The N word

The N word, a word so problematic I refuse to even use it in this piece. Many people, including myself, believe that anyone who isn’t black shouldn’t say that word. The n word is a racial slur, it’s as simple as that. Black people are more than welcomed to empower themselves and make the word their own. The word becoming a term of endearment is very beneficial to taking the sting out of the word. Many people believe that no one should use the word due to its past history. I personally don’t believe this and believe that as long as you are black you can approach the word however you please.

Nearly everyone has been put in the uncomfortable position where a white person decides they are able to say the word. I personally would always inform them that they shouldn’t say the word. Normally they listen to what I say and stop saying the word or they at least don’t use it around me anymore. However when these white boys are placed in predominantly white lacrosse field they decide to argue with me. This naturally progresses to a group of white boys attacking me over their usage of the word, they tell me I’m not black so I have no word into whether or not they can say it. They inform me that their “black friends” let them use the word, they even bring their one black player over to tell me off. I naturally can’t argue with a black person over a word that doesn’t affect me.
How could I stand there and tell a black person what they should be offended by? If he believes that the word isn’t bad and whites can say it, what would I argue? This experience left me in an uncomfortable position. After the incident on the lacrosse field I stopped telling white people they can’t say the word. I still stand by my beliefs that nonblack people shouldn’t use the word but I am a lot less vocal about it.
