What are you? Who are you? Where do you come from?

I’m a nigger, a spook and a coon.

I’m a punk, a hoodlum and a gang-banging thug.

I’m from the ghetto, the projects, the other side of the tracks.

OK, now that about three of you have placed the paper down, thrown it away or turned the page because I have offended you, the rest of you can keep reading and hopefully you will feel what I’m trying to say. Besides, all those people who can’t stomach what I said, I don’t want you to listen anyway.

I’m gonna try hard to get this point across so even the simple-minded might understand. However, knowing some of the minds who have been writing to the paper lately, what I say will be misconstrued in some way.

In my nearly 24 years on this planet (didn’t know I was that old, did you?) I have seen plenty of things that would make some of you cringe, and I have done some things that would make you choke from surprise.

In these situations, I have learned many things — things about people and situations and how we react to these situations.

Ask yourself how you reacted to the word “nigger” being used in the second sentence. How did you react? What did you think? Were you offended? If so, why?

Statistics show three out of every four students read the Daily on any given day. Keeping that in mind and knowing minorities make up only 6% of the school’s population (one in every 15.128 students), can you guess the ratio of black students to white students reading this column?

Not a very high number, is it? So in retrospect, the number of people at Iowa State or in Ames who have legitimate, historical reasoning behind finding the word offensive is very low.

And still there will be people of other backgrounds who find this word offensive. Why? Why does it offend you?

It doesn’t even offend me. The proper definition of a nigger is an ignorant, shiftless person. Since I know I do not fit that definition, I refuse to let that word offend me.

Don’t misunderstand what I’m saying to you; I need you to hear what lies behind my words, not what is on the surface. Sadly, some will only hear what is on the surface.

There is nothing wrong with trying to dispel all racial attitudes and attempting to ignore any type of slur against anyone.

I have no problem with those who wish to be sensitive to other people and stand for someone who cannot stand for themselves. Sensitivity is being beat into us like someone is trying to tenderize a steak. But it becomes a problem when people draw a line on their sensitivity.

Do you choose when to be sensitive? Will you be partial to issues of gays but not of blacks?

Do you abandon issues that don’t support your lifestyle? Are you going to be sensitive to issues of women but not of gays?

Do you side with those that are like you but not those who are different? Will you side with the Latinos and not the the Native Americans?

Will you support a Veishea pledge because you think you are saving a tradition, but still drink that weekend?

Do you disagree with anyone making racist, classist or xenophobic statements, while you still will not take a stand on the Catt Hall issue?

If you want to be sensitive to something, be sensitive to everything that bothers you, not only what you feel is the politically correct side to take.

If you don’t understand, then ask someone to explain it to you. You may never be able to relate, but you may at least try to understand.

Stop being a damn hypocrite! If you are gonna stand for something, stand for something, not this and that.

Maybe I’m just to insensitive, but that too, is another subject.

I’m gone!

---

Rhaason Mitchell is a senior in journalism and mass communication from Chicago.