dionythicus

They use it towards each other. That's one context. I use several homosexual slang terms around my gay friends, who don't care, but I wouldn't just call someone on the street a "fag". At some point, I think we'll lose the orginal source meaning and it will likely join other once offensive terms in modern use. We're a few generations past the original use of "moron", "idiot" and "retarded", so in a few more generations, yep, I think the N word won't be such a bid deal. Right now, I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole, nor would I use the word "retarded" towards any one person. I do say "Wii-tard" or "Narutard", as well as moron and idiot, and dumkopf, etc. At what point do we decide to burn books rather than accept that we don't have to be threatened by words? Its the same principle to me. I had to grow a thick skin as a kid, I was terribly picked on in junior high, there were some brutal comments made towards me for a physical trait I couldn't help. I knew that the person making the comment was the one who had the problem, not me, but it still hurt like hell. Its the intent, not the word, that stings.