"Is it too late to tell you that I don't mind?" - The Decemberists, I Don't Mind
Lynne asked us "Where did your blog name come from?" or something to that effect during our panel at SXSW and Michael of cruftbox thought it was a great question for every blog. I agree.
What's in a url?
My first blog (and all of the entries are part of this blog) was on blogger. I believe it was jtfunkytown.blogspot.com and it was called "Better Left Unsaid...". I knew early into starting blogging that I was going to need my own domain name but I thought it was going to be a place where I would post a lot of fiction. My mom was a fan of the phrase "Negro?! Please" with appropriate facial expressions and inflections and I just loved the phrase. I love the word negro and I wish we would use it more. So, in March of 2002, I bought it.
At the time, I believe Aaron of Uppity-Negro.com and I were the only two people with blogs with "negro" in the title. Initially, it illicited really strong reactions. People would link here just so that they could reference the url in a post. I'd get emails asking why my site name was so "aggressive" or get told that the site was banned from someone's office computer because their cyber-protection tools considered "negro" a questionable term.
I didn't make lives much easier when I had a hanging "tar baby" as my logo or when I switched to a skin based on Spike Lee's film Bamboozled.
I actually miss the hangman. My current minimalist design might actually benefit from bringing that puppy back.
Anyway, there wasn't a lot of thought into the name. I never imagined how strongly it would resonate with the people that would eventually become the readers of the site. Since the move to typepad, I've had several people beg me not to give up the original "negroplease.com" because they appreciate it so.
Me give up this domain?
Negro?!
Please.