The "N" word

White people aren't supposed to say the N word, but black people can. White people think they should be allowed to say the N word since black people do, but black people don't want them to. White people say the N word (not all of them). Black people say the N word (not all of them). Black rappers "sing" the N word. White kids buy their music.

As a white person, I'm not supposed to say (or write) the N word. And, I don't. I don't have a problem with this expectation of me (as a white person and decent human being) because I understand that when a white person says the N word, it probably has a different meaning than when a black person says it. Recently, three white people used the N word in my presence. They used it to put down black people in a hateful way.

I don't pretend to understand how a black person, especially a child, feels when he or she hears the N word. From a historical perspective, the N word has a very negative connotation and is a symbol of white racism and prejudice. It is associated with slavery and the racism that followed slavery and still exists today, albeit in a lesser form.

It doesn't matter if the ancestors of the white person saying the N word were still in Europe during the slavery period or that the black person hearing the word did not descend from slaves. The issue is the same. Bad word. Bad intent. It shouldn't take a rocket scientist to understand this.

While it may seem to some to be a double-standard, I understand how the N word could mean something totally different when it is said from one black person to another. In the black community, the N word seems to have been reborn, redefined (I heard this in a TV interview). That's good, to turn something bad into something good. Why can't white people just let black people have their own word? White people had their chance. They didn't do good with the word.

At the same time, there are far more problems affecting Black Americans than the N word. If I was a black parent, I'd probably be more concerned about the education my child was receiving than what Don Imus said on syndicated radio. That's not to say that racial slurs or other hate language should be tolerated, only that the issue not be put ahead of education, housing, health care, and job creation. It would be nice to see see black leaders attack social problems with the same vigor as they go after white people whose words offend them.

In no way am I a fan of political correctness. Notice I say black people, not African Americans. I think we've gone way too far in analyzing every word that comes out of our mouths. But white people (and other races) could and should refrain from using the N word, spoken or written. If we don't like someone, we should call them a butthead, like five year olds do. Butthead is derogatory, but equal opportunity.

The black community bears responsbility in this issue. I think it would help if black people limited their use of the N word, especially in song lyrics and movies. The use of the N word in our pop culture only serves to desensitize the public, especially young people, to its historical, hurtful meaning.

I googled the N word. It comes from the Latin word niger, meaning black. In English, the word became the noun negro (black person). In Spanish, negro simply means black. It is believed that the N word is the phonetic spelling of the white southern mispronunciation of Negro. No matter the origin, the N word became a degenerative nickname, and we shouldn't use the word when referring to black people or anyone else.

I'm white, not black, so this is just my interpretation of a controversial subject. I hope my words don't offend anyone. Of course, I don't care if I offend racists.

The world would be a better place if only people were more like sheep. Sheep don't care what color each of them is.


“I got nothing against no Viet Cong. No Vietnamese ever called me a nigger." ----Muhammad Ali

Spring is for picture-taking

One of my favorite pastimes is taking pictures of the lambs, dogs, and cat during the spring. Here are a few recent pictures.

Ears is turning out to be the most photogenic lamb of 2007. He seems to crave the limelight. He's a handsome boy, with a devilish personality.

Here's Ears again, this time with McComb. In this picture, Ears seems to be receiving lessons from McComb on how to be a livestock guardian.

Max has always been photogenic. I love this recent picture of him. His eyes match the color of the grass. I don't know what he was looking at. Maybe, he didn't think I could seem him.

To date, this is the most popular picture I've put on Flickr. People love Max's pose. I called the picture Pounce. I'm not sure if he pounced on anything, but it looks like he did. He looks so content in this position.

Another lamb that likes attention is Hondo, a triplet that I supplemented with a bottle. He's been weaned from the bottle for several weeks, but remains very friendly and curious.

This picture was taken more than a month ago, but it never made it to the blog. This is the ewe I call Pretty (#461), snoozing with one of her lambs.

Pretty and her lamb are so pretty that they warrant another picture. Here, they're still dosing on the same beautiful spring day in March.

Sticking with the snoozing them, here's a picture of Darby (#309) using one of her lambs as a pillow. The lamb is the twin sister to Ears. This picture was also taken several weeks ago.

Class of 2007

Each year brings a new set of lambs. Sometimes, I feel like a school teacher who gets a new class of students each year. Like a teacher, I watch the lambs grow and play and develop into healthy, productive individuals. There are always several lambs that stand out due to their performance, appearance, and/or personalities.

Annie (white lamb below) is my favorite. It's hard not to fall in love with a bottle lamb. They bond to you as if you are their mother, which essentially you are. Annie was a twin born to a 2-year old black ewe, who decided she didn't like her white baby. Annie's sister (I dubbed her "Sis") is also very friendly. She never abandoned her sister. I may have a hard time parting with Annie. Hopefully, I'll find her a good home. Or maybe I'll keep her (?) I don't have to decide yet.

Ears stands out on all counts. His big ears have set him apart since his birth. While he is slowly growing into them, his ears are still quite large compared to other lambs. His twin sister has big ears, but nothing compared to his. Ears is one of the nicest-looking, fastest growing lambs in the flock. He'll make an excellent breeding ram. He's also one of the friendliest lambs in the flock. Whenever I'm out in the pasture, he finds me. As a male, he's very frisky and rambunctious. He's never afraid of me or McComb, my guardian dog.

Sundance is another outstanding ram lamb. He, too, is one of the nicest-looking, fastest growing lambs in the flock. I have no doubt he will be sold as a stud ram. He is also very friendly, in a gentle way. His twin brother (Butch, of course) is much more aloof. Sundance's ears are big and droopy like his mom's. His mom is the biggest ewe in the flock. Butch and Sundance are going to be big boys.

Lakisha (named for this year's American Idol contestant) has always known that she is special. She always holds her head high and alert, expecting you to notice her. She's one of four black ewe lambs in the flock, but is the tallest and prettiest. She's all black with one white foot (left rear). Her mom is just a yearling, but as a single lamb, Lakisha is growing quite well. She's a keeper.


My niece named Scarlet. Scarlet gets the prize for being the sweetest, friendliest lamb in the flock (not counting Annie). She has a light brown tinge to her coat. She is blocky and woolier/hairier than most of the lambs. She's somewhat of a fuzzball. Scarlet comes out of a good young mother and maternal line, so there's a good chance I will add her to the flock.


Scrappie Doo is the "scrappiest" lamb in the flock, hence her name. She was a triplet born to a 7 year old ewe that always has triplets. I think her mom decided she only had enough milk for two lambs and abandoned her smallest lamb. I seldom, if ever, saw Scrappie Doo nurse her mother. I must have offered Scrappie Doo a bottle at least a dozen times, but she stubbornly refused each time. Instead, she stole milk where and when she could. Specifically, she latched herself onto my original black ewe, #22, who lets anyone nurse, but is raising her own set of triplets.

For the longest time, Scrappie Doo looked pitiful and scrawnie. She stood all hunched up. But now she is filling out and should eventually catch up with the other ewe lambs. I think she will make a nice breeding ewe because she has strong genes for prolificacy and is a fighter. She's even starting to trust me a bit.

I could never forget Hondo. Hondo is another triplet, born to a 2 year old ewe. He was born smaller than his brothers, so I offered him some extra milk. He liked it, so I fed him a bottle for six weeks, while he still nursed his mother. A double-dipper, he's growing quite well. Since he was a bottle lamb, he is very friendly and curious. I made him a wether, hoping I'll be able to sell him as a grazer or "dog sheep" (for training herding dogs).

I don't name all my sheep or lambs. But each year, I label the special ones. Some of the ones that earn names I keep; some I sell.