Neger er ikke et neutralt udtryk!

Nicole J.O.V.E. Frederiksen
Gæst

/ #16 A learning process

2014-04-11 10:33

After prolonged heated discussions, both on the AEC's facebook page as well as in groups for the black minority, I finally reached a conclusion:

I have always been conscious about the word 'neger' and its negative connotation, its origin and its use during the time of slavery. I have and will never deny just that.
I was convinced that my individual approach to combat the use of the word belongs only to people like me, who both are seen as part of the black minority, but are also resourceful and can stand among the white majority. I am privileged enough to be able to represent both sides of the case, as I happen to be born as mixed. However, I have always felt at home with the black minority, it has always felt most natural for me to see myself as a black individual and to care for my West African culture.

I have earlier today had an online conversation with the chairman of the AEC, who greatly influenced me. He spoke with the thought of the black community rather than the black individual and spoke about those who will always be labeled as part of the black minority in Denmark. I've even experienced some Danish residents' ignorance in relation to being black. I myself have also experienced the fear of foreigners that many Danes unconsciously have.

My signature is my way of showing towards the AEC as well as the Danish Government that I agree that the word 'neger' should not belong in the public as it, due to its negative connotation, will make politicians seem unsympathetic and without major historical knowledge when speaking to the world community. By signing this petition, I think of the many people who unfortunately do not have the resources to define themselves. However, I do still believe that there is a need for further evaluation of the communicative approach of AEC, if we are ever going to have any hopes of reaching out to the Danish majority as the minority group we are. We need to communicate by focusing on the target audience rather than to communicate while focusing on those we represent.