An open letter to Skinner (POSTED IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN FORUM)

[Android3.14]

390. I've given it some thought

First off, I want you to know that I gave this careful thought, weighing your points against what happened, the strength and weakness of text communication, freedom of speech, community standards and the nature of online forums.

I lack the regard you have for some on this board. I distrust anyone who will make judgements on others based on skin color (whether it is their own skin color or that of the person they are judging), especially with a text-based communication. In the faux anonymity of the digital world, a person should have a healthy suspicion of anyone claiming a privilege based on an unverified characteristic. Not everyone sees consistency where you see consistency, nor does a huge number of posts make someone trustworthy. But in the end, even if "no one doubts", using the N-word is offensive to many people on a text-based forum.

Second, you are right about this having nothing to do with freedom of speech. Nor does it, however, have anything to do with community standards in the way you have framed it. It has everything to do with some members of the DU community trying to be "more equal" than others.

I understand and appreciate the hate you feel for the word, and I agree that almost every time it comes from the mouth of a white person it has a level of offense that is worthy of that hate. While I appreciate your sentiment, i do not share it. I do not hate words. I hate how some people use words.

As far as a black person "...can sure as shit use the word if they are simply pointing out a hateful post that was directed at them," I disagree. It is reminiscent of a scene from a popular cartoon in which Bart Simpson repeats the word "hell" over and over because Homer said it. That is no excuse to be offensive. 1SBM could just as easily have used the euphemism "the N-word" as anyone else along with the link. In fact, that is what he should have done, because using the N-word is, to some people, like tossing excrement around.

Do you see how rules determining when it is okay to use a racial epithet are subjective?

1SBM's post was unnecessarily offensive. I agree with the jury's ruling. In a free society, we all accept the risk when we choose to use powerful language.