New York City Council approves resolution urging people not to use racial slur
NEW YORK (AP) ‚Äö√Ñ√Æ New York declared the n-word off limits to all races Wednesday in a purely symbolic resolution prompted by the common, casual use of the slur in hip-hop music, comedy and street slang….”People are using it out of context,” said Leroy Comrie, a black city councilman who sponsored the unanimously passed measure. “People are also denigrating themselves by using the word, and disrespecting their history.”….New York’s resolution is not binding and merely calls on residents to stop using the slur. Leaders of the nation’s largest city also hope to set an example.
Sure, wanting to make the world a better, more civil place to be is a laudable goal. Nevertheless, methinks perhaps the New York City Council either has WAY too much time on their hands, or their priorities are totally hosed. I would certainly agree that the use of the word “nigger”, in ANY context, is offensive and insulting. I wonder, though; is it really the role and the responsibility of government to weigh in on a social issue that they have no enforcement power over? And what’s with all the nonbinding resolutions lately? Is it just me, or is a nonbinding resolution the equivalent of mental masturbation? Sure, it may feel good, but in the end you’re left with a mess, and you’re still looking for something to clean it up with.
I’d argue that public figures, like council members, could and should use their bully pulpits to persuade the general public that using “nigger” is a hateful, disrespectful, and ignorant thing to do. A meaningless, toothless resolution does nothing except demonstrate that New York’s City Council apparently is of the mindset that all of the city’s pressing problems have been solved…except for the “nigger” problem. A non-binding resolution does NOTHING…except waste taxpayer money.
An elected city council is generally charged with the day to day issues of running a city- garbage collection, policing, and other services require to make a city run. Keeping a city like New York running is in and of itself a full-time job and then some. Wasting time and taxpayer dollars on social engineering simply defies explanation.
Who know? Maybe now that they’ve solved the “nigger” problem, they can do something useful…like getting rid of all the rats. Now THERE’S a problem the city council can actually do something about….
