That's fascinating. Goes to show that decontextualization is the ultimate disarming of a slur. Abstaining from the word completely leaves it loaded with hateful power.
Don't take that too far -- it's certainly absolutely never a defense for using a particular word. If there are people who'd prefer you not to use it, just don't frickin' use it.
Re:Why We Took Cocaine Out of Soda
by illuminate on Thursday January 31, 2013 @11:08PM
(#5149145)
"Abstaining from the word completely leaves it loaded with hateful power."
The persons in power can not do not and will not recontextualize racist terminology on their own.
It is possible that this is kind like how the word bad itself was derived! (http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=bad)
>a mystery word with no apparent relatives in other languages. Possibly from Old English derogatory term bæddel and its diminutive bædling "effeminate man, hermaphrodite, pederast"