeans????soo why does he care how i dress..freedom of speech/freedom of expression ....so why shuldnt i be who i wanna be cause he thinks sagging jeans and using ebonics arent cool? people know matter what race should be aloud to use the n word as long as we are using it in love and not in hate..i understand what hes saying but why should he digg in to my mouth and remove one of my vocabulary words theoratically speaking..and i know that whoever reads this..is going to say"how could u use the n word out of love" well in the word immortal words of 2pac "NIGGERS are the people who had ropes around theyre neck and were hung off trees ...well as NIGGAS are the people who where rope chains and hang out at the clubs" just take this in consideration maybe it may broaden your horizon
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By: jack on 9/30/2009 6:02PM
I have a free speech right to say what I want everyone does weather it be right or wrong!This can never be a perfect world and men cannot make it a perfect world as long as there is evil in it. Only God can make things perfect!Men can only make things unperfect so prejudice will always exist. Free speech was not put in place to protect polite speech it was put in place to protect offensive speech. His parents are teaching him a non reality.Jesus said it best... "Before you judge the splinter in your brothers eye take the log out of you own" racist words will never go away everyone is prejudice to a point everyone here is a hypocrit.Including that kids parents.I'm a black man !
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