YouSaid · the spoken record

Randall Kennedy

lines on the record: 168
first: 2023-05-24
most recent: 2023-05-24
sittings or episodes: 1
sources: podcast

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Well, the first thing I want to say about critical race theory is that critical race theory has become a term. So I'm going to put quotation marks around the term critical race theory. In a minute, I'll talk about critical race theory without quotation marks. But to begin with, I want to talk about critical race theory because the reason why people are talking about critical race theory so much now is because politicians mainly Republican right wing politicians Have created a boogeyman. Critical race theory with quotation marks around it. They have created a boogeyman. And they have tried to make it seem as though this boogeyman believes all sorts of ideas that Americans should loathe and that Americans should fear.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“And it's because of that that I say I have been fully supported at Harvard Law School feel that it is an excellent place in which to do work. I'm a fan. I am a fan. And I'm not embarrassed to say it. I am a fan of my workplace, Harvard Law School. Very happy to be associated with Harvard Law School.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“I would have said, well, frankly, I don't, you know, I don't see what the, I don't even see what the big deal is because I use the word negro. You know, Harvard University is not on some island that is apart from everything else that's happening in the world. If these things are happening in other places, if they're happening at Stanford, if they're happening at Yale, if they're happening at Columbia, they're going to happen at Harvard. But thus far, and I am most especially experienced in life at Harvard Law School. Harvard Law School is an open environment in which ideas are tested. And they are tested fully”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“I was talking with colleagues a couple months ago and somebody mentioned that this word had come up in their class because what had happened was one student was reading from a Supreme Court decision and the word Negro was part of what they read out and another student held up his hand and said to the student who was reading, hey, you should be careful because, you know, I find the word negro offensive. And you need to be careful about even saying a word that would be offensive to someone. And this person, and then, you know, the teacher was, you know, what should I say in those circumstances? What should I have said? And I volunteered, you know, and I said, well, gosh, that's really interesting because, see, if that had come up in my class.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“I don't know how widespread it is. I know there was a very good article in The New York Times a couple of days ago about these positionality statements. And in fact, that's what sort of tipped me off. Somebody had told me there's a law review at my home institution, and I had a friend who had Who sort of mentioned this offhandedly and who said, well, I submitted an article to this journal and I was a little bit taken aback insofar as they did have me fill out a questionnaire. in which I was required to state my race, state this, state that, state the other. And, you know. Far as I'm concerned What is that have to do with a proper assessment? Somebody's work This concerns me. I'm concerned about the fact, you know, a little while ago you mentioned A little while ago you mentioned the word negro.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Though, in addition to me submitting my article, I've got to give a positionality statement in which I say whether I am, you know, gay or straight or what have you, in which I say my race, in which I say my nationality, in which I say my stance toward this ideological position or that ideological position? What”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“What would we think then? Let's suppose it was something that said instead of it saying DEI, let's make it say the advancement of American capitalism as we know it. We want you to be down with that. What have you done that shows us that you believe in the advancement of capitalism in America? Would I be happy about no, I would say this is no Well with respect to these as far as I'm concerned with the DEI statements here's another one I just learned and in fact I mean there are certain things that are happening And I must say, I mean, I'm in academia, but it's news to me. I didn't know until relatively recently about positionality statements. So these are statements in which somebody writes an article. I write an article. Not enough for me just to submit my article to some law review or to some other sort of journal.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Well, you know, a lot of what I do would fit very comfortably within that. But let's suppose that I didn't, just suppose I didn't like this. And by the way, there's certain aspects of the DEI, you know, industry that I don't like. You mean to tell me that, you know, I'm being judged at an academic institution, let's suppose I want to be a chemist. Let's suppose I want to be a physicist. Let's suppose I want to be, I don't care, you know, a critic of literature. I oppose this program. I don't think this is the way in which higher education should be going. Should I have to on pain of relinquishing my ability to be hired? Should I have to sign on to this? Just suppose let's change it around. Let's not make it a DEI campaign. Let's make it a Make America great again campaign.