<div style="float: left; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 0px">
 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/marcia-s/439042674/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/161/439042674_0cc4be816f_m.jpg" alt=""/></a>
</div>
<p>No and no. Thanks for asking, <a href="http://www.pattismith.net" target="_blank">Patti</a>.</p>
<p>
On Tuesday, I watched with great pleasure a video* of Patti Smith performing "Rock 'n' Roll Nigger" at her induction to the <a href="http://www.rockhall.com" target="_blank">Rock and Roll Hall of Fame</a>. Several years ago, I beheld the glory of Patti singing it at an outdoor concert in Nashville, and since then I have admired her for continuing to perform this song&mdash;her "controversial" appropriation of the verboten N-word&mdash;well into the era of "sensitivity training" (and beyond). Growling "We are all fucking niggers" at the Hall of Fame ceremony surely expiated some of her conflicted feelings about receiving this dubious honor.** She accepted in her late husband's name, saying that shortly before his death he predicted that such a thing might happen and instructed her to accept it in his name "like a lady" without saying any curse words&mdash;she managed to hold off the curse words until she got in front of the band.</p>

<p>It took me a while to love this song, but I do love it. Those questions, and her own implied answers to them, drew me in. Recalling a speech I once got from a friend (African American, in case you need to know) about the way people's squeamishness gives that word too much power helped me stay with the song, despite my discomfort. Although I will never be comfortable saying the word "nigger" in any other context (including when quoting), I am now able to yell along with Patti in the privacy of my own home, joining in the spirit of the song. The solidarity it claims&mdash;through the use of the controversial term&mdash;between those who are "outside of society" by choice and those who are involuntarily exiled there is so powerful, so Patti. </p>
<p>Outside of society<br>
They're waiting for me<br>
Outside of society<br>
If you're looking that's where you'll find me</p>
<p class="note">* <a href="http://spinner.aol.com/rockhall/2007-induction-ceremony" target="_blank">Here</a>. You can choose which portion of the show you want to view by choosing from the links to the right of the Flash player.</p>
<p class="note">** See her  Op-Ed <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/12/opinion/12smith.html" target="_blank">"Ain't it Strange"</a> in the <em>New York Times</em> (login required).</p>