(The Root) — It took me a long time to become comfortable with the n-word*. I see kids today throwing it around with wreckless abandon, but the n-word was incredibly hurtful for me when I was growing up. Having it hurled at me as I walked through school and in my neighborhood was something I never thought I'd get over.
But in adulthood, I've found peace with it. I've even embraced it. I realized that allowing a word to hold me back simply wasn't acceptable. I throw it around back and forth with my friends, and I even created a show with it in the title.
But just today, someone sent me a clip of radio host Alex Jones, who rose to notoriety when he went on Piers Morgan's CNN show and yelled about how no one is going to take his guns. He voiced his very loud anger against any possible gun legislation. I realized that I would probably never agree with him on much, but this clip here …
It seems as if Mr. Jones doesn't understand that he's not allowed to go around yelling that word and slandering an entire people. You're not one of us, sir! You don't get to say that. It's not right, and it's just not OK.
Alex Jones is against any form of gun legislation. Does anyone really want to be associated with this guy?
*Possibly not the n-word you're thinking of.
Elon James White is a writer and satirist and host of the award-winning video and radio series This Week in Blackness. Listen Monday to Thursday at 1:30 p.m. EST at TWIB.FM and watch at TV.TWIB.ME/LIVE. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Tumblr.