Derogatory words are not strangers to our vocabulary.
We've said before in this forum that words such as "gay" and "retarded" are too often abused in everyday speech. Moreover, a quick listen to contemporary music shows that other racial slurs have not yet left the word bank of popular culture.
When words are blurted out or used offensively or incorrectly, we go about life without thinking twice about the connotation.
But when former "Seinfeld" co-star Michael Richards ("Cosmo Kramer") blurted out the "n word" this weekend at a Los Angeles comedy club, heads quickly turned.
Richards more than slipped up on the "n word," he purposely shouted it multiple times after being interrupted in the midst of a comedy routine.
It should not take such an incident to get people to pay attention to the ongoing struggles society faces with derogatory language.
We are not suggesting people should obsess over every word they say, but everyone should be aware of all the connotations behind words used in conversation.
Negative terms about race, religion and sexual orientation stand out. But negative terms for people with disabilities, for women or men, athletes or people extensively involved in academics have slipped into our vocabularies as well.
Every person should be aware of the terms they use and realize that chosen words could have a substantial effect on other people.
Some social groups are comfortable using what are perceived as derogatory terms among themselves. However acceptable this might seem to them, it only keeps the terms in society's vocabulary.
If we wish to put an end to the use of these words, everyone must stop using them - not just those outside the given culture.
Offensive words are offensive words, and they should not be used.
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