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Yes, that's right. So, you know, you've got to sort of. Basically, what you're being asked to do, whether they say it explicitly or not, they don't say this explicitly, but this is what they're being, this is what is up. What you're being asked to do is to say, I'm down with the diversity, equity, and inclusion. Ethos, program policy, campaign. And here's what I've done that shows that I'm down with this program. And therefore I'm okay.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“In the space of ideas, in the space of speech, in the face of teaching, I haven't been pinched, but I am concerned about things. So, for instance, let's imagine that you're applying for a job. You want to be an assistant professor. Or let's suppose that you're seeking a promotion. On many university campuses, you are asked to give a DEI statement. In which you say, I plan to, you know, one of the reasons why you should hire me or one of the reasons why you should promote me is because I'm going to advance the DEI ambitions.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“I think that at my university and at many universities, that's right. There's too much bureaucracy, too much regulation, and are there dangers? To freedom of expression. At my university and at other universities answer yeah, there are there are so and this has really hit home for me there was a there was a period of time in which I was getting off of I had gotten I'd gotten off of all boards I was just doing my work forget it I'm just going to do my work I'm not going to be on you know associated with any organizations In the last five years, that has changed quite dramatically. I have gotten on various, I've reassociated myself with various organizations, mainly organizations involving academic freedom. Because of what's going on on university campuses. Again, I have been at least thus far. This hasn't pinched me where I live. But, um,”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“We would wake up in a much better United States of America. I've been supported by Harvard University. I think well of Harvard University, that's not to say that I don't have criticisms of it. But by and large, Harvard University, more than by and large, overwhelmingly it has provided me, and I think it overwhelmingly provides my colleagues with a work setting in which they can do their work without fear. And that's a good thing. Are there certain aspects of Harvard University about which I'm critical? Yeah, sure.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Yeah, I am very laudatory of Harvard University. I've been at Harvard since 1984. I think it is a wonderful place to work. You know, in the various positions I've taken, particularly with respect to this book or all my other books, what has Harvard University done? Harvard University has done nothing but provide support, sustenance, encouragement. You know, I think that people get down on Harvard University. I would say to anybody, imagine the following. Imagine that the ethos of Harvard University became the governing ethos of the United States overnight.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“I'm not sure again, you know, there's certain questions in which you're not going to. We're not really going to know there's no sociologist who's going to be able to tell us that. So what do we do then? Then we go to secondary positions. And my secondary position is I don't know one thing that I hold on to, however, very strongly is the virtue of openness the virtue of transparency the virtue of freedom And I feel as though. If I'm holding on to those If I'm trying to engage in a serious conversation In which I'm trying to make other people understand me and I'm listening carefully to other people. I feel at ease I feel at ease. I feel this is going to eventuate in something positive. Know, I feel okay.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“In my view, the answer would be yes, but Again, there are people. I've been on interviews, I've been on stage with people who Had a different conclusion reached and I respect a different way again. There is a place for euphemism, again, it all depends. I'm not offended, let's imagine that you posted this and you had asterisk instead of spelling it out. Would I be offended? No, I wouldn't be offended. I would prefer the full spelling, but I would understand where you're coming from. Would it offend me? No, I wouldn't offend me”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“I would agree, but to get back to your question. Let's imagine that somebody produces a new set of Lenny Bruce albums. So Lenny Bruce was white. Lenny Bruce used the term nigger in his sets.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Again, the cases that I'm most familiar with are the cases involving teachers, professors, you know, academic. And it is said sometimes, oh, why do I object? I object. Sometimes people say because I suspect that this teacher just wanted to say the word and that all of this is a cover, a pretext. Do I, you know, in my sense, my sense of it is, no, I don't think it's a pretext. If it's pretextual, that's bad. But in my experience, I have not seen that. I don't believe that that's what's going on.