So, the Mayor of Brazoria, Texas has decided that he wants to ban use fo "The -N- Word" in his town.  Fines would be assesed up to $500 for those who are caught using the word.  I am torn on this little gem.  Part of me completely and totally abhors censorship.  I completely believe in free speech.  Unfortunatly, there are people out there who take their right to speak freely as free reign to be stupid, ignorant and hateful, too.  On the other hand, I hate this word.  I hate when anyone, black or white, uses it.  It's a nasty, foul, hate filled word that needs to be buried along with all the other hate in the world. 

I know that there are some black people who feel as if it is "their word" and they can take the power away from "The Man" by using it as much as they want.  Remember Richard Pryor and his idea of taking the power from the word by saying it ALL the time?  He was wrong in the 70s and he's wrong now.  Granted, I don't know if he still feels that way, he isn't in the spotlight much these days. *EDIT: OK, so he's dead and probably doesn't have much of an opinion on this any more*  I don't buy this theory in the least.  Blacks who say it look stupid and whites who say it look stupid.  I think if you've lived in this country for any length of time and have been in any  type of American or African-American history class, you know the history of the word and the feelings that uttering it can evoke.  I don't know, I guess this just irritates me.  It's sad that we have to try and pass laws to make people think, do and say the right thing.  It's not just a word.