WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 2007 | NATIONAL NEWS | WWW.KANSAN.COM THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN | 17
NATION
NAACP buries N-word at convention
Carlos Osorio/ASSOCIATE PRESS
By Corey Williams Associated Press
In a ceremony similar to one six decades ago, the NAACP is putting to rest a long-standing symbol of racism by holding a public burial for the N-word during its annual convention in Detroit, Monday. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People delegates from across the country gathered Monday and marched about a quarter-mile to Hart Plaza for a ceremony and rally. Along the way, two Percheron horses pulled a pine box on top of which sat a bouquet of fake black roses. The N-word has been used as a slur against blacks for more than a century.
DETROIT - There was no mourning at this funeral.
Hundreds of onlookers cheered Monday afternoon as the NAACP put to rest a long-standing expression of racism by holding a public burial for the N-word during its annual convention.
Delegates from across the country marched from downtown Detroit's Cobo Center to Hart Plaza. Two Percheron horses pulled a pine box adorned with a bouquet of fake black roses and a black ribbon printed with a derivation of the word.
The coffin is to be placed at historically black Detroit Memorial Park Cemetery and will have a headstone.
"Today we're not just burying the N-word, we're taking it out of our spirit," said Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. "We gather burying all the things that go with the N-word. We have to bury the 'pimps' and the 'hos' that go with it."
He continued: "Die N-word, and we don't want to see you 'round here no more."
The N-word has been used as a slur against blacks for more than a
century. It remains a symbol of racism, but also is used by blacks when referring to other blacks, especially in comedy routines and rap and hip-hop music.
"This was the greatest child that racism ever birthed," the Rev. Otis Moss III, assistant pastor at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, said in his eulogy.
Public discussion on the word's use increased last year following a
tirade by "Seinfeld" actor Michael Richards, who used it repeatedly during a Los Angeles comedy routine and later issued a public apology.
The issue about racially insensitive remarks heated up earlier this year after talk show host Don Imus described black members of the Rutgers University women's basketball team as "nappy-headed hos" on April 4.
McCain presidential campaign officials fired
WASHINGTON — John McCain's campaign manager and chief strategist are gone from their leadership roles, a major staff shake-up for the struggling Republican presidential candidate who is all but broke and trails in opinion polls.
In statements, Terry Nelson, a veteran of President Bush's successful 2004 re-election effort, said he resigned as campaign manager effective immediately and John Weaver said he stepped down from his post of chief strategist on Tuesday. But other officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid discussing private conversations, said Nelson was fired.
Associated Press
White House urges more patience in Iraq
WASHINGTON — A report citing a lack of progress by the Baghdad government is only "a look at the starting line" of the U.S. troop surge and shouldn't be used by critics to demand withdrawal, President Bush's spokesman said Tuesday.
"What Congress will get
this week is a snapshot of the beginning of the retooling of the mission in Iraq," said Snow, who defended the administration's war policy and argued that it's too soon to be talking about end-game strategies.
"Some of the benchmarks have been made, some of them haven't;"said Snow, confirming comments that a senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, made to The Associated Press earlier.
Associated Press
Pa. government back after short shut down
HARRISBURG, Pa. Thousands of state workers who were sent home without pay were back on the job Tuesday after the governor and legislators hammered out a budget deal.
Nearly 24,000 government employees were furloughed Monday, and state parks, state-run museums, driver-license offices and other non-essential services closed for the day amid a partisan deadlock that held up a state spending plan nine days into the new fiscal year.
Associated Press
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