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Say bad joke, you were not funny. I don't object to the use of the infamous N-word. I just say, you know, you're not very funny.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Word usage. Let's imagine a white comedian. Who is satirizing our current practice and wants to poke fun at the way in which, you know, let's imagine you have a black rapper. Who invites people on stage? And let's suppose they invite a black person on stage and they're perfectly happy when the black person full out with their lyrics. They invite a white person on stage. The white person doesn't really, you know, sort of mystified, but it comes on stage and full out with what the rapper says, including the infamous N-word, and then the black rapper gets mad. Imagine the white comedian who satirizes that, pokes fun at that. And in poking fun at that says the infamous N-word, am I angry? No, I'm not angry. Not angry at all.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“So imagine a white history professor giving a lecture about the history of American racism and says in 1948 This is what so and so, running for the presidency of the United States said. And then Quotes a paragraph or two in which the infamous N-word is featured. Is that bad? No, that's not bad. No, that's not bad. It sounds like a perfectly good lecture. And I'm glad that you put the infamous n word in there so that we can see that as recently as 1948, people who are running for the presidency of the United States openly use the word. That does not bother me. I'll say this too. Now, you know, somebody says, well, you know, nice job, Kennedy, but you've limited it to over here. You've put it in an academic setting. What about other settings? It does not bother me. Let's imagine somebody who's a comedian, a white comedian Who is satirizing?”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Here we need to focus on the word say. Is it ever okay for anyone, black, white, pink, yellow? I don't care, red, orange? Is it okay for anyone to use this word in a way to put down people, to terrorize people, to intimidate people? Answer no, you know, and I'd say that black person. I've seen, and by the way, I've seen black people use this word to try to intimidate put down other black people. Bad. So I'm against it with a black person, white person. Doesn't matter. On the other hand, on the other hand... Imagine Imagine a White person Giving a lecture On the history of American racism A lecture on the history of American racism. And in giving that lecture, the, you know, Uh White racist politicians who until fairly recently in American life used the infamous inward”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Not at all. In fact, it seems to me that the bolderization of these great artists, literary work, as far as I'm concerned, highly objectionable, highly objectionable.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Want you to be educated about the uniform of the Ku Klux Klan so that you can look at the uniform of the Ku Klux Klan and know what it's about. You're not terrorized by it. You're not immediately, you don't see it and sink to your knees and start wailing and crying. You don't see it and say, I'm traumatized. No, you don't do any of that. You see it. Understand it. If somebody asks you about it, you're fully prepared to talk about it. It seems to me that that attitude, that poise, that strength, that knowledge would be a better way of equipping us to have a more loving world. And by the way, just so, you know, I would say that about the swastika. I would say it about the infamous inward. I would say it about all of the things that we're talking about. It would be better for people to be educated so that they are not traumatized.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“I think that's good. And I would associate myself with your vision. How can we maximize love? No, I love that. I think that's great. So let's take that on. I doubt that the way of doing that To Erase the infamous inward. I doubt that the way of doing that Is to say to people. We understand that your feelings are really hurt, and we're going to do all that we can to avoid this symbolic action, maybe this word or maybe this symbol. We're going to do all that we can to suppress it so that we can have a more loving universe. I doubt that that's the way to do it. I think a better way to do it. I think a better way to do it would be to fully educate people, including educate people such that You see that over there? That is the uniform of the Ku Klux Klan.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Luther King Jr. And then let's imagine that a Ku Klux Klansman comes up to me after my talk and says, oh, you have now hurt my feelings. What am I supposed to be supposed to apologize? Am I supposed to be regretful that my talk about the greatness of Martin Luther King Jr. has hurt the feelings of the Klansman? No, my response is going to be, you know, you need to reevaluate your feelings because actually your feeling of hurt is unjustified. And no, no, there's no apology coming from me.