T.J. Holmes: ‘Yes, I use the n-word’

[theworldismine13]

T.J. Holmes: ‘Yes, I use the n-word’ | theGrio

At times, a white person might have more of a justification for using the n-word than I do. OK, let me be more specific: I believe two white people in particular had more of a justification than I do.

Earlier this year, two different CNN reporters said the n-word on live TV while reporting stories about hate crimes. One reporter, talking about a case in Mississippi, quoted the suspect as saying he had run over “that f**king ni**er.” The reporter edited himself on the use of the f-word but didn’t edit himself on the use of the n-word. That garnered CNN and the reporter a bit of criticism because it seemed the reporter was not comfortable saying a profanity on the air, but he’s OK saying arguably the most offensive word in the English language, the n-word.

Weeks later, while reporting on the shooting spree in Tulsa that allegedly targeted African-Americans, another CNN reporter actually said, “f**king ni**er,” when quoting a Facebook post by one of the suspects. She didn’t edit herself on either word.

Debates about how journalists report stories with offensive language are nothing new. Some say it’s OK when it’s in context and even necessary to report the story. Others say journalists should use restraint and be able to get the point across without explicitly using such offensive words. For the sake of this conversation, let’s give the two CNN reporters the benefit of the doubt. (I happen to know both reporters and worked with them for years, and they are good, decent people and solid journalists.) Let’s assume they were doing honest reporting and had the best of intentions to put the stories in graphic context. That’s reasonable. And, that’s their justification for using the n-word. So, what’s mine? I’m black, so I can? That’s pretty weak.

Honestly, anytime I hear the n-word come out of any white person’s mouth (Gwyneth Paltrow’s included), I cringe. Whether I hear it from a white character in a movie or a white reporter telling a story, it makes me uneasy. I can’t help it. But, if asked to explain why they used the n-word in their reporting, the two CNNers could make their case, agree with it or not. Ask me to explain why I used the n-word 20 times in a conversation with my best friend at dinner last night, I don’t have much of a case to make.

In fact, I don’t have any case to make. Yes folks, I too use the n-word, and I assure you I’m not using it in order to put anything in context. I use it casually and sometimes constantly. I have no real logic behind using the word, but for whatever reason, I’m given somewhat of a pass by society because I’m black.

At times, a white person might have more of a justification for using the n-word than I do. OK, let me be more specific: I believe two white people in particular had more of a justification than I do.

Earlier this year, two different CNN reporters said the n-word on live TV while reporting stories about hate crimes. One reporter, talking about a case in Mississippi, quoted the suspect as saying he had run over “that f**king ni**er.” The reporter edited himself on the use of the f-word but didn’t edit himself on the use of the n-word. That garnered CNN and the reporter a bit of criticism because it seemed the reporter was not comfortable saying a profanity on the air, but he’s OK saying arguably the most offensive word in the English language, the n-word.

Weeks later, while reporting on the shooting spree in Tulsa that allegedly targeted African-Americans, another CNN reporter actually said, “f**king ni**er,” when quoting a Facebook post by one of the suspects. She didn’t edit herself on either word.

Debates about how journalists report stories with offensive language are nothing new. Some say it’s OK when it’s in context and even necessary to report the story. Others say journalists should use restraint and be able to get the point across without explicitly using such offensive words. For the sake of this conversation, let’s give the two CNN reporters the benefit of the doubt. (I happen to know both reporters and worked with them for years, and they are good, decent people and solid journalists.) Let’s assume they were doing honest reporting and had the best of intentions to put the stories in graphic context. That’s reasonable. And, that’s their justification for using the n-word. So, what’s mine? I’m black, so I can? That’s pretty weak.

Honestly, anytime I hear the n-word come out of any white person’s mouth (Gwyneth Paltrow’s included), I cringe. Whether I hear it from a white character in a movie or a white reporter telling a story, it makes me uneasy. I can’t help it. But, if asked to explain why they used the n-word in their reporting, the two CNNers could make their case, agree with it or not. Ask me to explain why I used the n-word 20 times in a conversation with my best friend at dinner last night, I don’t have much of a case to make.

In fact, I don’t have any case to make. Yes folks, I too use the n-word, and I assure you I’m not using it in order to put anything in context. I use it casually and sometimes constantly. I have no real logic behind using the word, but for whatever reason, I’m given somewhat of a pass by society because I’m black.

 

[Black Magisterialness]

T.J. has always been my nikka....lol

I'm kinda mad the Lemon kinda took his place but he's doin his thing.

On Topic: I personally feel that words have no power until i give them power...and personally i feel that its more powerful for a white person to even say ****** in my face and i have no reaction whatsover. Its a tactic used to try and make us act like ******S, get belligerent like ******S. So when some racist cat tries to get a rise out of my by dropping N-Bombs I usually just .

Even beyond that nikka for me turned into a all-encompassing modifier. A genderless, race-less, noun. Anything can be a nikka. Men, women, cars, dogs, cats, books, fallen trees, fish..anything...

Words while powerful are still governed and defined by how we react to them..."nikka" is more more offensive to me than "short".

