A forum in the Shapiro Atrium addressing the origins and importance of the "N-Word," was held Tuesday night. It was sponsored by the Union Senate Diversity Committee, in collaboration with the Brandeis Black Student Organization (BBSO).Secretary of Senate's Diversity Committee Nicole Amarteifio '04 spearheaded the event.

"The forum provoked more understanding in the community and the education helps defeat racism on this campus," Amarteifio said. "To see faculty and students together means that it's not just the students' issue, but the faculty's issue as well, whether black or white."

Profs. Jacob Cohen (AMST), Ibrahim Sundiata (HIST) and Harleen Singh (ROCL) spoke about the history of the word and any personal encounters they have had with it. They also talked about other words that target blacks as well as other minority groups.

According to the speakers, the main point of the forum was more to inform the entire community of this prevalent issue and to not, Sundiata said, turn it into only a "black issue."

"The same racism is pervasive among a lot of groups and it wasn't really the N-word, but it seemed that it was related to political prejudice in general," Sundiata said. "It was about people getting what they don't deserve. I saw it as an assertion of supremacy and inferiority, but, I do think we should discuss all other forms of bigotry as well."

Prof. Gordie Fellman (SOC) who attended the forum, agreed with Sundiata.

"It is a community issue, not a black issue," Fellman said. "It is among other things an issue of whites facing troubling parts of themselves and the majority culture and learning to free themselves from taking active or passive (by looking the other way) part in perpetuating the hurting and humiliation of various people."

Sundiata continued to voice his opinions.

"I don't even privilege black people to use it," Sundiata said. "I don't like this word because it has a very tortuous history. But the crisis at Brandeis is not about one student saying it. Rather, it's about racism and other issues on campus. The quote was not only connected to the word, but that people are getting what they don't deserve because of the color of their skin... one of the most shocking experiences of my life was when people ran out of words and that was the only word they could use."

According to Sundiata, the issue is also not about an offensive word progressively losing its in partictual meaning. He said he feels that no matter how often the word is used, it will always retain its negative connotation.

Sundiata rejected the thesis of Prof. Randall Kennedy of Harvard Law School concerning this matter. In his 2001 bestseller, "Nigger," Kennedy argued that the more the N-word is repeated, whether through rap songs or through conversations, it will gradually lose its meaning.

Cohen spoke about the importance of the voice responsible for any racist remarks. To clarify his point, Cohen related Malcolm X's talk during his visit to Brandeis. He gave a lecture in Olin-Sang on contemporary black separatism.

According to Cohen, a student asked Malcolm X what the difference is between whites calling blacks racist names and blacks called whites racist names.

Cohen paraphrased Malcolm X's answer.

"The Bible says that man is made in God's image," Cohen said. "The term 'image' is not a noun, rather it is a transitive verb- man is made in God's imaging. This means that when we name them, they become what they are named. When a white man calls a black man by that word, it has the power to make them into what they are named. However, when a black man calls a white man a name (such as 'Chuck,' 'Hunk' and 'Jew'); he is not altered by that name."

Singh said the use of the word is the core of racism.

"It was an issue for non-people of color," Singh said. "It isn't a word that was simply used. Rather, it is issue of an environment for a group of people that allows them to use that word...and in the end, it isn't that the word is an issue - rather that it is our environment that is."

Several years ago, a student approached Fellman with a concern. According to Fellman, the student felt that because there were few or no blacks on either the Justice or on WBRS, he was not comfortable being a part of those organizations.

"Majorities have subtle ways unknown even to themselves of conveying anxiety and exclusion to people they are not comfortable with," Fellman said. "This is one of the enduring parts of racism. Campus media should reflect the demographics of the campus communities, it seems to me. For that to happen, media folks would have to work hard and self-consciously to make that happen."

The forum was beneficial to many students.

"The forum definitely helped publicize the issue of racism," BBSO president Alana Hamlett '06 said. "But I don't know the extent to which it helped. It is not the job of the minority students to be on the forefront when racist things happen. I also think that this shouldn't only be a black problem. This forum was a step to help understand this. But there definitely has to be more done to educate about racial awareness and coexistence."

According to Cohen, the issue of racism must be discussed on a much broader level.

"When I attended the meeting of BBSO, a meeting which I found deeply admirable because they mentioned that they must treat this issue without violence, someone said that if this comment were made about Jews, it wouldn't have been published," Cohen said. "She was wrong. It was published, and it is safe to make these comments at Brandeis. Maybe not all words have the power to hurt, but these certainly did catch my attention."

Cohen said he was speaking about the anti-Semitic remarks that bypassed the editorial lines, as well as the Brandeis community, in the Sept. 16 issue of the Justice.

Singh agreed with Cohen and felt the issue must also be discussed in relation to women and other minority groups as well.

"As a woman I have been called lots of things while walking down the street," Singh said. "So, how does a woman respond? I'm no pacifist and I wouldn't say turn the other cheek. So, I began to teach and for me, the classroom is not only a place where I have the power but where you (the students) have the power."

Fellman also said he enjoyed the forum.

"The Forum was an impressive small piece of what could be an emphasis on reconciliation," Fellman said. "It contributed to understanding, which is a precondition for reconciliation.