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“What I want, I would want the word to be there and for people to understand how to deal with this word. And by the way, you've used the word hurt an awful lot. So let's talk about hurt. I think we need to be more careful with the way in which we deal with hurt. Because people can be justifiably hurt. You can have justifiably hurt feelings. And if somebody has justifiably hurt feelings, I then think that we should turn to the person who has hurt those feelings and say, you have acted wrongly because this person's feelings are justifiably hurt in relationship to what you've done. On the other hand, there are people who have hurt feelings and frankly it's unjustified. So just imagine the following. Let's imagine that I give a talk about the greatness of Martin Luther.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“If there was a technology that always blanked this word, N-I-G-E-R, I would be against that. For one thing, it would erase the name of one of my books. And I think, you know, and I'm thinking that the book actually has a lot of useful information, makes some useful points. And by the way, let's imagine, let's imagine a world in which there was a technology that blanked every time Nigger appeared, you would have, what would that do to novels by James Baldwin, by Tony Morrison, by what would that do to the speeches of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr. What would that Due to the comedy albums of Richard Pryor, Kat Williams, Dave Chappelle, you know, what would that, if one sort of plays that out. Would one want to have all of those blanks? Important. Literary and political. Performances. No, I don't want such blanks”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“My response is it all depends on the way in which the word is being used. If the word is being used to intimidate, if the word is being used to Then no, along with lots of other words, by the way. I mean, you can have, you could, I could use the word, I suppose, gentleman. I mean, I'm sure that I could conjure up a way in which that word could be used in a intimidating way. Would I be happy?”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“They haven't changed their name. And as far as I'm concerned, it's a wonderful organization. There are people who have used the word colored. That's what my grandmother used, colored. Perfectly fine as far as I'm concerned. So again, there are lots of different words that one can use. You can use different formulations. I understand that people have different preferences. Fine. I have my preferences at least know where I'm coming from.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“You're telling me that this word is so out of bounds, that this word is derogatory, nobody should ever use this word. Does the fact that Thurgood Marshall demanded that I use this word, does that complicate things a little bit? And so I think that people, again, ought to know more. I mean, I've encountered students who don't know very much but who want to lecture me on word usage because they know three sentences about current fashion. and hold it you know hold it By the way, I push it further. I sometimes use the word colored. And then some people really don't like that. Colored? Well, you know, there's an organization still very much alive in American life and law. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the NAACP.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“And let me look into this. And I ended up writing an essay about it, an essay about the history. Of the terms that black people have used. Describe themselves. It's a long list, you know, black, colored, Afro-American, African American, Negro, et cetera. So I go through all that, and I said, Now, let me just tell you, I know for certain when I started using the word Negro. Often in writing. I can date it. 1983, the summer of 1983 is when I started using the word Negro in my professional life. As a lawyer. And I did it for a very specific reason. I did it because my boss demanded that I negro capital in. Now, who was my boss? My boss, in the summer of nineteen eighty three, Was Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court Thurgood Marshall, known as Mr. Civil Rights. Now, it seems to me.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“I use African American, Black, Afro-American, but I also use the word Negro. Now there are some people who get really mad at me because of, you know, when I use the word Negro. And so, for instance, there's students who've gotten really quite exercised. And they'll say, you know, I'll be giving a lecture and a hand will go up. I'll call on somebody and they'll say, listen, are you using the word Negro And it's purely because of the historical time period that you're using. So is that why you're using it? Or are you using it in your own voice? And often I'll say, well, I'm using it in my own voice. And they'll say, Well, I'm offended. We think that this is, you know, that's old timey, it's derogatory. This first came up, I Said, let's pause for a moment. And I'll take that under advisement.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Well, yeah, sure. Happy to. Negro Is a also controversial, it's also controversial. But Negro has never been viewed by a substantial number of people. As a derogatory term, at least in the with the same amount of animus, the same amount of... It's a very different kind of word than nigger or nigga. I mean, after all, I mean, you know, Negro, Martin Luther King Jr., all of his great oratory, Negro. You read the work of the great W. E. Du Bois, Negro. You read the work of My Boss. For instance, I use the word Negro.