 

[Real Talk of NY]

TJ Holmes is that nikka on CNN.

 

[ComputersPutin]

TJ Holmes is that nikka on CNN.

he left CNN for BET

 

[theworldismine13]

tj holmes is just coming to the only logical conclusion possible which is that black people are not winning by spreading and normalizing the word nikka or ******, saying nikka is simply a bad habit that got way out of control

 

[OH SOHH TRILL]

nikka left CNN for BET

 

[Fillerguy]

On Topic: I personally feel that words have no power until i give them power...and personally i feel that its more powerful for a white person to even say ****** in my face and i have no reaction whatsover. Its a tactic used to try and make us act like ******S, get belligerent like ******S. So when some racist cat tries to get a rise out of my by dropping N-Bombs I usually just .

Terrible. We dont have to belligerent to have some dignity. Once someone gets in your personal space, he's seconds away from throwing elbows. Correct that hoe to save face then dismiss him and keep it movin. Make him look like the ignorant one. Ignoring racist, hostile or disrespectful behavior doesnt make it go away.

But thats what it boils down to, respect. Holmes may find that whites sometimes have "better" reasons for using the n-word but it doesnt make their usage, in any context, less disrespectful. I never agreed with belief that if Blacks stop using the n-word, everyone else would. Its not like we gave it power in the first place. So Holmes and other like minded Blacks can censor their private lives all they want but cacs and non-Blacks will continue to fight for public acceptance of the n-word; bringing Amerikkka full circle

 

[Black Magisterialness]

Terrible. We dont have to belligerent to have some dignity. Once someone gets in your personal space, he's seconds away from throwing elbows. Correct that hoe to save face then dismiss him and keep it movin. Make him look like the ignorant one. Ignoring racist, hostile or disrespectful behavior doesnt make it go away.

But thats what it boils down to, respect. Holmes may find that whites sometimes have "better" reasons for using the n-word but it doesnt make their usage, in any context, less disrespectful. I never agreed with belief that if Blacks stop using the n-word, everyone else would. Its not like we gave it power in the first place. So Holmes and other like minded Blacks can censor their private lives all they want but cacs and non-Blacks will continue to fight for public acceptance of the n-word; bringing Amerikkka full circle

The :Manny: is more in my reaction to the word in itsself. The aggressiveness of the behavior is another thing. But just because I have no intrinsic hatred for a WORD doesnt mean I have no racial dignity.

 

[Real Talk of NY]

he left CNN for BET

word! he was the only real brother on that network. CNN got a bunch of fakkits like Don Lemon. Damn how u go from CNN to BET. Thats a major L.

 

[Angel On The Rag]

tj always been my nikka, even though he a faq on the low

 

[PartyHeart]

 

[theworldismine13]

word! he was the only real brother on that network. CNN got a bunch of fakkits like Don Lemon. Damn how u go from CNN to BET. Thats a major L.

well supposedly he is getting his own show to bring balance to bet, bet then I heard its suppose to be news but with comedy which made me so I can't call it, I'll wait

 

[Dooby]

T.J. has always been my nikka....lol

I'm kinda mad the Lemon kinda took his place but he's doin his thing.

On Topic: I personally feel that words have no power until i give them power...and personally i feel that its more powerful for a white person to even say ****** in my face and i have no reaction whatsover. Its a tactic used to try and make us act like ******S, get belligerent like ******S. So when some racist cat tries to get a rise out of my by dropping N-Bombs I usually just .

Even beyond that nikka for me turned into a all-encompassing modifier. A genderless, race-less, noun. Anything can be a nikka. Men, women, cars, dogs, cats, books, fallen trees, fish..anything...

Words while powerful are still governed and defined by how we react to them..."nikka" is more more offensive to me than "short".

So how do you explain the point in time where we took it and didn't act violently to the word being used? They didn't say it just to make us mad, genius, they said it in order to degrade us to a subhuman spectacle. And you sitting there and taking it empowers them, if it may not be the word, it empowers, THEM.

What do you look like sitting there, someone calling you an idiot over and over and you just give them the whole spiel?

You won't even defend yourself? Does that make you powerful?

No, ****** is not my name or title, it has not and never will be, so you're damn sure not gonna call me by any other name other than the one given to me by my parents.

That's what your stance should be.

I'm sure if our ancestors responded apathetically to the use of that word white people would still be calling us ******s to our face today.

 

[zerozero]

this is getting near superstitious breh. If someone write the word or said the word and I gotta say what they said/wrote then we have to understand I'm quoting.

sh1t, I heard someone say in 08 that barack is going to "win the ****** vote", what am I supposed to write, he said barack would win the n-word vote? it's just the reality of what I heard. that said of course social contexts and logical arguments are different

 

[HacksawJimThuggin]

i'm not black, so my two cents in this are probably worthless, but I think the word should just stop being used by everyone

there's so many other words in the English language you can use to describe a friend or companion, the only thing using the n-word accomplishes is let's these CAC's say "well they use it amongst themselves, why can't we?"

I cringe every time I hear the word pronounced with an -er at the end, and it's not even offensive to me, I can't imagine how I would feel if it was