JONATHAN E. MCCOY’S SPEECH: A New Petition
This is 10 year old Jonathan E. McCoy. He presented his speech titled “A New Petition” about the ‘N’ word at his church in Baltimore, MD. 4 months ago when he wrote this speech, he had no idea the controversy it would spawn.
Thanks for the post Jason…
Jonathan McCoy’s Mom
June 28, 2009 at 22:27
Thank You!
June 29, 2009 at 01:30
Amazing!
June 29, 2009 at 21:09
I am this young man so much. His speech should be read at every “Black History” programs in our Churches. You would be surprised at “church folks” who use the “N” word. I praise this young man for taking a stand and asking for a New Petition which is equally just as important as any other petition. My request would be to have his speech in written format to be read in our black churches.
Thank you for creating this website. Thank you for speading the news of this petition. May God’s blessing be upon this young child and upon his family.
September 3, 2009 at 15:55
Amazing isn’t it..
September 3, 2009 at 20:54
Actually, Jonathan ministered at a Church on Sunday and a woman came up to him and said that he was talking directly to her since she uses it daily to describe and call her grandson. I encouraged her to call him what she wants to be, not a degenerate name such as the ‘n’ word! Call him “man of God”, “lawyer’, “doctor”, obedient” “respectful”, not a ‘n’ word!!!!
Yes. we were surprised she made such a confession…
Jonathan’s Mom (Linda)
September 3, 2009 at 23:20
Ma’am, you have definitely done a wonderful job with Jonathan! This speech given in the churches are great, but given in barbershops would be prime! Believe me the ‘N’ word is used and abused there.
September 3, 2009 at 23:48
Tru dat…My brother in law played the video in his (barber) shop…very Necessary indeed!!!
September 3, 2009 at 23:56
Very necessary!!
September 4, 2009 at 00:05
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Ithank God for this young man, Jonathan McCoy, because we share the same feelings about the “N word”. This is my prayer that a person, who confesses Jesus Christ, would understand and realize that it’s not just another word in the dictionary; but it’s undignified, wrong and sinful.
November 1, 2009 at 22:53
Thanks! Thumbs up 2 Sidney!
Best Regards,
Jonathan
December 15, 2009 at 03:30
Thanks to you Jonathan!!! Keep up God’s work!!
December 17, 2009 at 22:45
Thank you for your great article. I also must say that your layout is a pleasure to view. Keep up the good work.
January 7, 2010 at 22:16
Thanks!
January 7, 2010 at 22:37
hi- im Deaf and am very curious as to what has been said on the video. is there a transcript on the video for people who want to read what was being said? thanks.
August 31, 2010 at 21:36
Hi Irene, Here’s the written transcript to Jonathan E. McCoy speech. Thanks to Jonathan’s Mom (Linda) and to Jonathan!
Negro, African American, Noir, Nero, Mahogany, Nubian, Black; all of these words have the same meaning. Negro is a Spanish noun and descendant of the word niger meaning ‘black’, somewhere in history it was translated “the ‘N’ word” by those who refer to us as socially, economically, politically, or disenfranchised. Rather then the kings and queens, princes and princesses that we really we are. We are descendants of the continent of Africa. Niger or Nigeria, hold our rich heritage.
Unfortunately, this misinterpretation of our heritage has been perpetuated among our own race. Rather than obliterate this disrespectful term we have adapted it as a cultural phrase. You’ve heard it, “What’s up my ‘n’ word?” or maybe you’ve said it; “Get out of my face ‘n’ word!” So why have we taken this word to use it in our everyday language to communicate to or about ourselves?
Let me dispel the myth. As a people, we are neither economically, politically, nor socially disenfranchised.
Fifty-six years after the emancipation proclamation there was an emergence of Blacks who capitalized on their God given talent. Embodied with the character of self-dedication they were inspired to start this movement. It was termed the New Negro Movement to be exact. If that name doesn’t ring a bell then you might be more familiar with the Harlem Renaissance. A band of writers, artists, musicians, poets, and inventors came together for a new beginning. This explains Renaissance, which means reborn. People like Jasbo Brown, the name synonymous with the introduction of jazz, Duke Ellington, a jazz musician, Marcus Garvey, a Civil Rights Activist and Langston Hughes, Poet Laureate.
So who are you calling the ‘N’ word?
We have held some of the most coveted offices and positions in the history of this nation and affirmative action had nothing to do with it.
According to the definition an ‘N’ word could never be a lawyer, a doctor or a teacher, yet many of us thrive in these industries. We have held such esteemed offices as Secretary of State, like Condoleezza Rice, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission like Michael Powell, Joint Chief of Staff like his father, Colin Powell, and Commander in Chief of the United States of America like President Barack Obama.
Oprah Winfrey would never have the success she’s experienced or the distinction of being one of the richest women in America, if she had allowed a termination from her job to economically disenfranchise her. Instead, her presence is requested in some of the most social and political domains.
So I’m sending a message to everyone who knowingly or ignorantly uses that term to describe our people, rather you’re a gangsta rapper who uses it to communicate with one of your boys or someone who looks down on those of us that haven’t got a college education; whatever the case, its time to discontinue the use of this word.
It is implausible that more than 40 years after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that we still use a word that holds no worth in our lives, our families, or our future.
So I’m petitioning you to join me in deleting this word from our vocabulary as a people, as a nation, and the world.
I’d like to add a stanza James Weldon Johnson’s Lift Ev’ry Voice
Lift ev’ry voice and cry
‘Til the ‘n’ word has died
Let us cry out and proclaim our dignity
All though we may be free
Gloom still hangs over we
Who use the word that made our fathers sigh
Sing a song that doesn’t dishonor the mothers who bore us
Sing a song absent of negative words in the chorus
Its now 2009, leave the ‘n’ word behind
Choose words that speak
Purpose and not defeat
My name is Jonathan Emile McCoy and I approve this message…
September 2, 2010 at 22:54
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