....2 Curious.... African-American Readers......... I Have A Question For You....

............now I have several black men (that's ok for a white aussie jew to say yes?) who read this blog............and hopefully by now you all realise that with the exception of hating on racists, I don't have a racist bone in a my body........... and I have a question for you..........

...actually I have two.........

(1) Names.

Lafayette. Shaniqua. Latisha. Tomika. Dashaun.

I am wondering how these names are derived. To me they are completely foreign and somewhat - sorry - funny sounding. Considering I am a Down Under Jew - foreign is probably a good word to use - but seriously wondering where they names come from. Some are interesting. Some seem like a mouthful.

(2) Nigga

OK - this is what I know. Nigga was a term used during slavery and the years of segregation as a derogatory term for coloured men and women. Now........... my question...... why is there a segment of the African American community that are trying to "reclaim" that word?

To me - this is a bad word that describes and signposts two dreadful periods of American history - America being my 2nd home.

The period of slavery was a horrific affront against an entire people. Segregation was an affront to an entire people. With that in mind, I am baffled that rappers and a segment of the general Black community would try to reclaim this word and make it a positive thing.

To me - attempting to reclaim it means these people don't care about the history attached to the word. It would be like my people - Jews - trying to reclaim the word Holocaust. I can't imagine being with some Jews and someone saying "I'm having a Holocaust party. Bring a pot, I got the ovens on LOL"..... I mean OH MY GOD!!!!

So why would African Americans want to reclaim Nigga?? This is something that to me is a COMPLETE anathema.

Please - Toddy - Mecha - Sozo - ANYONE - explain this to me. I do not understand it.

Thanking you and I hope you take this article in the intention with which it is written.

Shalom to all of you

Damien

***UPDATE***

I just got a rather nasty email from someone calling both me and this article childish.
Please read the article properly. Do not read anything into it OTHER than these are both genuine inquiries about a culture I do not pretend to understand.
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