Thanks to MR, it came to my attention that Imam Zaid wrote an excellent article entitled “Should Muslims use the Word Nigger?” This reminded me of way back, when I read Die Nigger, Die by H. Rap Brown, who is now the political prisoner Imam Jamil al-Amin. Brown was a revolutionary if there ever was one, hated and feared by the powers that be so much so that Congress passed the H. Rap Brown law to take him out; an honor for a revolutionary to have a law named after him. He was the Chairman of the SNCC then he later left them to join the Black Panthers. Since Brown’s conversion to Islam and changing his name to Jamil al-Amin he has indeed changed from the rebellious firebrand to an erudite community leader and scholar. His latest book Revolution by the Book is more in keeping with who he is now and is rooted in the teachings of Islam.

But I couldn’t help being really moved by the raw, cutting analysis and views that he put forth in Die Nigger, Die. Here’s what he had to say about the word nigger:

(By the way, I do not use not condone the use of the word nigger, I just thought this was interesting and may put things in some perspective. I do not mean to insult or offend. Furthermore, I don’t think the modern day usage is based on as sophisticated analysis as Brown’s.)

When a Black man looks at Black people with a Black mind and Black soul, it is immediately apparent that Black people possess certain unique characteristics which not only distinguish them from whites and negroes, but which have greatly contributed to the survival of Blacks. Whites recognize this and have always attempted to eradicate these characteristics or discredit them. In instances where they have succeeded, negroes have been created.

Negroes have always been close allies of whites in trying to eliminate Black resistance to undesirable acculturation. Negroes see poor and uninstitutionalized Blacks as niggers. They find it necessary to prove to whites that they are not niggers, failing to realize that whites see all Black people as niggers, no matter how rich or how poor.

Some Blacks prefer to be called negroes because they like to distinguish themselves from other Blacks. They fear that if they called themselves Blacks, they might antagonize whites. And if they antagonized whites, they would lose their position as negroes — the white-appointed overseers of Blacks. Thus, negroes have always tried to aid and impress whites by eliminating Blackness. Negroes know that whites prefer institutionalized Blacks, i.e., Blacks who give their allegiance to white cultural, political, social and economic institutions. Non-institutionalized Blacks are difficult to control, because their allegiance is to Blacks and not to white institutions. It is negroes who strain to send their children to white schools so that the nigger in them may be killed and they may thereby become better institutionalized.

Any action or behavior which is not endorsed by whites, negroes consider “acting a nigger.” What was “acting a nigger” two years ago is now accepted as “soul.” Naturally, this was endorsed by whites before being accepted by negroes. The conversation in negro america has always been, “What are we going to do about them niggers?” never, “What are we going to do about them white folks?” Negroes always said, “Niggers holding us back!” “Niggers ain’t shit!” “Don’t go around acting a nigger!”

Negroes say:

Nobody but niggers curse and use “poor English.”
Nobody but niggers steal.
Nobody but niggers are always loud.
Nobody but niggers listen to the blues.
Nobody but niggers burn and loot.
Nobody but niggers eat watermelon.
I don’t call you nigger ’cause you’re mine,
I call you nigger ’cause you shine.

While negroes are saying this about poor and uninstitutionalized Blacks, whites say this about all Blacks. The negro, being unable to recognize who is the true enemy, becomes an enemy of Blacks. Negroes prefer “living” to being free.

To be Black in this country is to be a nigger. To be a nigger is to resist both white and negro death. It is to be free in spirit, if not body. It is the spirit of resistance which has prepared Blacks for the ultimate struggle. This word, “nigger,” which is taboo in negro and white America, becomes meaningful in the Black community. Among Blacks it is not uncommon to hear the words, “my nigger,” (addressed to a brother as an expression of kinship and brotherhood and respect for having resisted), or “He’s a bad nigger!,” meaning, He’ll stand up for himself. He won’t let you down. He’ll go down with you. When Blacks call negroes “niggers,” however, it takes on the negativeness of white and negro usage.

Negroes and whites have wished death to all Blacks, to all niggers. Their sentiment is “Die Nigger Die!” — either by becoming a negro or by institutionalized or active genocide.