Saw this on a site someone else posted in another thread...

What do you think about this?

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A Hip Hop Clothing Store Called 'Nigger'
by Playahata.com

My name is David Sylvester and I recently completed a charitable bicycle trip in Africa, riding over 7000 miles from Cairo, Egypt to Cape Town, South Africa . The trip made me the first and only African American to cross two continents on a bicycle. I have plenty of great and fascinating stories. Many are funny, others bittersweet, some are poignant, but all are entertaining. Surprisingly one story has stood out and if it was not for the fact that I have a picture of it, many would never believe it. and it is for that reason that I am sharing it with you.

While in Lilongwe, Malawi, I came across a store by the name of “Niggers” ---that’s right “ Niggers”! The other riders, who were all white, could not wait to inform me of this to see my reaction. Initially, I thought that it was a very bad joke but when the other riders were adamant about the existence of the store, I had to see it for myself.

What I found was a store selling what the owner called 'hip hop’ style clothing . It was manned by two gentlemen --- one of them asleep! (Talk about living up to or in this case down to a stereotype) I asked the guys what was up with the store name. After hearing my obvious non - Malawian accent and figuring out that I was from America, the man thumped his chest proudly and said “P-Diddy New York City! we are the niggers!”

My first reaction was to laugh, because many things when isolated can be very funny, but it quickly dawned on me that this was so not funny at all. It was pathetic. I did these bicycle trips across the USA and through the ‘Mother –Land’ in honor of one of my good friends, mentors and fellow African American, Kevin Bowser, who died on 9/11. Here I am, a black man riding across the world on his bicycle in honor of another black man, riding ‘home’ and what do I see?? Some Africans calling themselves Niggers! They were even so proud of it they put it on their store front to sell stuff. When I relay the story to folks back home in Philadelphia, most of them laugh too and rationalize it by saying ‘well, we can say it to each other’ or ‘there is a difference’ or even ‘they just spelled it wrong. It should have been ‘nigga’s’ or ‘niggah’s’ Gee like that would make a difference.

The issue is not the spelling. I was wrong. We are wrong. There is no justification for an infraction of this magnitude. The word and the sentiment behind it is Flat out wrong! We have denigrated and degraded ourselves to the point that our backwards mindset has spread like a cancer and infected our source, our brothers, our sisters, our Mother Land. I have traveled all over the world and have never seen a store by the name of “Jew Devils”, ‘spic bastards’ , ‘muff divin''’ dykes’ or anything like that- Only the store niggers!

I am to blame for this. Every time I said the word I condoned it, by not correcting others or rationalizing it gave it respectability, by looking the other way when others said ‘hey nigga what’s up’ allowed others to see it and ultimately that when I purchase CDs, DVDs, T-shirts and other stuff, I enriched it. I now see the error in my ways and I am so so sorry black men and women. The flame that we called entertainment, that was only to warm and entertain us, now engulfs us and scorches our own self esteem. If a child only knows to refer to men and women as niggers, bitches, pimps and hoes, then what is he/she to grow up thinking of themselves and others as he/she gets older?

This is no joke you can see my site www.contribute2.org/ and read some more stories. The bottom line is this I rode over 12000 miles on 2 continents through 15 states and 13 countries and broke 2 bikes in the process to get to a store in AFRICA called niggers. I am willing to step and admit my part in the havoc that we have wrought on our mindset but I think that We all are to blame.

I finish with 4 things:


if you don’t like being called a nigger, bitch, faggot, dyke, spic, Jew dog, wop, towel head or anything of that ilk- then THINK. THINK before you speak those words, write those lyrics, support that rhetoric and most of all THINK before you purchase! Purchasing is akin to compliance- I may like the beats and rhythms of some songs but I can not support it any more. You rappers are intelligent- find another word to describe your selves

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOSAND WORDS!
read the quote below. If they call you a nigger is one thing but if you answer to it then there is really something wrong!
please forward this to the black folks that you know and let us please, please stop the madness


To see Picture click here
www.playahata.com/images/...luence.jpg

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sorry OMB but im to drunk to read all that, word

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That Old School Mother Fucker

Aint That A Bitch?

Crhyme Sindicate

Thats your store johnno..

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RIP jono, peace out bboy.
Pardon Canada Criminal Record Pardons Services Toronto

Whats the world coming to.

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lmfao................ word. Since I live in africa and cant speak english and stuff.

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maybe since its in africa "nigger" is a term for people from the country "niger" since thats where white people got the word from anyway. =/

Nah... read ALL of it.. lol

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damn it but I don't want to ....fine....*gets coffee*

oh ok I just read it.I understand it.I'm black and say nigga alot,but I mostly started saying it so it wouldn't have such an impact.Seems like I can't get in a argument with a white person without the word being mentioned.Me saying it doesn't do any difference.People are gonna say it no matter what.Out of the black community.Strait Aim told me about his school and that everyone is so racist there.He said they talk about blacks ALOT.Until another black is there.The reason africans call themselves that is because they think that nigger is some sorta fad word we use.They really need to learn lol *shakes head*

being black has become a gimmick...its whats in atm...its sad

I think this thread should be closed...simply for the sake of decency

shock value to get people to read about some bull shit is a NO NO.


PERIDO.


1

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Youtube Video for my song "CARRY ON"

You didnt read it ay -_- The title completely relates to the content.

Its about the store called niggers in africa and how it provoked thought... why wouldnt the thread be called niggers?

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well i still think that black peeps have a word other than white boy rite???

.....link at the bottom of your story don't work

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