In the spirit of America's Black History Month (which is celebrated every February), I have chosen to write on a really uncomfortable subject-matter: the unkind things American blacks and African immigrants in America say to each other either good-humoredly or in moments of inflamed passions.
About three years ago, my then 6-year-old daughter came back from school looking noticeably anguished. The first thing she said to me was, "daddy, what does 'African booty scratcher' mean?" I had never heard that expression before, but it struck me as singularly hilarious. So I laughed out loud. But my daughter didn't share in my fun. "That isn't funny, daddy! It's a really mean insult."
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