Words of Power...

Words of Power…

SHAZAM. O.K., before ya’ll think I’m talking about the wizard, no, this is about the Power of Words. In the fictional universe where that word comes from, when the word is said, a transformation takes place in a few choice individuals transform from mere mortals to near gods. That six letter word contains a lot of power because of the spirits attached to it. There is another 6 letter word that contains power also. NIGGER.

This word was created to take power away from an individual, the etymological history of the word is that it comes from the Latin languages terms for Black. As most people know the term became a racial slur used to denigrate people in the Americas of black African Ancestry. Now the question is, Why do people feel inclined to continue to use this word, especially African Americans / Black People?

Some Blacks in America feel that by using the term as a term of endearment, it is somehow that they are taking ownership of the word, de-powering it. I beg to differ; there is no de-powering a word like that, not a word that has so many spirits of death, rape, torture and terror attached to it.

Black women were raped and used as chattel while hearing this word; Black men were beaten; sodomized and killed when hearing this word; Black children were taken from their mothers arms while hearing this word and THESE BLACK PEOPLE ARE OUR ANCESTORS.

For the comedians and rappers who have so much money and fame now, you have the opportunity to have that because of your ancestors that lived and survived for you to be here, they survived being dehumanized and now you thank them by casually using a term that was used as a rally cry while your mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters were being defiled. Their blood cries out to us whenever we use this word, yet many are too spiritually dead to hear. The word has power, and the only way we honor our ancestors is by using other words of power that carry different spirits. BROTHER, SISTER, MOTHER, FATHER, FRIEND. Words of Honor and Praise uplift.

But no, some take it even further down the dark corridor. Bitch instead of SISTER or MOTHER, dog, instead of BROTHER or FATHER. So, not only do they dehumanize with NIGGER, they name the animal that they want to make their brothers and sisters, DOGS. Spiritually a dog is never a good thing. For example:

From the Egyptian: Anubis: Originally, in the Ogdoad system, he was god of the underworld.

From the Greek world: Cerberus or, "demon of the pit", was the hound of Hades—a monstrous three-headed dog.

From the Aztec: Xolotl: was depicted as a skeleton, a dog-headed man or a monster animal with reversed feet, Xolotl was also the god of fire and of bad luck.

These are the forces that we call on when we call our brothers and sisters “dog” or “bitch”. In the natural the dog is known as a filthy animal that will hump anything and eat anything. And we have a popular culture of African American comedy and music that venerates these words.

Words are power, choose them wisely, I hope you choose righteousness and life.

Peace

Comments

[Thom]

Wow. I had never really thought about the term "Dog" that gets thrown around pretty casually. The other words addressed are ones that just get under my skin. I can't see myself ever being comfortable with the "N" word-even in the a couple of african american pals greeting each other. But I never gave a thought to the implications of "dog".

Thanks for making me think today. :)

[DJ Black Adam]

Glad you are of a mind to consider this. People in the ancient world new the power of words and names. People named their children after Archangels like Michael and Gabriel for a reason (thats why ain't to many people with the name Lucifier or Azazel).

People understand the power in the name Jesus, thats why we have people named Joshua and Jesus.

God renamed people when he gave them purpose like Abram to Abraham, Jacob to Israel, Saul to Paul.

It is more a factor than people realize.

[Anali]

I agree that the N word is not about having the power to take back the word or a term of endearment. I don't like hearing anyone use it, no matter what their color.

I also hear what you are saying about the word dog. It's not a word to be used for people, but I just finished reading an article about a dog that saved this woman's life. Here is the link. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16952774/?GT1=9033

When people refer to others as "dogs" or "animals", it's actually more of an insult to the animals. Now, I'm not a big animal person, I have not pets or anything and never have for the most part. But animals kill to live, so they can eat. Animals are far less cruel than humans.

Humans take cruelty and suffering to levels that animals never do. And that we do it to each other is all the more horrible. When people call a sadistic person an animal, or inhumane, the words are actually being misused. Unfortunately, it is more human than animal to be intentionally cruel.

