Wisdom.Applied Wednesday:  “N” Word is the Biggest No-No

This six letter “N” word is as far off limits as saying the name, Voldemort in Hogsmeade Village. Except when it comes to the “N” word, it is not off limits due to fear, but because it is the wrong thing to say, always.

Unfortunately, there are many people who lack intelligence and common sense in this day and age, which ultimately leads to poor decision making on their part. A perfect showcase model for this poor decision making is renowned “bad/pretty/little boy” Justin Bieber.

Over the summer, TMZ released a couple videos of Justin Bieber using the “N” word, one video while he was telling a joke to his friends, and another video where he sang a parody of his own song using the no-no word. Of course people were upset (rightfully so), but the media and fans were very forgiving of the Bieb’s choice in explicit and racist language.

This “kind-hearted” forgiving fashion has been trending in similar cases where other celebrities have used the notorious “N” word. For example, Tim Allen, Paris Hilton, Charlie Sheen, Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna have all been caught speaking or using the no-no word on social media. Although all of these celebrities and entertainers were in muddy waters for their actions, the waters cleared quickly, and soon enough they were back in the comfort of their clean, calm waters.

The muddy waters don’t seem to clear too fast when the celebrities getting in trouble for dropping the “N” bomb aren’t entertainers. Professional athletes are punished severely for racial slurs such as the “N” word. Richie Incognito, an offensive lineman for the Miami Dolphins, caught major flack for repeatedly using the “N” word. Not only was he fined $30,000, but he was also suspended indefinitely from the team while the NFL investigated the case. The NFL takes racism and harassment seriously, and Richie Incognito was (justly) made an example out of.

For the upcoming 2014-15 NFL football season, the NFL has established a 15-yard penalty for anyone who uses the “N” word on the field. The new rule specifically states that even black players will be issued the penalty if they decide to drop the no-no on the turf. These steps being made by the NFL are helping to rid the vulgar word from the NFL as a whole. This is the correct approach to handling celebrities using the “N” word in a negative fashion or not. The word should never be mentioned; if and when it is, it should hurt peoples’ ears.

The entertainment industry is enabling people to use one of the most disgraceful words, historically and presently, as if it is a part of everyday vocabulary. Hopefully everyone in the entertainment industry will soon see the negative effects this no-no word has on our culture. Rappers, movie stars, comedians, singers and all other entertainers need to make a change so the “N” word will become obsolete.

Cover Photo Source: 360b / Shutterstock.com

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://wpmaster.sjadv.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Our-Space-The-San-Jose-Group.png[/author_image] [author_info]Tim is a Junior Executive in the consulting division at SJG. He is currently enrolled at Augustana College in Rock Island, IL, where he plays football. Tim enjoys watching movies, all movies, and keeping up with new music.  [/author_info] [/author]