By: Amanda Anderson-Niles
Oprah Winfrey has always been very honest and transparent about her thoughts about the young generation’s continued use of the “N-word” in the African-American community, and even though she doesn’t hate Hip Hop as a whole, she has made it clear to rappers that she does not agree with the constant use of the slur that they now say is a term of endearment. In fact, most notably she sat down and debated Jay Z about the term and in the end, they decided to peacefully agree to disagree. As the country continues to deal with issues that reminds most of us that racism is not dead, Oprah’s new film “The Butler” is set in a time where black people were faced with many limitations and restrictions because they weren’t white. But in Oprah’s opinion, the terms speaks to a disconnect between the older and younger generations and she still believes no one should ever use the word. She tells Parade Magazine:
“You cannot be my friend and use that word around me. It shows my age, but I feel strongly about it. … I always think of the millions of people who heard that as their last word as they were hanging from a tree.”
When asked if young people know enough about the Civil Rights Movement, she says:
“They don’t know diddly-squat. Diddly-squat!”
Oprah also says even though there’s been progress made regarding race in this country, it hasn’t been enough:
“Are more people judged by the content of their character than by the color of their skin? Yes. Is everybody judged by the content of their character? Absolutely not.”
and I agree…and Im under 40!!!!
Well considering so many young people had no clue who Emmett Till was, I have to say she’s right. We have t make sure we are teaching our kids what the schools don’t.
I’m not sure what she considers young (I’m not 30 yet, so probably me), but we’re not all the same. I know plenty about the Civil Rights Movement and it’s because of my family. They wanted to make sure I knew where I came from and appreciate what people did back then for our freedoms today. I think people like Harry Belafonte and Oprah need to be careful not to look down on young people. We don’t need a generational divide right now when we should be standing together. Black men of all ages are being racially profiled and killed for no reason in Florida. This isn’t proactive.
Sorry Barbee, but I have to disagree! Most kids didn’t know who Emmitt Till was until the debacle with Lil Wayne. I spoke to my daughter and some of her girlfriends and was appalled to find out, that with the exceptions of Martin Luther King, most of them had no real concept of the civil rights movement. They didn’t even know who Malcom X was. This information just isn’t being provided to them anymore, and it’s up to us, the parents, families and communities to take on the job.
My discussion with my daughter and her friends provided a wonderful opporrtunity for them to do research online and discuss it amongst themselves. She followed the Trayvon Martin case closely and went to see the movie Fruitvale Station when it was released. All these incidences have made her newly aware of her history, it’s just unfortunate that it happened this way.
Oprah is correct – there is a huge lack of information out there for our youth and that needs to be tackled.
So now we’re going to lump all young people in one category. Smh.
I agree with every word she said. Young people are used to having their rights, so they aren’t appreciative. Trayvon Martin is the first real piece of injustice they have ever seen in their lifetime. hopefully, it will awaken some of them because they have been sleep for years.
I’m so tried of old people trashing young people like they weren’t young before.
*tired
Oprah please STFU. You can’t say you don’t want black people to be profiled but you’re out here profiling young people. We’re not all the same.
THIS.
I can’t say I don’t feel her about a lot of the things she’s said, but to make it seem like all young people are sleeping and aren’t aware of our history makes her sound very uninformed.
It’s kind of sad all these old black people are tearing down the own people so willingly.
I swear this is just what people do. They get old and start thinking their generation is soo much better. LOL.
Agreed. I still love Oprah though.
I would say she is wrong, but man that whole Lil Wayne/Emmett Till thing really opened up my eyes. Sorry, I gotta roll with Oprah on this one.
She’s absolutely right. But we can change that. And I think Trayvon Martin will change a lot of this. I’ve never seen young people become so passionate.