70sav, i say faggot quite a bit. i know not to, and try not to say it in situations where someone could be offended, but overall it's a word that i use. or i say some shit like "wtf that shit is gay" all the time. but i recognize it's not right and to be cautious as to not alienate either people i know or don't know in situations where it could.
but i have to say, the usage differences aren't relevant to this discussion though. your initial point was that if someone is unaware that a word may be offensive to a group of people they should stop once they were aware. if that is your stance on the n-word, it should also be applicable to other words that offend people regardless of the usage context. the operative in your argument was is its potential to offend and alienate people regardless of the person speaking its intent, rationale, background or explanation for using it.
...which you say you live up to that standard. good job.
I agree with you, and the aforementioned point stands on its own merit. I don't condone offending Gays or alienating ANY group of people for that matter. When you are a person who is confident in his or herself it just isn't necessary. The relevance of pointing out the usage difference in this discussion was to drive home a point to those who seem to be lost on this idea, by giving them a bit of perspective. Sometimes a sparked imagination
can ignite an enlightened realization.
And so, to any Non-Blacks out there reading this who still choose to use the word N*GGA... Heres a little more of that perspective... I want you to imagine you're in a store standing in line behind a very, very, old lady with gray hair, and she just so happens to be a member of YOUR racial demographic.
In walk a couple of black guys (or girls if it suits you) spewing a racial epithet back and forth amongst each other that is known to be offensive to YOUR racial demographic.
Although these guys/girls are using this term in endearment between each other the old lady from YOUR racial demographic, doesn't seem to understand this and is clearly offended.
She turns to you with a tear in her eye and says to you "Are you just gonna stand there and let them degrade us like that?"
Well, I hope that never happens to you. And I hope you never have to figure out what to do in a situation like that...