[DJ Black Adam]

It is not to disparage animals, humans have the capacity for good and evil, that is true. Animals are expected to act as animals. It is not uncommon for a dog to sleep around, it should not be so for a human. A chimp can kill the offspring of a female he wants to mate with, perfectly acceptable for an animal, not a human. That was the point.

[Gunfighter]

I'm with you on this issue... I refuse to patrnize anyone who uses the word nigger. I won't buy the music of any artist that uses the word nigger, and I discourage anyone I can from doing so.

When will we learn?

[CreoleInDC]

I hate that word.

[Blackchickthinking]

You know I never really thought about the word as you dj black adam. I always thought of using it in the sense of taking the word back from those who attempted to degrade us with it and turning it into a positive. I shamefully admit to using the word. Of course its not something I use in the work place or in class for that matter, so that being the case tells me right there that if its not something that I could say in front of my momma, its not to be said. Just know your piece on this word,bought me to a new realization, that word won't escape my lips again as you said it best "there is no de-powering a word like that, not a word that has so many spirits of death, rape, torture and terror attached to it." Well said and I concur, my hats off to you! :-)

[SUGAR]

You know, I'm a woman of a certain vocabulary level, but I still use the word sometime, and as a woman from the South, whose been called a Nigger by white folks. I know that it's a horrible word, but old habits die hard and I'm working on it. I try my best to never use it in my blog, if I ever have. I'm gonna check, but I do use it when I'm speaking with my friends.

You are right, words do have a lot of power and it is wise to choose them carefully. I would also like to admit though, that other than hearing someone of another race use it, or hearing black folks use it in "mixed company", I don't have an aversion to it, at least not as much as I probably should. It's a battle within my psyche, because on the one hand, I know better, but on the other hand, I don't think it's a big deal. I'm working on it though. Thanks for the enlightenment.

[T]

Wow... you just blew my mind. I too believe words have tremendous power and I absolutely hate the "N" word and never use it. I don't use the word dog either, but I never looked at the word quite like you have. This really gave me something to tink about. Thanks.

[Native Son]

Man I could not have said it better. Words have power. Words have caused arguments, wars and sadly death. Words have put people in the hospital. Nigger has no place in our culture, it is a word that if more people did their research and understood what our ancestors went through, they would not speak it out of their mouths. Great post Brotha DJ, great post.

[mark bey]

"Some Blacks in America feel that by using the term as a term of endearment, it is somehow that they are taking ownership of the word"

mark bey: Yo DJ very insightful article although I have a few observations.

I dont think black people calling each the N word has anything to do with ownership. We do it because that is the way it has always been. Use of that word has been passed on down to us from slavery times along with that putrid colorism thing non sense. Thier are other negative things that we also currently do as well.

I think the skin color thing in the black community may be worse because folks were basically teaching whoever was the darkest, or had the most visable african features were taught to hate themselves. As I remember there was social wave to make whoever was the darkest feel like absolute crack. Ive even heard people say " that is going to be a black babye" with a negative tone right in from of the baby.

As I remember it whoever was the darkest was specifically taught to hate themselves by bieng riddiculed and whole lot of other stuff. Anyway these reprehensible habbits have been passed on ever since slavery.

What about the ridicolous amounts of joning we do each other, Im talking about contest and that foolishness.

What sexism towards women in the black community.

All of things things are done far to much by us black folk currently because they along with the use of the N word.

We do it not to take ownership of it but because it is a habbit , now Ill agree it is a retarded and destructive habbit but a habbit no less. But the word

" From the Egyptian: Anubis: Originally, in the Ogdoad system, he was god of the underworld.

From the Greek world: Cerberus or, "demon of the pit", was the hound of Hades—a monstrous three-headed dog.

From the Aztec: Xolotl: was depicted as a skeleton, a dog-headed man or a monster animal with reversed feet, Xolotl was also the god of fire and of bad luck. "

Yo DJ I have strongly disagree with your resoning for the not using the word dog. First of all all the qoutes you use are from religions that had some reprehensible practices that had nothing to do with dogs who are the judge dogs when they are sacrificing humans to the gods.

Secondly Ill bet if you study those civilizations you took the qoutes from you could find just as many positve thing said about dogs to.

Plus if you study history dogs have provided life improving and saving services to man.

