&
These two terms are wreaking havoc in society today. My views on the word are irrelevant but I will shed a little rationalism on the use of these terms.
My brothers and sisters of color tell me this: How can we become angered and upset at another race of people for calling us a term that we openly call each other? When answering to this demeaning and degrading term you give off the impression that it is alright and no harm is done.
To say that it is merely a term of endearment between our people of color today is usually how most respond to someone outside the African-American race. Now if this be the case then answer me this: Why can't a white man or person of Asian descent use it in the same manner?
To top it all off many African-Americans have friends and associates of other races that they converse with and by some secret rite of passage for having a black friend they get to use the "N" word without being remanded? What sense does that make?
If we as a race determine within our self that the "N" word is unacceptable and shouldn't be used in any form or fashion, be it racist or jokingly, AND we stop using it then and only then can we put an expectation on others to do the same.
And I leave you with this quote:
"We can't change the world, unless we change ourselves."
-BIGGIE SMALLS