Some of the controversy over Ward 23 Alderman Yusuf I. Shah’s proposed resolution to discourage the use of the word “nigger” has settled.
In a press conference Monday, Shah and Ward 1 Alderman Ben Healey ’04, who was the only member of the board to vote against the resolution, announced that they had reached an understanding and clarified the resolution to prevent censorship of literature and art.
Last month, Healey voted against the resolution out of concern that books from authors like Ralph Ellison and Richard Wright would disappear from New Haven public school curricula. At yesterday’s press conference, which took place in front of City Hall, he discussed his agreement to support the revised resolution.
“I was never opposed to the spirit of the resolution” Healey said. “I was just concerned with censorship and standing by our constitutional right to free speech.”
Shah’s resolution highlights what he sees as the implications of the “N” word, including its justification of enslavement and continued degradation of blacks.
In the press conference, Healey, Shah, Scot X. Esdaile — president of the New Haven branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People — and David Warren of the Anti-Defamation League gathered to voice their support of the new resolution. With the help of Esdaile, Healey and Shah came to the understanding regarding slight changes to the original resolution.
“My hope is that this resolution will serve as an opportunity to unite people of all colors and creeds in condemnation of a word that continues to be hurtful to the African-American community,” Shah said.
Healey and Warren said the new resolution does not condemn the use of the word in literature and art.
“We worked out language that works for all of us, in the same spirit of the original resolution — it [the new resolution] is in no way an attempt to censor, but an attempt to condemn a word that causes pain,” Healey said.
Echoing the ideas Shah has expressed as his reasoning for creating the resolution, Esdaile said the word should not be used in casual conversation.
“To the African-American community, it is not OK to use that word,” Esdaile said.
Shah linked the resolution to a national movement to change the eBay Inc. Web site’s search engine, in which the keyword “nigger” returns links to the works of black artists. He also suggested that the word be censored from rap music.
“In rap music, other bad words are bleeped out, but not the ‘N’ word,” Shah said. “It is important for our young people who listen to that music to understand that it is important to refrain from using that word.”
A public informational meeting urging all citizens to refrain from using the word is scheduled for Wednesday, April 30 at 6 p.m. in City Hall. According to Shah’s press release, noted historians, lawmakers, attorneys and civil rights leaders have been invited.
Though Healey’s support makes the passing of the resolution likely, the impact the resolution could have is not clear.
“We are asking people to refrain, though we can’t stop people from using the word” Shah said.