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“No, I think there's a difference between nigger and nigger. I mean, people make a distinction between them. And I think that to the extent that lots of people make a distinction between them, I think, you know, just as a sociological fact, they are different. I think that people who get upset if somebody, especially white people. So, you know, if a white person says nigga and they're, you know, sort of criticized about it and they say, well, I didn't say nigger. I said nigga, believe me. I think most, you know, most people who are mad at them are going to stay mad at them. Now you raised the word, you know, so nigger and nigger, I would put. In a very different category than Negro.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“All this person saw was a white person saying nigga. And the next thing pow. That's not You know, some sort of overheated scenario coming from some law professor's mind. That is a very plausible scenario. So you have to be worried about lots of things, including mistake. So my advice to you is be prudent. I would stay clear the word unless you're very certain and unless if you're called on it you feel you're in a position to defend yourself defend what you're doing but the prudent thing would be to stay clear”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“You to consider. Let's suppose for the sake of discussion that your friend says, oh, doesn't bother me, I know where you're coming from. We're just enjoying the music. I don't think that this is a racist utterance coming out of your mouth. Let's suppose that your friend says that. That doesn't end matters because let's imagine the following. Let's imagine that you're in a theater. And you're waiting for the A film to start And you're just talking with your friends or singing with your friends or just kicking back with your friends. And they're talking about nigger this or nigger this. And you say it, you the white boy say it. And the next thing you feel is a fist, a big fist in your mouth. Has been launched by a person that you did not see who was right behind you.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“And I have black friends, and we listen to rap, and we're, you know, we're driving in the car and we're listening to the song. We start humming along and singing along. And my black friends sing along. And when nigger or nigga comes up, they sing and I don't know what to do. Is it wrong for me to sing along? This happened so often that I'd say about the tenth time I got in such an email, I wrote a form letter because I didn't want to just take up time. Writing sort of crafting letter after letter after letter. So I wrote a form letter. And basically what I said was listen, number one I'm flattered that you're asking me, but number one, you should have a conversation with your friend. Number two, no matter what your friend says, let me put something else.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“But that's, you know, that's a critique. And I think there's strength to that critique. I'm not going to say that that's a ridiculous critique. There is something to that. And by the way, I should say, and that's why I would say to anyone, that's right, if this word comes out of your mouth, you are taking on real responsibility. So for years, it doesn't have happen so much now, but they were, I'd say for about the first. Five years after this book was published, I would get an email at least once a week. And it would begin like this dear Professor Kennedy, I read your book and I'm calling to ask you a question. And as soon as I saw that, I knew what the question was going to be. And what the person would say is the following. I like rap, and then I knew what was coming. I like rap. I'm white.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Especially those who don't know anything about really about the history of it. And he went on to say, I think that your book, though well intended, is probably going to be seen by some people as giving them permission to use the word. Then he stopped. And I thought that there was a lot of power behind that gentleman's comment. I think that what he said is probably correct in so far as there probably some people who read the book. There are probably some people who are listening to our conversation right now. Who will. That I'm giving people permission. To use the word. I have said that I'm not. I want people to understand the word. I think that there is a burden that comes from whenever you utter a word like this.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Yeah, critics. Let's start with the critics. One, again, going back to when the book was first published, I remember going to the first bookstore I went to, and I talked about the book, had a very, you know, talk, asked questions. And the last comment wasn't a question, but the last comment was made by a An elderly black man. Called And he said, I've listened to what you've had to say, and I appreciate what you've had to say. But he said, but I remain unconvinced. And I remain unconvinced because When I was coming up This word was used to put me in the back of the bus. And this word was used to prevent me from voting. And this was the word that was used to justify me never being called as a juror So, to me, this word has only one meaning. It's a terrible meaning. I'm never going to use the word. It