As a father of four teenagers influenced by hip hop culture, Ward 23 Alderman Yusuf I. Shah expressed his disgust with the popularization of the word “nigger” — both in music and in speech — at a press conference Monday afternoon in City Hall.
Shah called the conference in response to a resolution he presented to the Board of Aldermen early in March. The resolution urged citizens to refrain from using the “N” word and was defeated by one vote. With new momentum, Shah spoke of the importance of his resolution and his plans to hold an informational meeting to educate New Haven residents about the origins and effects of the word.
“The word is a hateful word in any form or context,” Shah said. “The ‘N’ word has an onerous historical meaning. It was originated out of hate for a particular race of people. It is still offensive and has a hateful, sinister meaning.”
The resolution highlights what he sees as the implications of the “N” word, including its justification of enslavement and the continued degradation of blacks. He said the word should not be used in forms of pop culture such as music, film, literature and stand up comedy.
The resolution urges residents of New Haven to refrain from using the word under any circumstance, whether in anger or comradeship. But Shah emphasized that the resolution does not include a ban on the historical uses of the word.
“It’s always going to have a place [in history] and people are going to use it to illustrate and color history,” he said.
Ward 9 Alderman John Halle, a professor at the Yale School of Music, said the use of the word can even be necessary in discussing the realities of issues that African Americans face.
“Words are symbols for a particular kind of reality and by not using those words, you’re denying that symbol to talk about the reality,” Halle said.
In response to concerns that the resolution would infringe on first amendment rights, Shah said the it cannot enforce the discontinuation of the word.
“Refrain is a voluntary gesture,” Shah said. “We are not violating anyone’s first amendment rights.”
There are still those who feel that passing Shah’s resolution could eventually lead to restrictions of first amendment rights, such as banning the teaching of certain books in public schools. Ward 1 Alderman Ben Healey ’04, who delivered the only dissenting vote on Shah’s resolution, said he did so for such reasons.
“I understand the spirit of the resolution, but I think the idea of passing the resolution unanimously could lead a citizen of New Haven to petition the Board of Education and say, ‘Our city says don’t teach — Richard Wright or Ralph Ellison or any other valuable works that lead to productive dialogue on serious racial issues,'” Healey said.
While Shah said he does not intend to use this referendum to violate the first amendment, he said he does not understand why anyone would promote the continuing use of the “N” word in correlation with the idea of free speech.
“I don’t see why an individual or group of individuals would want to use the ‘N’ word — a word that is used as a weapon to hurt, to defile, and denigrate someoneÊ– as a breastplate for free speech,” Shah said.
He said his goal now is to educate the people of New Haven about the history and implications of the “N” word and make them realize it should not be a part of their everyday vocabulary. On April 30, he will hold an informational meeting with scholars, expert historians, lawmakers and civil rights leaders.
Shah said he hopes his own children will attend.
“I will encourage them to come to the meeting; I can’t make them,” he said. “It’s still America.”