"Huckleberry Finn" and the N-word debate

(CBS News) 

From the moment it was published in 1885, Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" caused controversy. It challenged authority, poked fun at religion, and was accused of leading children astray. What's surprising is that 125 years later Huckleberry Finn is still making news.

Today there are school districts in America that ban this American classic for one reason - one word: "nigger," a word so offensive it's usually called the "N-word."

Now a publishing company in Alabama says that schools don't have to change their reading list because they changed Huckleberry Finn. Their newly released edition removes the N-word and replaces it with "slave." It's a bold move for what is considered one of the greatest works in American literature.

Is it ever okay to say it?
An honest discussion about a racial slur with Byron Pitts, a reporter who speaks from experience.

Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn is a classic set before the Civil War. The story is told by Huck, a white boy escaping an abusive father, and about his adventures with a black man named Jim, escaping slavery.

Huckleberry Finn is set along the Mississippi River. In it, Twain used the N-word 219 times. To some people, the word gets in the way of the story's powerful message against slavery; to others, Twain is simply capturing the way people talked back then.

"Are you censoring Twain?" correspondent Byron Pitts asked Randall Williams, co-owner and editor of NewSouth Books, publishers of the sanitized edition of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn that replaces the N-word with the word "slave."

"We certainly are accused of censoring Twain," Williams replied.

It's aimed at schools that already ban the book, though no one knows how many have. Williams says they are not trying replace Twain's original, N-word included.

"If you can have the discussion and you're comfortable havin' the discussion, have it. Have it with it in there. But if you're not comfortable with that, then here's an alternative for you to use. And I would argue to you that it's still powerful," Williams said.

The new edition drew powerful reactions from Twain scholars, the press and ordinary readers - and it's worth noting most of the articles don't spell out the word, either.

"What's it say that people have been so passionate about it?" Pitts asked.

"I think it says that race continues to be a volatile and divisive subject," Williams said.

Extra: Students weigh in
Extra: "Slave" vs. the N-word?
Extra: The power behind the N-word
Extra: Is it just marketing?

In this passage, Huck says the word three times in two sentences: "Jim was monstrous proud about it and he got so he couldn't hardly notice the other niggers. Niggers come miles to hear Jim tell about it and he was more looked up to than any nigger in that country."

"What do you think of Huckleberry Finn?" Pitts asked author David Bradley, who teaches at the University of Oregon

"It's a great book. It's one of the greatest books in American literature," Bradley replied.

He says the key to understanding Huckleberry Finn is through Twain's use of language, as the friendship between Huck and Jim unfolds.

"When Huck comes back to that raft, he says, 'They're after us.' He doesn't say, 'They're after you.' He says, 'They're after us.' And that's the moment when it becomes about the American dilemma, it becomes about, 'Are we gonna get along?'" Bradley said.

School districts struggling to teach Huckleberry Finn have called in Bradley. He believes strongly in teaching Twain's original text.

"One of the first things I do is I make everybody say it out loud about six or seven times," Bradley said.

"The N-word?" Pitts asked.

"Yeah, "nigger." Get over it," Bradley replied, laughing. "You know. Now let's talk about the book."

Produced by David Schneider

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[vancen19]

I personally hate this word to the core. I cant stand to hear that word. theres an article posted about this same word. kind of controversial.
http://themindofnaynay.blogspot.com/
Let's try our hardest to keep this word dead.

[onlychief]

