Serious question here: how offensive is the n-word, really? Obviously when a non-black person says it, people lose their minds and get very offended. But I hear it from black people constantly. If it's such a horrible word, why are y'all saying it all the time? In my opinion, this keeps the word alive, and the fact that black people are "allowed" to say it and and non-black people aren't perpetuates the idea that there is indeed a difference between people based entirely on skin color, which is counterproductive in the effort to end racism. I get the idea of "we're taking back the word so that its original meaning crumbles," but if you still take massive offense when a non-black person says it regardless of context, then that mission has failed. Either everyone can say it, or nobody can.

I would love to hear other thoughts or opinions on this, though.