re: #152 CarolJ

So true. Come to think about it, all ethnic slurs should be off limits. We’re better than that around here, and smarter. I’m another Af-AM, and while I don’t flinch, it’s still ugly. I don’t use it myself in any context.

i dont use it either - mostly because i have no need or context
however i think intent and purpose matter
i listen to a lot of raw-dog comedy on sirius radio. it’s thrown around a lot and often is funny. or just a meaningless throwaway filler word

richard pryor is not david duke

a white comedian whose name i cant recall had a bit explaning that he was ‘adopted’ by his black buddies and got ‘permission’ to use it. he got in trouble when he used it in front of a different group of black youth. it was very funny

i just finished re-watching ‘in the heat of the night’
1967 times were different - both on screen and off
and the movie stands up just fine
the racism is overt and obvious
‘that word’ was used 7 times. it was clear who was using it and why

words are not things
words have more than one meaning and use
and yes they evolve over time

withouth knowing the meaning and intent behind the choice of any word they are just sounds