Q&A: Are Black / White Lives Counted?
Are Black / White Lives Counted?
Question
Good morning,
Sorry in advance for the general wording of the question, what is the Rabbi’s opinion regarding the struggle of blacks around the world following the murder of a black drug addict by a police officer in the United States? Should whites repent for all their historical sins, and is there a proper way to repent?
Best regards, Benjamin
Answer
Although I very much identify with your protest against political correctness, I assume you’re aware that wording it this way (the word beginning with k, the N-word) in other places can be very offensive and provoke harsh reactions. I’m only drawing your attention to that.
What could my opinion be? Apparently there is a problem with the attitude of the police, and perhaps other institutions as well, toward them (I haven’t checked the data myself, and I know there is some debate about it). The murder itself, as reflected in the video, was horrifying.
Everyone is supposed to repent for his sins, and there certainly were sins in this area, and apparently there still are. The proper repentance is listed in the laws of repentance: abandoning the sin, remorse, resolution for the future, and confession.
That does not mean the protests are being conducted in a proper way. Of course not. And of course the current rampage of political correctness is also problematic.
Discussion on Answer
With God’s help, 2 Tammuz 5780
To Benjamin,
The appellation “kushi” was singled out for righteous people, for example Saul, whom David called “Kush son of Binyamini,” in accordance with the words of the Sages that “kushi” means a righteous person, for just as a Kushite is distinguished by his skin, so a righteous person is distinguished by his deeds.
Likewise Zipporah, the wife of Moses our rabbi, was called “a Cushite woman,” and Onkelos translated it: “a beautiful woman.” There was also the prophet “Zephaniah son of Cushi.” So “kushi” is great praise, bestowed upon righteous people and prophets.
But unfortunately, in modern language the term has become fixed as a derogatory label, and those called by it are hurt by it. Therefore it is advisable to avoid it so as not to offend the listener, and instead to use expressions such as “black,” “dark-skinned,” or “African American,” and the like.
Best regards, Black-and-Yellow Levi-Niger
As for “black,” there’s a problem because that is also a label for a Haredi person, and perhaps one should distinguish between “black” and “blacky” ::)
As I wrote to you, there is no real question here. In my first answer I said that I too object to political correctness, and as far as I’m concerned the word has no meaning beyond what it describes. But given that this exists, and that this word has acquired a problematic connotation in people’s eyes, and that it really does bother many people, I see no point in hurting people.
Dear Kush son of Binyamini, a reminder about righteous people:
https://he.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%A9%D7%99_%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%9F#%D7%9E%D7%90%D7%A1%D7%A8_%D7%95%D7%94%D7%A7%D7%9E%D7%AA_%D7%94%D7%A4%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%93%D7%A7
And about this it is said: “Support and Wednesday for the righteous…
Hello Rabbi,
What is the difference between the word “kushi” and words like Germanic, Semitic, Slavic, barbarian, Chukchi, etc.? Why is the word “kushi” considered an insult (I would not be offended if people called me “Semitic” or even “little Jew”)?
I’d like to remind you that until a few years ago this word was considered a term of endearment, similar to “gingi”…
Should I be careful not to use this word out of concern that someone might be offended?
Best regards, Benjamin