****** or Slave What's the Distinction?
CBS 60 Minutes aired a segment about the controversy over a sanitized version of "Huckleberry Finn" in which the word "******" has been replaced with "slave". Paul Kalra's "From Slave To Untouchable: Lincoln's Solution" contrasts "slave" as understood by the Catholic Slave Code with "******" as defined by the American Protestant Slave Code which denied humanity and citizenship to Blacks.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Today there are school districts in America that ban the American classic, "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" for one reason - one word: "******," a word so offensive it's usually called the "N-word." This is an attempt to shield students from understanding the unique American Protestant Slave Code which denied Black's humanity and citizenship in the U.S. Constitution.
"From Slave to Untouchable: Lincoln's Solution" shows why:
? "******" refers to black persons whose humanity was denied in the Constitution along with any rights to marriage or family life with children.
? "******" indicates the person was not a citizen of the United States before Civil War and an "untouchable" second class citizen after the constitutional amendments.
? "Slave" refers to a person independent of race as defined by the Catholic Slave Code prevalent in Louisiana before 1805 which acknowledged the humanity and citizenship of the slave.
"From Slave To Untouchable: Lincoln's Solution" by Paul Kalra (ISBN 978-0-9647173-6-7) has endorsements:
? A foreword by Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr.
? Stanley M. Elkins, History Professor, "A very persuasive case for the unique character of American (Protestant) slavery and its implications for the status of American blacks right down to twentieth century."

A press-kit is available at www.SlaveToUntouchable.com .
###

[GiveNun]

I noticed in the posting of my comments, your editor automatically took out words that may be offensive to certain groups (Mexican-Latinos) Asians, Vietnamese, etc. But it left in that N-word. Don't Americans of African Ancestry deserve the same consideration as other groups? Again this is not about an old book that was written during a time when such a word was socially accepted, it is about the racism in this country that keeps that word alive.

[GiveNun]

This isn't about a damn book, it is about racism.

I wonder why the NEGRO Byron Pitts was selected to do this segment of a show that IMHO is riddled with RACISM. FACT: That word N--er, is a word that is intended to demean and demoralize a major segment of the world's population. It has no value and does nothing to improve communications between people. I notice that 60 Minutes have never done a show on vanishing racial and nationality demeaning terms such as, and forgive me for using these words, Kike(Jew), Deigo(Italian), ****(Mexican-Hispanic-Latino), Honkey(White), Krout(German), Limie(British), Fraug (French), Slope (Asian), Beaner (Mexican), Cracker(Poor White Person) **********(Poorly educated White), Mick(Irish), **** (Vietnamese), ***** (Chinese), *******(Mexican).

And remember the "N word" is not a word, it is a social concept of a person's status in the society.

In fact people have been fired from TV shows, BLACK PEOPLE OF COURSE, for using the word *** which has been re-designated as an insult to a person's sexual preference. There is also the new outrage at using a word that is considered offensive to women, the B- word. But is it acceptable for 60 Minutes to use the N word with such joy. The Klan must be so please.

So forgive my confusion at 60 Minutes obvious desire to use the N word, when they avoid using the B word. Seems using a word that is offensive to a woman's attitude, should be much more acceptable then using a word that is intended to be offensive to a major portion of the world's population.

Also the use of the word indicates ignorance on the part of the user. The word is a mispronunciation of the Spanish word "Negro". And for Mr. Pitts' education, the word ****** was not a word that Africans imposed upon themselves, it is a word that was forced on them.

So Mr. Pitts and your most likely WHITE producers, how about doing a show on highly intelligent Negroes, like member of MENSA, oh but you did, but failed to air that segment which was filmed in Denver, Co. Or maybe you can do a show on Wiggers, you know, White people who want to be N words.

Finally Mr. Pitts, who is not old enough to fully understand the impact the N word had on people when used by White police officers as they struck Negroes with night sticks or fired bullets into their flesh, you should go out and fully experience racism before you allow yourself to be party to an attempt by BIGOTS, RACISTS, FASCISTS, to revitalize the use of such a disgusting term.

[lks14592]

As a high school English teacher, I have very strong feelings regarding the unauthorized editing of literature. The word "******" should NOT be replaced. People feel uncomfortable. GOOD!!! The history of the word is a white history also. Learn from our sorry mistakes."Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it."

Now a comment for the editors of this episode. At minute ten in the report, the students are reading John Steinbeck's OF MICE AND MEN. Really? They couldn't get footage with the book your report is on? Granted Steinbeck uses the word in is tale also but that is not the point of your report. Shame on you for passing off the book as HUCK FINN. It makes me wonder what else you fudged!

