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In the end, only those who have the word directed at them can say whether or not they are offended by it. In spite of efforts to reinvent the term in America, with young African Americans using it among themselves as almost a badge of honour, it is a hateful term intended to be offensive.

I could call Steve or Warren or anyone a bastard, for example, and it would wash over them. But for someone of an earlier generation, who has been made to think the circumstances of their birth is something to be ashamed of, it would be offensive.

As a by the way, am I the only one who thinks it is stupid to hate someone, distrust someone, or feel it is okay to be nasty to someone simply because their skin pigmentation doesn't match mine?

!laugh! I'm sorry, I was distantly aware my hands were typing on that last post of mine, but I entered some sort of trance. I was 'in the zone'.

Just imagine what it's like for my poor girlfriend when we're deciding what to have for supper. !shocked!

She says i should stop reading Richard Dawkins books and come to bed earlier.............she may be right, I'll have to ponder over that scenario.

I think Ray Charles breathed on his glasses.

Caractacus: Yeah it is stupid considering the genetic make up of a black man and a white man is the same in every way except the part that controls skin pigmentation. Ofcourse over the course of history people have tried to suggest that Black people are genetically very different from white people, I think the BNP still do. It's just a way of trying to prove some kind of superiority over other races using genetics just as terms such as "nigger" try to do so using language. In the end racist people are just very insecure.

I am in my first year at Hallam Uni in Sheffield studying physiotherapy. I'm paying my own fees though!

As for knowing about the prawn business, well I don't know anything. I've never lived on the coast. !wink!

As a ginger I could say fuck off and the best part of you ran down your mothers legs. !laugh!

Attn Steve R: Its always easy for people who are not black to say people are being overly sensitive about the n-word.

I found it funny then how you misconstrued the word "move on" as being "

"set to replace "have a nice day" as the world's most annoying, don't you think? "

If I can give you an example: Hearing the n-word is no real big deal, but if you heard it everywhere you went and people looked at you funny just because you were a different colour then heard it severaltimes a day from different people are you not telling me that will alter your perspective on people in general

Any psychologist would tell you the long term damging effects of being constantly put down and made to feel an outsider because of this.

I am not accusing you of being a racist and pretty sure you are an ok stand up guy. Maybe a little empathy is called for here is all.

The subject of racism has everybody on guard and just creates a vacuum of tension where no one sees reason for having to constantly defending themselves.

Personally I find it a lot easy to communicate with people as just people. Its not because I'm striving to be better than anyone or diplomatic but thats just how I am...Even in an enraged argument with threats flying I have never resorted to calling anyone white/black/asian or jewish by their race.

If they are a fucking arsehole I will call them just that.

This is not a personal attack on you but merely a response to your initial post about people taking offence and being overly sensitive. Regardless of the colour issue or religious differences we are all just human beings trying to get by and no one should feel subjugated to feeling lower than another because of it.

Though I believe that to be true (sticks and stones) it comes to a point where you just get tired of being called names. I'm not saying that you have to beat up somebody but a good hostile few words ought to be good.