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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 1994)
4 ' October 20,i; irsday • October 20, 1994 How Aggielife The Battalion • Page 3 By Margaret Claughton The Battalion lUllP an you all ourself ■ ore i a horse fa J noon ( paramedical 1 hit in the ag. 16. HeiJ Jspital, whith ethodist A® oma late tki ?d via Houston, tl — N.WA. ‘Nigga 4 Life’ say what I •myself what 93-0683 dent discoun want to say / I call want to call myself ‘...So you can call me dumb or ’.crazy, ignorant, stupid, inferior or ;lazy, silly or foolish but I'm badder jand bigger / And most of all, I'm a straight up nigger." — Ice T “Straight Up Nigger’ ne powerful racial slur has been the most controversial word in the English language for hundreds of years. The combustible buzz word is “nigger,” and although it is con sidered slang, it has the power to promote conflict and hate wherever and whenever it is used. But this usually racist remark is somewhat of a paradox that is not always considered offensive. The prejudiced side of the word exploded into controversy on the A&M campus when Steven Simms, a senior journalism major, wrote a letter to The Battalion Mail Call stating he was deeply offended by the use of the word nigger in music played at the Bonfire building site. Meanwhile, a number of rap artists use the slang “nigga” in their music, and use the word in the same way they would say “man,” or “homey.” Some may ask why a term that makes the po litically correct cringe and has the ability to offend millions is used in entertainment, particularly by the group it is targeted to offend. Simms said he believes the word to be a derogatory term used to describe illiterate and violent people. Kevin Carreathers, director of multicultural services, said the word nigger calls to mind a stereotype of black people being lazy and not wor thy contributors to society. According to Shawn Williams, president of the A&M NAACP, nigger is a word of inferiority and is used to dehumanize blacks. “It is probably one of the most offensive slang words used against African-Americans,” he said. But with all of its negative connotations and perceptions, it is still a lyric commonly used in rap music. In a previous interview with The Battalion, rapper Phife Dawg of A Tribe Called Quest said the meaning of the word “nigga” has changed dramatically from the racist definition. “Black people, we’ve taken the word as love,” he said. But the context in which the word was used on the Bonfire site has not only offended peo ple, but also has caused Bonfire itself to be al tered. As a result of this one offensive lyric, any music played at the site must be approved by the redpots. So, it appears the word rugger is offensive de pending on who is using it or listening to it. Carreathers said the term is subjective and that certain groups of people — particularly the ones to whom it refers — can accept its use in certain contexts without taking offense. “We’re talking about a term that in certain populations of people, it can be accepted and not perceived as derogatory,” he said. “If a young person walked into an old-folks home and started telling old age jokes, people might take offense. “But if George Burns walked in and did it, they would think it was funny.” Williams said he thinks many rappers use the word out of habit. “It’s something they have probably heard all their lives,” he said. “It just filters down through the years. It was used a lot where I came from and I heard it all my life.” While the use of the word nigger may be something many people just pick up over time, there may be deeper meanings for their adop tion of the term. Beth Yohe, president of the University Awareness for Cultural Togetherness, said if any cultural group adopts and uses a racial slur, they may be trying to take the power and poten cy out of the word. “It may be a way to take the sting out of it if they use it themselves,” she said. Simms said he thinks rappers and other people use the word to mean something other than its derogatory definition. "I call myself a nigga 'cause my skin won't lighten . . . It's plain to see, you can't change me 'cause I'm gonna be a nigga for life." — N WA. “Nigga 4 Life’ "'Nigga' first was used back in the deep South . . . Yo, I start to flinch as I try not to say it . . . the sucka nigga" — A Tribe Called Quest “Sucka Nigga’ “The way the word is used in rap rhusic is the way I used to use it around my friends,” he said. “I used to use it as often as I used the word ‘man.’ Kind of to describe a pal or comrade.” But Simms said he no longer uses the word and thinks it shouldn’t be used in any context. “It is a dated term,” he said. “And as long as it is used it will be offensive.” Simms said if people stop using the word, it will just fade out of the vocabulary. “We should be willing to just let it die,” he said. “I take the time to use African-American instead, trying to maintain a certain standard.” Williams said he thinks the word shouldn’t be used in any context but doesn’t think it will ever fade out of usage. “This is a word that has been around for over 400 years,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going to dis appear anytime soon.” Carreathers said he hopes the use of the word will diminish through education, and the word’s usage is never constructive. “All that word does is build prejudices,” he said, “when we need to be tearing them down.” Rob Clark contributed to this story "How can you say to me 'Yo my niga' . . . take a small problem , make a small problem bigger ... I don't care how small or bigger / I don't want to be called 'Yo Niga.'" — Public Enemy “I Don’t Wanna be Called Yo Niga” Thten sgin sits 58 editor 3 editor editor iditor Dube, 'hitley y Moore, W Hake G# inoha rt Doreen aiw fENzabSi iday during ummer^J' Seconfl rsity- aid :Don <as A&M -tmeot ot I" 13 ' 11 3. Fax:8 4 rend»< By Jeremy Keddie The Battalion Iveryone is taught to respect the authority of police officers at a young age. But some where during adolescence, the respect for authority of police officers can become dis- orted and consist of negative attitudes. Comments are often made of “doughnut- iaters” and “pigs.” But a ride in a police car on a Friday night can quickly cure those feelings of listaste - especially when there is no idea of what lies ahead in the night. Bryan police