Don't boycott me too

I worked construction as a teen and it was hard physical labor. The older guys I worked with referred to themselves as the “niggers.” Every one of them was white though. The term to them was not a racially charged one, but meant to describe their low status as the grunts doing manual labor in the hot sun on a day in and day out basis with little chance for changing their status. They saw themselves as the butt of society and trapped in their existence – similar to slaves in a sense – bound by societal chains. While the owner of the company did the seemingly less strenuous work and was paid well, they were doing what they could to get by week in and week out. They were as much a slave to “whitey” as anyone. And though I don’t understand completely because I am not black, I’m sure these men understood the term better than many of the individuals in black America today. The fact is that much of black America is so far removed from that existence that they have no right to use the word either.

Jesse Jackson certainly has no business using that word. Jackson makes a name and living from turning nothingness into hurricane force farces of racially charged crap. I believe in championing a worthy cause, but when you determine justice solely on the difference in race (or gender) of the perpetrator and victim you lose credibility with me. Fairness and justice are both blind to race (and gender). Jackson should be calling for a boycott of himself, but that will never happen and no other black leaders are going to call him on it either. By all means, let’s keep that racial divide going a little longer. At least you can say you’re in control, right?