Pyro, I think you illustrated the point quite well. The fact that your daughter had never heard the Asian slurs tells it that there is little to no such hatred in children that young, so why did she hear the "n-word"? Because it was probably thrown around between black kids as a term of endearment.

BTW, I think that show of innocence is too cute even if it does involve nasty words. I'm glad at least you were able to introduce her to those words before someone else did so in hatred.

I asked a couple of my friends in my unit why it's acceptable for black people to use that word, but no one else. Most of them saw my point of view that no one should use it, though they still do. One of them who is quite the racist stated that it was "their word and no one else can use it". Huh? This is the mentality of the ignorant, the ones who foster the use of this derogatory term. The excuses I read on the second link on this thread are pathetic. "Black people have used this word to lessen the hatred and pain it causes." What a load of crap. It's closer to say that those of power and affluence encourage its use in order to impose financial slavery upon their own people. I wish I had a link to a message I read on this (which was taped to a black man's wall) because it brings up many interesting points.

My approach and belief on this partuclar word comes from my old ROTC instructor in high school. He is a black man, but more importantly, he is a gentleman and a damn fine NCO. He heard a couple of black cadets call each other that. Whether it was in play or out of respect, I don't remember. But he exploded and informed them that it was improper for ANYONE to say it. And that has been my stance ever since.

So count me in Jolen and Savaric's camp. If a man wants to be so ignorant as to impose his own racial slur upon himself and then get offended when someone not of like ethnicity uses it on him, I have no fucking sympathy. He's an ignorant prick, plain and simple. Personally, I love the terms cracker, honky, and whitey. So what? I'm white! Anyone with working eyes can see that. If you call me a cracker, I'll ask if I'm a Ritz or just a lowly saltine! That shit don't offend me.

All that said, the fact that Richards said this is a show of a lack of class. The very same lack of class his hecklers had when they called him a "cracka muthafucka". It's two-faced for them to try to take the high road and get offended and then turn around and do the same thing themselves. All three participants are classless jackasses as far as I'm concerned.