LAST WEEK, THE Washington Post discovered that, for many years, presidential candidate Rick Perry leased a hunting camp that he had a racially offensive nickname for. Here is the lead of the Post's story:In the early years of his political career, Rick Perry began hosting fellow lawmakers, friends and supporters at his family’s secluded West Texas hunting camp, a place known by the name painted in block letters across a large, flat rock standing upright at its gated entrance.
“Niggerhead,” it read.
Other media outlets followed the story and repeated the name, including the New York Times.
Should the media use the term in print? On air?
Does running the term perpetuate the awful connotations, or do we reduce it's power by repeating it?
15 comments:
Scott Samuel David Weiss
Monday 10 October 2011
Ina world that is no place for hate, where no one knows their fate, the leaves fall off the trees in fall, when Obama was elected we all saw: We all live in a diverse world in different ways, different colors, but we attempt equality. In "Can You Say That On-Air or In Print," the derogatory term used during segregation cause stirs and riots. Rick Perry should not be racist to the extent that supporters will move to another candidate based on the biased notion, " I do not like you '[EXPLETIVE].'" George Miller, Journalism professor at Temple University, discussed during a class that fleeting expletives must be censored on television and in print. The Perry comment might not necessarily be a fleeting expletive, but the audience could involve some of the people described by Perry. Who would trust someone who uses a derogatory frase that segregates against an ethnicity? Journalists should attempt to be mostly objective, but including biased opinions does not suggest clean content and focus.
-Scott S.D. Weiss
Temple Class of 2015
10/10/2011, 8:32AM
Although some groups in the African-American community have tried to reduce the word's power by using it in songs and movies, I believe that any use of the word still represents an awful time in American history. Rappers and other African-American public figures use it to refer to their own, but I believe a word with such negative meaning should never be used, and this hunting camp is no exception. I think it is ignorant that a person (and a prominant political figure) would choose keep this name. To also repeat it multiple times in print and on the air is just as disrespectful. To me, it is just as bad of a curse word as any, maybe even worse because of its derogatory use during the time of slavery. I think as a society we should try to eliminate the word, and blasting it in newspapers and television is only going to continue the use of it, especially to children who may not understand its full meaning.
I do not see a problem with running the term because it is simply reporting what the sign reads. It is not the words/ beliefs of the news station or newspaper. I think that it is a term that people are scared to use because of the negative connotation with it but if you are just reporting about it there shouldn’t be an issue.
I also don't believe that there's a problem with running the term. It's not like they accidentally used the word, they are simply reporting the name of the hunting camp. If people take offense to it, it's because of Rick Perry, not the station/newspaper that reported it.
While the the word itself is a derogatory term, I think there are some instances, like this one, where the use of it is legitimate. It's being reported as the name of the hunting camp; it's not intended to be offensive or anything of the sort. The only way I can see how society would find the article offensive is if they didn't thoroughly read it and saw the name. Assumptions would then be drawn and the name would fall out of context. Other than that, it's just an act of reporting.
I don't think the media should use the term on air, because it's not a fleeting expletive, they would have planned to say it ahead of time, and young children should be able to watch the news with their families without being exposed to profanities. But I don't think there's anything wrong with printing it. If they are reporting the facts, that Ricky Perry named is hunting ranch "niggerhead," then the public should know.
I don't agree that it was said on the air. Printing is a completely different situation, because the public has to know one way or another, but over the air might be a little too much.
The sign said "Niggerhead," and that's what should be reported both in print and broadcast news. Should this be repeated countless times on the hour? Probably not, but if reporters and anchors dance around the term from the beginning that's inviting the public to make-up their own terms to stick on Perry's sign. Like Louis C.K. said, just saying "the n-word" is worse than uttering the actual world because it implants it in your mind for a longer period of time and pretty much blocks out the rest of the narrative.
The sign said "Niggerhead," and that's what should be reported both in print and broadcast news. Should this be repeated countless times on the hour? Probably not, but if reporters and anchors dance around the term from the beginning that's inviting the public to make-up their own terms to stick on Perry's sign. Like Louis C.K. said, just saying "the n-word" is worse than uttering the actual world because it implants it in your mind for a longer period of time and pretty much blocks out the rest of the narrative.
I think that the media does have the right to print the term and even say it on air. This being said, I still think the word holds a very impactful meaning. Despite efforts to maybe make the word have a lesser meaning in our societies, I think it still holds a strong meaning with most people. As far as the term being the name of the ranch that Rick Perry, I have lost a little respect for him for that.
I believe that the word can run in print. The media is informing the public of the views of someone who could potentially play a huge role in the future of the United States. The word is still very hurtful to many and for that we need to know what this public figure is thinking or what he stands for.
I believe that you can say it in print, but it would be pushing it if you began to say it over the air. I know that in certain movies, it is not really considered a bad word, but it is a very offensive word. Writing it in a newspaper is still legal as it is still considered correct under the first amendment, but saying that over the air is not correct right now I believe.
watch i'm not there (2007).
Oh my, we've reached a gray area. While it is obligation to report accurately, the weight carried by words should not be underestimated. Publishing the word "Niggerhead" in print may prove more acceptable than saying it over the airwaves. The word still carries a heavy connotation despite efforts by some to reduce its meaning or "take the word back," as it were. That being said, a journalist's responsibility is to the truth and therefore accurate storytelling. Print the word.
I believe that "Niggerhead" is a very offensive term to many. Although I don't believe that the journalist were trying to offend anyone when it was printed in the papers. They were just reporting what they are obligated to, the truth.
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