The meaning and background of a racial epithet is reason enough to discourage its use, psychology junior Jonquil Ross said Thursday at the Abolish the N-word event at the Moody Towers Commons.
"I created the program for the Freshman Year Residential Experience February 2007 program," Ross said.† "This is a topic that I am very passionate about, because as a child I endured extraneous amounts of racism. To me it seems that people are forgetting the history behind the ‘n-word’ and it is being thrown around too freely."
FYRE, a program dedicated to supporting freshman dorm residents, hosted a panel to discuss the use of the word.
Panelists included students and 2004 history alumnus and poet Asar Imhotep. Ross created the program after Brazoria Mayor Ken Corley tried to ban the word in 2006.
More than 100 students attended the program, which consisted of a slide show displaying different points of view on the use of the epithet and other forms of the word, the use of the word by other ethnicities and clothing that uses the word as a logo.
"I wish we didn’t use it, but sadly to say it doesn’t look like it’s going to change anytime soon," English and communication senior Jeremy-Raymond Watson said. "The program helps bring people into the light about how the word is used and how other races and ethnicities view us whenever African-Americans use it."
Ross said she wanted students to walk away from the program knowing a little more about the history of the word and black history.
"The program is important, and this is my own opinion, because black history is being forgotten as well as disrespected," Ross said. "Our ancestors were insulted, psychologically subjugated and oppressed by the ‘n-word.’"
Students reacted to the program differently, some said they had a different perspective on the word.
"I thought the program was enlightening," biology freshman Ivy Rengifo said. "It made me think twice about using the word and getting other people to not use the word."
Although some students said they thought the program was insightful, Watson said it is unlikely that use of the epithet will be discontinued.
"I thought the program had good intentions, but I think it’s going to take a lot more," Watson said. "It’s going to take all the rappers and other role models of the black community to not say it as well."
Ross said she plans to continue the program annually because of the high attendance and student participation.
The program is hosted in February to help raise awareness of the history of the word as well as discuss the positive and negative aspects of the word, Ross said.
"This program brings a challenge to the table – it sets the leaders apart from the followers of the media," Ross said. "The leaders are not afraid to share their opinion on the ‘n-word’ – they come to the program knowledgeable of resources and examples to fulfill their argument. Whereas the followers do not know the history of the ‘n-word,’ do not have sustainable information and their key argument is, ‘It’s just a word.’ The ‘n-word’ is not just a word because it has a background; it was created from other words to belittle and demean a whole race."
