Inaugural Nominees: John Ridley, Daman Wayans

Los Angeles, CA, - Nigger is more than just a word it is an image…a created image…that was meant to cripple and zombilize the minds of a race of people. This image portrays black men as lazy, ignorant, and obsessively self-indulgent; as angry, physically strong, animalistic, and prone to wanton violence, as intellectually childlike, physically unattractive, and neglectful of their biological families. A creation whose humanity, identity, heritage and sense of being was taken and replaced with ignorance, dependence, greed, jealousy, false hope, despair, apathy and excuses. And therein lays the danger in the continual self applied usage of this word. Continual usage of this word reinforces a mindset that has been in place for more than three centuries.

Consider the song lyrics of rappers that denigrate women, the promotion of violence and glorification of a gangster image along with their delirious usage of the n-word, evidence of a reinforced psychological intent of this word. The n-word persists because it is used over and over by the people it defames. In the CD “Grow Rich or Die Trying” the n-word is used more than 180 times.

The irony between 1706 and 2006 is that in 1706 it was imbedded into the minds of the slaves…to know their place in society…to look upon their selves as being inferior and to identify with the word nigger by being forced to admit “I am a nigger.” Today, 2006, this mindset for the African American of “I am a nigger” still prevails. The only difference is that in 1706 and for three centuries hence it was an institutionalized racist system keeping this word alive and forcing it upon the subjugated to accept the same definition. Today, 2006, it is African Americans trying to con other African Americans to stay in that so-called place of being “I am a nigger”. Misery loves company and those who do not have the strength or willpower to overcome identification with this word want as many tag-a-longs as possible.

PURPOSE: No longer is it acceptable to trample upon the memories and honor of those who were tarred and feathered, burnt alive, castrated, hung, boiled alive, sodomized and tortured with hot pokers, disemboweled, unmercifully tortured in countless numbers of other ways, all in the name of the n-word, simply because since the victims were considered to be a nigger it was okay to perform such atrocious, despicable acts. And yet as evil and heinous as these acts were there is something that transcends it and that is descendants of these canonized victims taking the word nigger and embracing it with tender loving care and using it endearingly and affectionately among them. How idiotic and moronic can this possibly be?

Acceptance of the usage of the word nigga is not a rejection of its historical image…but indeed a confirmation and condoning…of what it has stood for in the past. Better late than never…but the time has come for a change in the mindset of the African American and to stop buying into this stereotype 300 year old mindset of “I am a nigga”.

Therefore let it be known that those who blatantly chooses to disrespect the sovereignty of the African American community, past and present, with usage of the n-word (and yes, it is that serious) shall hereby be considered to be a treasonable act…though a community is not a government…it is intended for the mindset of said community to be raised to that of a respective nature as that of a government in terms of respectability. Know and recognize that the Benedict Arnold list is being created to shine light on those who henceforth will be considered as an enemy and detrimental to the welfare of the African American community. It is in our valued judgment that the mindset of the African American…should not and will no longer…be trampled upon as it has been for the past 300 years. Usage of the n-word is counter-productive to the welfare of the black community and…should not and will not…be taken lightly.

Let it hereby be known that NO blacks are niggers, (niggaz) irrespective of behavior, income, ambition, clothing, ability, morals, or skin color. It is the ultimate expression of white racism and white superiority, irrespective of the way it is pronounced or spelled. It is a linguistic corruption, a corruption of civility.

Eligibility Requirements: Consideration to be placed on the Benedict Arnold list is as follows: Blatantly showing by act and deeds a determination to undermine the African American community with a defiant public display and intent to use and promote usage of a word that is disrespectful, dishonorable to the memories of those who suffered physically, mentally and emotionally…the n-word. Refusing to recognize that negative lyrics, scripts, dialog and scenes which enter the human ears and sight has a negative effect on the human mind and in and of itself lends to a debilitating, self-defeating image is hereby considered an act of treason to the over all welfare of the African American community.

Qualifiers of the Benedict Arnold list shall henceforth be looked upon as the village idiots of the community. To further clarify, the criteria distinguishing who makes the list and who doesn’t among the proponents in favor of the word, is not intended to try and nail everyone to the cross. It’s only when someone like a John Ridley or Daman Wayans who publicly…in a defiant, determined and perverse manner, supports undermining the Black community by pledging allegiance to the n-word, then and only then will those names be added to the Benedict Arnold list. Listed names can be removed at any time when public actions of these individuals show that they do indeed have the mindset welfare of their community in mind and at heart and that they do understand the nature and the harm that the usage of the n-word possesses.

In accordance with the aforementioned eligibility requirements the following have been found to be eligible to have their names placed on this list, and why, it is so moved.

John Ridley as result of his verbal public defiance and insistence on referring to African Americans as the n-word and his writing of “Manifesto of Ascendancy of the Modern American Nigger ” is hereby placed on the Benedict Arnold list.

Daman Wayans as a result of his verbal public defiance and insistence on referring to African Americans as the n-word and his attempts in trying and still trying, though he has been turned down time and time again to register the name nigga as a trademark to be used as a marketable item for a clothesline and other marketable items, is hereby placed on the Benedict Arnold list.

Stoicism and excuses are not substitutes for self-respect, pride and dignity. Nowhere on the face of the earth— other than with the African American—does a race of people let anybody and everybody call them out of their name, and then get indignant about trying to address it. There is nothing chic, cool or…cerebral… about Blacks referring to one another as niggas. Any self-respecting African American should find this practice to be appalling, disturbing and totally unacceptable. Enough of this 300 year old mindset of “Ya suh” master “I am a nigga.”

H. Lewis Smith, author of Bury That Sucka! A Scandalous Love Affair With the N-word. Founder/CEO of the non-profit organization United Voices for a Common Cause.

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