hurts me when I hear people use the word”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Not just using this word willy-nilly. There's a pedagogical reason. There is a reason for why I'm saying what I'm saying. There is a reason why I use the word”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“We have a strict policy here at the station. We never use this word. And I said, well, gosh, I wish you had told me this earlier. Does this mean then that you're never going to pronounce fully the title of my book? And she said, that's right. And I had to make a choice right then and there. Am I going to go on or am I not? I went on and I abided by the station's rules. And fine, we had a perfectly fine conversation. And, you know, there is a place for euphemism, the American language is a very supple language. There are lots of words that one can use. I do not get angry with people who don't, you know, they say, as a matter of principle, they're not going to use the word fine. I'm willing to, I understand where they're coming from. And often I will defer to their wishes. All I say is I want people to understand where I'm coming from.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Utter this word and I've talked with people, I've had people say, you know, I read your book, let's talk about it, but let's be very clear. I'm not going to use the word. I've had many conversations with people who've asked me not to use the word. I was on a, the first time this came up was a book tour. It was 20 years ago when the first book first came out and I was on one of these call-in shows early in the morning. Time came to call in seven o'clock. I called in at 507. Right before I go on, the host of the show says, oh, by the way.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“The title could have been in word. Sure, the title could have been. The title could have been a book about a word that causes pain to many people. I could have named it that. There are many titles. I could have used. Did I want a title that would be provocative? Did I want a title that would grab people? The answer to that is yes. I'm a writer. I want people to read what I write. Was I being sensationalistic? Well, I mean, if you want to put it like that, yes, I don't, I'm not embarrassed to say that. I mean, I'm sure that when people write books, they think really hard about their titles and they try to get a title that will, you know, grab people's attention. I know people respect people very deeply who never As a matter of principle, never”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Yeah. Well, am I deliberate? The answer is yes. And let me unpack that a little bit. First, That's right. I mean, am I deliberate? Yeah. I deliberately wrote a book called Nigger, The Strange Career of a Troublesome Word and was that deliberate? Yeah, that was quite deliberate.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Right Well, I think Yoko Ono, I think, had something to do with that song. So, I mean, it is a slur that has spawned other slurs. And again, this is, that's why, as you indicated a moment ago, this is a quite unique term.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Became that not only that, not only that, but of course. Then nigger spurred other slurs. So Arabs, sand niggers. The Irish, the niggers of Europe. Women, the niggers of the world.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“I think it has something to do with the uniqueness of the color line, particularly as it pertains to African Americans. I think that the fact that nigger Sort of occupies such a unique status among slurs. I think that's a reflection of the unique stigma. Has been imposed on African Americans.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“And then I said, Oh my goodness, this is really, and this is really interesting. And then I started just cataloging all the different cases. There came a point, I'd say probably about a month into this. I compared the number of times that nigger came up with other sorts of slurs. So for instance, Kike, K-I-K-E, longtime, you know, derogatory word for Jews. How many times has this word come up? There was a time in which the word appeared Nothing like the infamous N-word. Nothing. And then I, you know, what about Wetback? What about, and then I just, you know, let me just take a look at all the other slurs. Nothing came close, not even remotely close to nigger. And I think it has something to do with...”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Father whom I revere. That's the smartest nigga in the world. That's the bravest nigga in the world. That's the baddest nigger I know. He wasn't putting people down. This is what he talked. And I grew up hearing this word in various ways. And so I was thinking to myself, God, where did this word come from? And one of the first things I did, I clearly remember just jumping up out of my seat, running up to the library, Oxford English Dictionary. When did this word first appear in English? Was the history of the word And then what really sort of grabbed my attention. I get my computer going and I ask the computer system. Give me every case. Every federal court case in which this word appears thousands of cases.”
2023-05-24 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #379 – Randall Kennedy: The N-Word – History of Race, Law, Politics, and Power · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source