January 10, 2007

the 'N'-word

Recently there has been quite a furor over the 'N'-word. Some people calling for the banning of the word itself and even legal action for its uttering. When I was a child I recall my mother actually saying "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names can never harm me".

If I understand correctly I can take a voice recorder and have a mix of ethnical backgrounded people say the 'N'-word into the machine. Then if I play it to someone the criteria for it being offensive is which ethnic background uttered the word.

Isnt it a choice to allow something like a word have power over us?

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