[Ganymede]

"Who among us can claim that he/she has not at some time in his/her life - especially during youth - used racial, ethnic, or religious slurs. Let he (or she) who is without sin, cast the first stone."

Quoting Jesus to justify use of the "N" word. How quaint!

Nonetheless, let me say that there are in fact white folks (most likely not in your circles) who have never uttered that word.

And for what it is worth, I absolutely 100% will NOT be voting for George Allen in the fall. And, yes, I actually do live in Virginia and do have a say. He will probably win anyway, but the confederate flag wearing, noose hanging, macaca-spouting doofus DOES NOT have my vote.

[quadrant]

I am not quoting Jesus to justify the "N", but to demonstrate that no one is above reproach.
Perhaps there are people who do not use racial, ethnic, or religious slurs, but if they are human, they have committed verbal indiscretions of some sort, especially in a world where people are not short but are vertically challenged, or not living in sin but exploring an alternative lifestyle.
More importantly, the word itself may be tasteless and painful, but its use is not a sin. LBJ, the president who did more for black people than any president since Lincoln, used the "N" word frequently.
I was raised in the segregated South where use of the word though discouraged by the educated was not uncommon among all economic classes of white people. I could no more answer for my utterances of decades ago than could millions of others.
If you decide not to vote for George Allen because of this revelation, your decision says more about your judgment and lack of tolerance for the foibles of others than for Sen Allen's verbal miscues.
Most importantly, you should realize that sensitivity of this sort gives others power over you. Why would you wish to surrender control over your emotions to someone who may or may not have your best interests at heart?