Why I Quit the Writers’ Room The worst thing you can do to citizens of a democracy is silence them.

New York Times ^ | Sept. 6, 2019 | Walter Mosley

[Widget Jr]

Earlier this year, I had just finished with the “Snowfall” writers’ room for the season when I took a similar job on a different show at a different network. I’d been in the new room for a few weeks when I got the call from Human Resources. A pleasant-sounding young man said, “Mr. Mosley, it has been reported that you used the N-word in the writers’ room.”

I replied, “I am the N-word in the writers’ room.”

He said, very nicely, that I could not use that word except in a script. I could write it but I could not say it. Me. A man whose people in America have been, among other things, slandered by many words. But I could no longer use that particular word to describe the environs of my experience.

I have to stop with the forward thrust of this story to say that I had indeed said the word in the room. I hadn’t called anyone it. I just told a story about a cop who explained to me, on the streets of Los Angeles, that he stopped all niggers in paddy neighborhoods and all paddies in nigger neighborhoods, because they were usually up to no good. I was telling a true story as I remembered it.

[Cloverfarm]

Paddy means Irish (like Patrick?) Or Asian (rice paddies)?

I don’t know about you guys’ kids, but mine differentiated between “niggah” (between friends) and n****R “with the hard R” which is an insult.

[leaning conservative]

Had no idea, very interesting. This is one of the reasons I 💘 FR, I learn things all the time.

[Cheesehead in Texas]

Paddy is an ethnic slur denoting an Irish person or person of Irish descent. The term “paddy wagon” was (and still is) used to describe a police van used to round up prisoners. The implication was that Irish immigrants were drunk, disorderly, frequently fighting or brawling, or just common criminals, and were the largest number of occupants of the police transport. Potato picker or potato eater is a more modern insult.

My kids also differentiate between pronunciations, and use “niggah” among themselves and their friends. At least their southern friends. Their northern friends are appalled. I discourage them from calling me that.