Peter Vecsey is from Queens, New York, so he has a natural appreciation and tolerance for Hip-Hop culture. As a major sports media personality during the ’80s and ’90s, Vecsey had a privileged look at the growth of the game and the celebrities that the culture bred.
Jemele Hill on Twitter
Liking black culture is totally fine. But thinking you have certain rights within a community because you like their culture is privilege. https://t.co/FHL3IXs3gV
In some sectors, he is one of the white guys that actually gets a pass to use the N-word because he helped advance the culture or held certain relationships with major players in the rap game.
harlem kev 52 on Twitter
@jemelehill And, @PeterVecsey1 has had that “privilage” here in new york city since the 1970’s! If u dont believe me, come to Harlem, Brownsville, Bed Stuy, Queensbridge, the Bronx this summer, and ask for yourself.
So I guess the longtime NY Post columnist and former TBS and NBC basketball analyst felt entitled to use the N-word from a Biggie song in his Tweet during the Knicks-Cavs game at Madison Square Garden on Monday night to describe the emotions of Enes Kanter as he mixed it up with LeBron James early in the contest when the Knicks were leading and smelling a romp.
Peter Vecsey on Twitter
Like Kanter is gonna 2B intimidated by LeBron, guy who stood up 2 Tayyip Erdogan. Imagine him being scared of a n*****who breathes the same air as him
Vecsey is a 74-year-old white man, so he was probably out of his jurisdiction a bit by quoting Biggie in the first place. His Tweet reopened the conversation Black America has had many, many times and The Shadow League has written on in the past, about when it’s appropriate for white people to use or refer to the N-word.
The topic had the phone lines of Power 105.1’s Breakfast Club lighting up as the morning crew asked the question, When is it okay for a white person to use the N-word?
People of all races, creeds and colors called up with varying opinions. Most Black callers felt like its never okay, while some white callers reasoned that its hard for them to not use it when reciting a song that they really like and want to recite every word.
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Bestselling author Ta-Nehisi Coates answers an audience question about the power and ownership of words at the Family Action Network event with Evanston Township High School while on tour for his newest book, WE WERE EIGHT YEARS IN POWER. Follow us for more behind-the-books content!
The N-word issue can be debated and analyzed until the turn of the next century. It is such a lightning rod topic, but the word is commonly used in Black culture, especially music and movies, more than most. Its another issue that requires people who arent of color to be openminded and willing to understand why these words are different coming from their mouths.
Vecsey probably thought he was being hip. Or he might have been craving attention. Or he might just be getting old and he doesnt give a B.I.G. what anybody feels about what he Tweets.
After all, this is supposed to be a free country, but the thought police seem to be getting stronger by the minute.