[sunlife1]

I don't know if the word should be changed in the book. I'm torn about it. I don't have a problem with reading it in the book but more with children reading it aloud in a class of students, who are not yet adults.

I appreciated the teacher who taught it without saying the word, citing that she erred on the side of doing no harm to children. I have a problem with the other teacher who said it in class. I commend her for preparing the class for several days before getting into the book, but if you notice the one black kid in the class felt bad about the word being used. As I would. Would she feel okay if we started flinging around a word she might not like, like c&nt? Or even if her daughter read a book in class (with all males) where the c&nt word or some similar derogatory term for a female were used because it is part of the story (219 times)?

I disagree with the African American professor and consultant in that using the word takes the power out of it. Perhaps, that works for him or for rappers. But, it still stings for me when I hear it. But then that term was used on me, less so lately, but more so at one time. I still don't like hearing it from anyone but most especially from those who aren't black like me. Using the term when we are not yet post-racial does NOT take the power out of it for me nor do I think helps to work towards becoming post-racial.

I also think it is disingenuous to say that because the origin of the word may have been a result of translation/mispronunciation that "black" as simply an identifier is the only meaning of the word since. Maybe like saying "Hey buddy." Really?

I don't have a problem with using curse words in general depending on time and place. I'm from a family of people who curse and I use curse words myself, but rarely if ever directed at anyone and never at children.

And if we are okay about anyone using the n-word or various versions of it, then does that mean they can use it anytime to address a black person? I rarely hear the word addressed to other races of people and then only in hip hop circles. It would make me feel no better to broaden the use to other people. It is a word with a lot of history and none of it good for the people it was used on.

We used to work to protect our kids from this kind of stuff at school and elsewhere, so now it is okay? I guess many would say, "Just get over it." But that word doesn't carry the same significance or have the same affect on everyone equally in a class of diverse in race. Maybe it is okay for my boss to say to me, Hey n-word come here? Maybe the professor featured in the piece is okay if a white person says to him, Hey n-word come here. Where does it stop or are we finally just giving in and giving up?

Please don't call me the n-word. I don't like it.

[Gerti Hamilton]

There is a difference in what should be taught in grad school and grammer school. Young people are emotionally fragile, and there is no reason to subject them to a word that makes them feel embarrased or vulnerable especially when the word slave could be used without any real change to the book. Young people today are expected to be mature adults, when real adults should be more protective and allow them to be children. Most of us remember hurtful things that were said to us when we were young vividly, and they had much more impact on our lives than physical pain. As far as all the strong reaction to changing a book, we've revised books always. The Bible has been revised how many times?

[rionrion]

Let's stop worrying so much about children's feelings and worry about their intellectual development. I am black. In grad school I was uncomfortable when a guy read the word ****** aloud in a Faulkner novel. But I had to put feelings aside to think about the ideas and techniques on the page. It made me a better critical thinker. Let's raise a society of people, black, white, asian, hispanic, native america, arab, etc. who can think, not just feel.

http://******/ifm2c4

[rionrion]

Twain definitely put every word there purposefully. To change it is to the alter the text's meaning and to alter it's strong pro-humanity message. Some alterations in this edition render passages meaningless or nonsensical. As a writer, I sweat over the choice of each word, to have an outsider come and change my meanings for some PC reason would be frustrating to say the least.

Twain would probably have a chuckle at this whole debate.

I write about it here at PANK Magazine: http://******/ifm2c4

[jacobsonic]

My wife and I were frustrated by your coverage of the Huck Finn story. Your coverage carefully avoided the fact that the 'N-word' is a constant part of rap and hip hop music today. The vast majority of the participants in your interview no doubt give little thought to the use of this word in the music they listen to every day. It's when the word appears on the written page and in the classroom that it becomes impactful. This concept was given short shrift, barely alluded to in the final words of your Oregon professor. This was disappointing coverage that came short of what we expect from 60 minutes.