Ugly Words

This is totally off the usual topics of my blog but it has bothered me all day and I need to vent.

Today my son left for his class trip to Land Between the Lakes.  I have many fond memories of my 6^th grade trip there and my daughter went two years ago and loved it. I am sure he is already having the time of his life!

This morning as I waited with my boy to load up on the tour buses and then wave him off on his first overnight field trip I got a taste of some of the other 6^th graders and their vocabulary.  I’m not naïve and think boys and girls in elementary school don’t cuss and carry on because I know a great many of them do.  It hasn’t been that long ago since I was in school that I don’t remember those that liked to toss out the spicy words to make themselves, at least in their own minds, seem grown up.  However, there are some words that no matter who is using them are offensive.

The “N” word.

I don’t mean “no” either.  Two boys were talking their smack to one another and acting foolish as only boys can and then it flew…the “N” word.  To beat it all, the other boy just laughed and then other spicy words followed. 

Let me just say here that even before that word was considered to be definitely not politically correct it was an ugly word.  It was a word used to hurt, demoralize and defeat people.  I realize that my own children probably let the spicy words fly on occasion but they know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that is definitely one word that will get your behind torn up and grounded until you are 45. 

We are all people of color and together we make up a beautiful rainbow of shades that blend together.  White, Black, Yellow, Green, I don’t care what color you are but I for sure don’t like derogatory references to that color.

I love dcTalk and my favorite song by them is Colored People. I’m including the video here for you.

When will be as a people start looking beyond the superficial layer and deeper to what makes us who we are?  Obviously not any time soon when our children are still using ugly words like the “N” word and laughing. 

Sorry for the rambling.

Peace!