"It's not something that I would say," Ickes told me yesterday. "Having grown up in the 1950s and 1960s, I think it's not a word that whites can use.
"Not a word that "whites" can use? It is certainly not a polite word, I don't use it; never have.. but it's like an "exclusive" word only blacks can use? I guess the thinking is.. blacks can use the word because "they earned it"; whites haven't therefore, they are "excluded"? This is just stupid.
It's a crude, coarse, ugly word with ugly connotations. I wish blacks wouldn't use it either. Especially when referring "in the groove, jokingly" to other blacks. For that matter, Ickes shouldn't even be opining on who can or cannot use the word, right? I mean.. it was his party who condoned slavery and injustice against blacks..
I thinke whites need a word blacks can't use. Maybe there is one or more already?
But I really do apprecicate getting the double standard clearly in print. This is something we can refer to on a regular basis.