As a black man, there are different topics he can joke about and not be judged for and topics he can talk about in different ways. These differences come from the political correctness that surrounds race and what is okay for a black male versus white male to say.
Seaton Smith: Photo By Christopher Andersen
One of the major jokes Smith could make but Mulaney could not was about "all these white people" in the room. He used the fact that there was such little diversity to group all the whites in the room under one category and play on white stereotypes. It ended up being very funny and also interesting to watch.
As he talked about all the whites, white people trying too hard to be black, and jokes poking fun at the black culture it was interesting to observe the audience. At first, people weren't really sure how to take it and you could tell they were laughing out of politeness and uncertainty. As the jokes went on though, the audience began to laugh and truly laugh because the jokes were funny. This happened more and more as the jokes were pointed more at the whites than blacks. I thought this was very interesting to watch unfold. People seemed more okay with laughing at themselves than others.
Smith also used the N-word, which he even said he could say because he was black. When Mulaney came out, one of the first things he said was I use the N-word almost twice as much as Smith so I'm glad to see you weren't offended by it because that word can really backfire at certain venues.
John Mulaney: Photo By Rachel Lovinger
Looking back at this now, I realize I thought the jokes were funny but did not think using the N-word was okay. If you have read any of my posts before I'm sure you realize this is a different tone than I normally take. Most of the time I'm advocating to get rid of political correctness, but in this case, I do not think it is okay to say the N-word, especially if you are white.
I refuse to say the N-word or even write it and I tend to be offended when I hear people say it. For some reason though, it tends to seem okay to me when a black person says the word. I was reflecting on both of these points while deciding what to write about this week and was wondering why this is, especially when I am so against political correctness every other time.
The main reason I am against using the N-word is the awful history the United States has when it comes to race. Between 1525 and 1866 12.5 million people were taken from their homes in Africa and brought to America to be enslaved in a country founded on freedom. Eventually in 1863, to end the Civil War in which the south fought the north, the slaves were all freed by Abraham Lincoln. Since then, the country has suffered major issues with racism. People like Martin Luther King Jr. fought hard for years to remove the divide between blacks and whites.
Many people think the race issues in America have disappeared and we have finally reached equality. However, based on what I have observed race divisions are still a major issue in America. There is still discrimination, a lack of equality, and debilitating stereotypes present in our country.
I'm not saying that not using the N-word is a way to make up for all the awful things that have happened in our country. However, I think using a word that has been used since the 1800's as a derogatory term and that puts a target on people's back is unacceptable. There is so much hate behind this one word which has been used by hate groups and in propaganda against blacks that I just can't justify using it.
Ku Klux Klan- one of the most notorious hate groups: Photo By Thomas Hawk
I'm not entirely sure why it seems somewhat okay to me for blacks to use the N-word. It is mostly because the word has become more of a cultural thing for blacks rather than a derogatory term. Since the word has a different meaning for blacks it is more justified when it is used by blacks than whites.
With this being said, some people think when it comes to race we need to ultra politically correct. They think we must treat everyone as the same and when we really need to distinguish something by race we must say African American instead of black.
Personally, I think we need to celebrate our differences and that it is okay to use terms like black and white. My only issue is using words that have a deeply ingrained hate-filled history, such as the N-word.
So what do you think, is it okay to use the N-word and how about black and white?
