Teachers shouldn't use it. Bad example for the kids of all races, and just hell on earth for the board meetings. Would like to know why 47% wasn't sitting down though.
lol... Boondocks Spoiler <iframe width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Cp2yynZDVjI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The word doesn't have the same meaning it once did. People get bent out of shape for the smallest thing in this day and age. It's sad how we have become a society of whiny little girls...
You might want to drive through most predominantly black neighborhoods, maximum security prisons or a disadvantaged school to see why the word has meaning. Almost by structural necessity, our society has a permanent social and economic rift along racial lines.
If it did, then even they wouldn't use it the way they do. If you want something honored, you don't spit on it yourself. If it's not ok to say, then it's not ok for everyone to say. The real racism is saying that a word or phrase is racist just because of the mouth it came out of...
It's all about intent. If you are in a room full of obese women you might hear them laughingly call each other fat b**** or women, in general, calling each other b****** and hoes. It is still offensive to them. If you were to say it, they would assume that you have bad intentions, maybe you don't...but then, if you don't have bad intentions and you know they would react that way, why would you even bother saying it?? you wouldn't. Are you really itching to say it? no? Then it's really moot, isn't it?
It's not that I'm itching to say it or not, what I'm saying is that if a group of people want a word to be respected they shouldn't use it so glibly. Going back to your analogy about the women in a room, while I may or may not call them fat b!tches, because they call each other that word it will be the way I think of them or describe them. Isn't that as bad, if not worse than actually calling them that to their faces? Your the one who says intent is half the crime. If you want me to respect a phrase or word (as stupid as that notion is) I will respect it as long as you do it yourself for your benefit, but if you think it's ok to glibly use it then scream racist if others do, then I won't respect you or your wishes.