To Whom It May Concern:
We feel ashamed, embarrassed and am terribly disgusted with last week’s issue of The Panther [February 22, 2006]. Though we have noticed that Prairie View’s student publication has started to go downhill rapidly in the past few editions, last week’s commentary entitled “For My Nigga’s,” was the last straw on our putting up with The Panther and it’s self-destructive ways. The title alone is an embarrassment to this University. We are guessing that the title would read “For my ignorant.” Just whom is the editor speaking to? Students are ignorant? All students? Or just the Black ones whom she seems to be specifically speaking to? Blacks are “nigga’s” and ignorant? So would it behoove the editor to write a commentary entitled “For My Chinks.” “For My Wetbacks,” “For My White trash?” But of course The Panther wouldn’t publish that. It seems as though she chose to use a word that describes someone who is lacking knowledge or awareness in general; uneducated and unsophisticated, and interchanged it to refer to Blacks.
Funny how we want to fight this word, yet so quick to embrace it. Let us not forget that The Panther is read by more than just the students walking this campus. It is read nation wide by alumni, other HBCU’s, parents, and even some historically white universities. It’s a sad day when you feel you must talk to the Black students by calling them nigga’s. How about addressing them as scholars, like they are? Be diverse. Isn’t that what Prairie View is promoting? So lets ALL be Nigga’s, lets not narrow it down to just one race of students. Diversity is the key, right? The Panther was quick to offend its Black students. But who cares? Prairie View is all about being diverse, so lets call them all out as Nigga’s, Coon’s Darkies, or how about plain old Nigger? We’re just keeping it real, as the editor was trying to do to get to the students attention.
Instead of addressing them professionally or intelligently as they are. If we continue to let The Panther disgrace us, and disrespect students what else will they get away with? It’s not just about the one issue of The Panther; it’s about The Panther in general. It is the content, the subject matter the overall role that the publication plays on our campus. What message does The Panther give our students? But not just our students, what about others who read The Panther?
We fully understand the freedom of free speech and support anyone who observes this right, but what about tact. It needs to be reminded that this is and educational setting, and there is time and place for everything, it is our opinion that this was not taken into consideration. I ask would more readers be offended if someone of a different expression had written the above-mentioned piece? Where is the line drawn? Would The Panther have run the story if a white student had written the article? Or do we let everything slide and just act as if it didn’t occur? When we have something representing us nationwide it seems as though we would want to make sure that we are represented well, because the Panther is a reflection of Prairie View and its students.
It’s amazing how some stories can run and others not. Rest assured that any story criticizing administration, no matter how factual it is, would not stand a chance against an offending piece as “For My Nigga’s.” We question, and would just like to draw attention to the portrayal of Prairie View students that this piece seeks to speak about. Our complaint is the nature of this title, the sheer tackiness that it displays and our concern for how it reflects PV students.
This is truly just our opinion, and the piece did ask, “what do we think,” so here is our reply. We think that The Panther has acted neglectfully toward our students and all readers of the publication. It is our hope and prayer that The Panther will be able to regain footing and begin to once again produce quality work and give positive representation of Prairie View students.
Kasai Manuel and Latisha Johnson-Wallace