For instance currently they sniff out cancer, bombs, drugs and dead bodies.

Historically they have provided protection and warning from various critters that man has lived amongst including lions, tigers, leopards, entire packs of wolves ect. In places in africa they still protect herders and thier flocks from lions and other critters.

To learn how needed dogs are alls you gotta do is ask american sheep herders in the midwest who employ dogs to help protect thier sheep from wolves cougars and bears. Good post DJ

[VERB]

I respect your opinion but you know Me, BA, I'm not buying in. As long as words are used in their proper context and said only in front of the proper audience, I am adamantly against limiting speech.

[Filby]

A very thought-provoking post, Adam. Thank you.

A brief nitpick, tho': I thought that Anubis was seen as a positive deity by the Egyptians. Also, dogs are seen positively in some east Asian cultures. Your point still stands, though: in our culture, "dog" is not something to call your friends.

[DJ Black Adam]

@Mark

First, thanks for posting and visiting. You wrote:

“I dont think black people calling each the N word has anything to do with ownership. We do it because that is the way it has always been. Use of that word has been passed on down to us from slavery times along with that putrid colorism thing non sense. Thier are other negative things that we also currently do as well.”

I can agree with what you are positing, the “ownership” issue is one that is forwarded by some who are proponents of the use of the word, but the colorism is indeed a real agitating factor and base motivation I agree.

You also wrote:

“Yo DJ I have strongly disagree with your resoning for the not using the word dog. First of all all the qoutes you use are from religions that had some reprehensible practices that had nothing to do with dogs who are the judge dogs when they are sacrificing humans to the gods.”

My reasoning about the word dog is not to disparage the animal, I like dogs, I have one, they are useful companions, I am not debating that. I am not speaking to the physical actuality of the “animal”, I am speaking to the spiritual actuality and principality. A dog is not HUMAN no matter how faithful it is, the term, in my opinion is a dehumanizing designation, that is why I choose not to use it and don’t answer to it.

@Verb:

Well. We have discussed this a few times, I understand and respect your opinion though we disagree on this one.

As for limiting speech, not my intention. People should be free and are to say what they want, I just believe that there is a spiritual connotation to the words we choose.

@Filby:

Thanks for stopping through FIlby, always a pleasure to hear from you.

You wrote:

“A brief nitpick, tho': I thought that Anubis was seen as a positive deity by the Egyptians. Also, dogs are seen positively in some east Asian cultures.”

Well, ole Anubis (in my humble opinion) is a manifestation of a different originating spiritual actuality, an echo of the originating spirit that birthed the myth. He being a god of death and the underworld, maybe some folks would like that, I’d rather be identified with a God of life, and who brings it more abundantly.

[plez...]

awesome post. you said it all. no more needs to be said... let's not empower the continued denegration of our people by using the n-word.

[Ami Angelwings]

A good post and it makes ppl think :)

What bothers me is that many ppl aren't just using the N word to take it back or nething.. that might be the rationale some ppl might give when confronted, but sadly, it's something that's caught on a lot with youth :|

Like, Asian youths for some reason use the N word A LOT in reference to each other :O

I know my friends in HS used to throw it around all the time and it was rly rly uncomfortable :(

[West]

I believe in the power of redefining a word. We do it all the time in ways many of us never notice.

So, while I don't dig the "reclamation" of "nigger" (as if it was ever ours to claim), I can't say that I don't understand how or why some people would continue to use it.

To change that, we'd need to change some very powerful parts of our culture - parts that many of us would rather hold on to.

[DJ Black Adam]

@West:

I agree a word can be redefined by a collective acceptance of the redefinition; such is not the case with this word in both its historical and literal context.

Some thing should be allowed to die.

[West]

I doubt such collective acceptance was ever realized at the flip of a switch or the drop of a hat. It's a process that takes time, which means there will be points like these where people disagree.

Still, it happens. That's why "nucular" is now an acceptable pronunciation of "nuclear." Gee, thanks, Mr. President.

Ignorance abounds.

[DJ Black Adam]

@West

In the linguistic sense, I hope the word is NEVER accepted, but that's me.

In the spiritual sense, I hope people have a revelation.