The N word is offensive due to it's use through the years. People who say it with hate in their heart do not think it just means black. It is a word that demeans a certain group. It is a name used during slavery, a name used during lynchings and a name uses during beatings and killings during the struggles for civil rights. I do not think they meant black.

I have no problems if blacks want to own the word and use it how they want. I am much the same way with the word f@ggot. If another gay person calls me a f@g it is not hurtful. A group of classmates chasing me down a hall shouting it was hurtful as was the beatings when they caught me. How hurtful it was to be called f@g when I was working my job bagging groceries. Leaving the local gay bar and rushing to your car being shouted at and chased until I could loose them. When you grow up with a word being used against you for many years you hate the word.

Like many painful life experiences hearing the word used against me again takes me back to the feelings of the dark days. Of course if you have never been in a minority group that faced hate and prejudice you are not able to understand the emotions.