Dear Brian et al:

 

Leroy Comrie's attempt to enact a "symbolic" ban on "the n-word" is appalling.  His lip service to the First Amendment is hypocritical.  If he is not trying to curtail the use of the word, what is the purpose of his ban?  If he is trying to curtail the use of the word, then his "symbolic" ban is close to coercion and censorship, even though it lacks the force of law.

 

Furthermore, Councilman Comrie flatly contradicted himself.  He claimed that he had no interest in curtailing the use of the word in the arts, but still wants record companies to force artists to find other "alternatives".  Is music no longer one of the arts?

 

To claim that record companies force artists to use the word for commercial reasons, as the Councilman implied, seems deeply suspect.  Furthermore, this is not a responsibility of government.  The free flow of debate and ideas is essential to the functioning of any democracy.  When government says that you can or cannot use this word or idea (and the re-purposing of "nigga" as a term of affection among African-Americans is an idea, as much as the Councilman would like to brand it as simply ignorance). this cannot help but have a chilling effect on intellectual freedom.  Even without the force of law, this is an inappropriate intrusion into the marketplace of ideas.  

 

Sincerely,

Matt McIver