officer Brent Ratekin, reported to work for the 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. shift, and walked nto the briefing room. He seemed calm, yet ea- erto hit the streets. He explained that we would be patrolling where Bryan’s most violent crimes and drug dealings occur. After an extensive tour of the police depart ment, we walked out to the squad car assigned for the night. A brief inspection of the car, in side and out, was made by Ratekin, and we were p our way. 8:15 p. m. “Each night when I get into this car, it’s a dif- erent situation,” Ratekin said. A call came over the radio reporting a stalled car in the parking lot of a convenience store at FM 2818 and Villa Maria. We proceeded to respond. “Every call is a different one and you don’t re dly get bored,” he said. The driver of the car told Ratekin that some- aie was coming to help her out. Ratekin’s atten- ion was directed to someone who had requested Erections to Austin. An hour had passed, and had seemed uneventful. “It doesn’t matter how stupid a call seems to «m,” Ratekin said. “It’s important at that mo- tent to at least the person who made the call,” le said. “The one time you take it for granted is the one ime they’re going to need you,” Ratekin said. We followed the car, hoping the driver would inderstand the directions to Austin. After Hilling out of the convenience store parking lot, he driver began to weave and his speed was 15 Reed day. FaX: iol ye aral 45-261 call 845-2 Actuating between 10 to 20 miles per hour be- ow the speed limit. “I’d pull him over if I hadn’t already spoken vith him,” Ratekin said. He said drivers who hug the center line and onstantly brake on open lanes of traffic make Um suspicious of drunk driving. The lost driver passed the beginning of the Kit ramp and had to swerve over the white line o make the exit. Ratekin shook his head. y whatcba w ice officer proves “Its going to be quiet until after the (high school) football games,” he said. “It kind of makes me nervous, like the calm before the storm.” 8:30 p. m. We went to patrol the neighborhoods which border San Jacinto Boulevard. All was quiet un til the rain began hitting the windshield. Ratekin was selective about the streets which we patrolled. He said they were areas where burglaries were common. “Nights like tonight are a burglar’s dream” Ratekin said. “The rain creates a little noise, and there’s no moonlight to expose them.” We continued to patrol the area and passed a group of individuals standing in a circle of a cor ner yard. There was a Cadillac parked out front. Their eyes met ours, and feeling of apprehension came from them. “Many of these people have the attitude that we are out to get them,” he said. We turned the comer and passed the yard slowly. Ratekin said we would come back in a while to check on them. He said if they were there again, perhaps he would question them. “You’ll find that you will be responding to the same streets,” Ratekin said. He said he has arrested the same individuals multiple times, and these suspects often address the officer on a first name basis. We continued to patrol, making a domestic stop here and there, until one traffic stop. 8:40 p. m. It was an elderly individual who chose to drive down Texas Avenue without headlights on. “There’s no such thing as a routine traffic stop,” he said. “Every one has the potential to be different.” The driver apparently forgot to turn on the head lights after pulling out of a parking lot. Ratekin spoke to her, and a small crowd was gathering as the lights of the squad car had caught their attention. He said the questioning of suspects in neighbor hoods leads to crowds gathering. He said they sometimes shout accusations like “police brutality” and “Rodney King” to attract atten tion. “It really makes you mad when they accuse you of racism and of abusing your authority,” Ratekin said. “They just don’t realize that we are trying to help them.” The voice of an officer screeched across the radio. Little was understood of his voice. It appeared to be someone requesting backup. “Whenever people start yelling like that my adrenaline surges,” Ratekin said. they come for being a cop is easier said than done 9:30 p. m. We left and patrolled the areas around Martin Luther King Boulevard. A call for Ratekin’s assistance came across the radio. An intoxicated individual was standing in a street, shouting at his neighbors. “A blank male, with blue jeans and a white shirt,” the voice on the radio said. “What kind of description is that?” Ratekin asked. Ratekin found the individual, and after check ing his identification, arrested him for violation of his parole. He was put in the back of the car, and we took him to the county jail at the sheriffs department. “Since we can’t be everywhere, we rely upon citizens to report incidents,” Ratekin said. We spent 30 minutes there and left to patrol the streets again. Several calls came across for reports of loud music. Ratekin spoke to a couple, but apparently they had already turned down their music. We left. 12:20 a.m. We responded to a call which report ed a man with a knife. “If you visualize what’s happening, you’re more apt to respond quicker,” he said. We arrived at the home where the call was made. No one wanted to admit making the call, and no suspect was found. “It’s funny when you get there — no one knows any thing,” he said. 12:40 a.m. We left the scene and were then called out to a three-car ac cident that had oc curred at Villa Maria and Pinfeath er. We drove down Pinfeather, parallel to the railroad tracks. “I’m always wor ried that someone is the other side of the tracks when a train is com ing through,” he said. Apparently two cars were rammed from behind by a pickup truck. The driver of the truck had been drinking. The driver didn’t come close to passing the field sobriety test and was arrested. “These people don’t realize that one beer can affect their judgment,” he said. “It’s just too much of a gamble to drink and drive.” After the tow trucks for the cars were coordi nated, we left to go back to jail, and he processed his two arrests. It was after 3 a.m., and time to go home. Un fortunately, Ratekin had a couple of hours of pa perwork ahead of him. “It’s been a quiet night,” he said. Blake Griggs / The Battalion going to need help on Bryan police officer Brent Ratekin during a night on patrol.
