Why can't I say the N-word?
Black people have been oppressed for centuries. Especially in America, from slavery in the 1700's and 1800's to modern day discrimination and police brutality, racism is an issue deeply ingrained in our society. The N-word is a large part of that. It stems from days of slavery and segregation where it was almost normalized in people's vocabulary. In the modern day, many black people have reclaimed this slur as their own. Instead of a tool in systemic racism, it has, for some, become something of a casual slang term. However, while black people can make their own choices as to whether or not they want to say the N-word, it is never, ever, EVER ok for non-black people to say it. After all, if you are not black, neither you nor your ancestors have ever been oppressed for being black. Thus, you cannot reclaim a slur that was never used against you.
Is it ok to say it in certain contexts?
No! This is a valid question, but the answer is a definite no! If you are talking about the N-word or quoting someone who said the N-word, you can simply say "N-word" and people will get the idea. If you are reading about the N-word, you can simply read "N-word" and people will understand. One example of this issue is when English classes read "To Kill a Mockingbird." This book is absolutely worth reading and worth discussing, but it is very easy to do so with just saying "N-word" instead of repeating a slur. Arguments are often made that it's ok to say the slur in this context because of historical accuracy or showing how bad things were "back then." This is problematic for a couple of reasons. First, racism still exists, and let's not pretend we don't all know that. Second, everyone can see the word written on the page, so we know it's there, and we know it was said. When we say the N-word out loud ourselves, though, it does not magically provide us with new insight and cultural respect. Instead, it only serves to normalize the word in our vocabulary and make many students uncomfortable.
But I have black friends, and they let me say it!
Your black friends, though they might be comfortable with you saying the slur, do not speak for the entire black community. The vast majority of black people agree that they do not want non-black people saying the N-word. Even if no one calls you out when you say it, it does not mean that you are in the right. You, as a non-black person using a slur against black people, are contributing to racism whether you mean to or not. Also, why do you want to say the N-word? If you don't, good job! Don't say it, then. And if you do? You might want to do some more research into why saying the N-word is harmful and racist, starting here.
But I have been called a cracker! That's bad too!
The N-word comes from when black people were enslaved, separated from their families, and forced to suffer horribly. Calling white people "crackers" comes from when white people were slave owners and cracked a whip against enslaved people. These words are not at all on the same level, and cracker is not a slur. White people, even today, have economic, social, and political advantages over black people, so it is simply not possible for anyone to be racist against white people. Being called a cracker might hurt your feelings, which is understandable, but at worst, it is bullying, not racism. Also, if you, while having a conversation like this would say the word "cracker" but not the actual N-word, it seems like you already know that one of those words is much worse than the other.
I just don't think that anyone should say the N-word.
That's a valid viewpoint, and it is one that many people may share. However, if you are not black, you simply don't get a say in that conversation. You are absolutely entitled to your feelings and your opinions, but the fact is, you have never been oppressed for being black, you have never had to deal with discrimination for being black, and you therefore don't have the knowledge and experience necessary to contribute to that conversation. It is up to the black community and black people who know what it is like to suffer because of racism to worry about that, and while you can use your privilege to amplify black voices, you should never believe that you are allowed to speak over them.
But if some people can say a word and others can't, that's just more divisive.
If you are making this argument, you should ask yourself if you believe that or if you just think you should be able to say the N-word. Hopefully it isn't the second one! It is true that in a perfect society where people of all races share in social, political, and economic equality, there shouldn’t be things that only some people can say or do and others can't. However, we unfortunately do not live in such a society. Racism is a very prevalent issue today, and reparations for the racism of our past have still not been made. What’s more divisive than who can or can’t say the n-word are issues like the glass ceiling, education based on income taxes, police brutality, disproportional imprisonment and harsher trials for black youths, voter suppression, racial profiling, the wage gap, and much more. If you find you care less about those issues than you do about “getting” to say the n-word, you might want to reexamine the point of your argument. There are absolutely a lot of complexities to most of these issues, but with who can and can't say the N-word, it is actually fairly simple. If you aren't black, just don't say it. To learn more about this, you can go here or here!