Is the 'N-Word' Just a Word?

Never has one word sparked so much controversy. And for it to be such a controversial, forbidden word, why is it that we still hear it so much? How is it that a word with roots so deep in disrespect and hate, is used today as a term of comradery or endearment? And more importantly, why is it only acceptable if used by people of a certain skin color? These are all questions that I have asked myself time and time again and have never found the answers. 

When you think about the history of the word and the many people before us that fought to make it unacceptable, it is hard to imagine that someone would want to use it to refer to a friend. But that's what has happened. You can walk down the street and hear a guy say, "Yea me and my n*ggas playin ball today". Or you can turn on the radio and hear it in many songs (bleeped out, but clearly used). 

It has become a part of everyday conversation. That is, if you're black. Even though the word was used to degrade and belittle our ancestors, we call each other it. Even though we demand respect and racial equality, we keep a word alive that represents a time period of the opposite. 

But here's the thing: How is it okay for African Americans to call each other n*ggas, but its not okay for other races to use it? Don't get me wrong, not by any means am I saying that it should be okay for other races to use it. I am simply making a point that it is not okay for ANYONE to use. I am a big believer in showing others how you want to be treated, by how you treat yourself. If we are throwing such a hateful word at each other and saying that it's okay, logically, why wouldn't everyone else believe it's okay? For example, think about the b-word. Some women today take on self-proclaimed titles of "bad b*tches". Now when a man calls you a b*tch, which you have already called yourself, how can you get mad? It's same thing with the n-word!

So, Gwyneth Paltrow was on stage at a Jay-Z and Kanye West concert in Paris in early June. She took a pic of herself and the two rappers and later tweeted 'N*ggas in Paris for real'. Wait... before you get upset, "N*ggas in Paris" is the name of the song the duo was performing when she took the pic. Now does that make her tweet okay? No, but this is what I'm saying about using the word casually. In the song, the rappers are refering to being two African American males ballin' out in expensive Paris. This is something they feel is celebratory. But yet they chose to use that ugly word. So, they were on stage performing this popular song with the crowd going crazy probably rapping along with them, and Gwyneth felt super comfortable tweeting what she did. Go figure people! 

So I ask you to think about this... if she was another actress, let's say Sanaa Lathan, would she be getting backlash from her fans? Again, I want to make this clear: I am not saying that other races should be forgiven for using the word because black people use it. I would just like us to realize that we are helping to keep the word going. In an interview, Jay-Z told Oprah that people put too much behind the word. He said if we use it like its nothing, we are taking the power out of it. But what he fails to realize is that the word has history, and that cannot be taken away. No matter how many times we tell ourselves that WE are changing the word by using it, it doesn't change the meaning or cut away its roots. 

But what do you think? Do you agree with Jay? With all the words out there, why do people choose to use the n-word?