N-Word Meaning and other Derogatory Meanings Changed?

[AKA2D '91]

Email: Caps were not my doing.

NAACP WINS ON "N*&&#$" IN DICTIONARY
A SMALL VICTORY...A GIANT STEP (THANKS NAACP) THERE
HAS BEEN A CHANGE IN WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY.
KWEISI MFUME, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE
(NAACP), RECENTLY GAVE A SPEECH AT VIRGINIA TECH.
EVERYONE WAS INFORMED THAT A LANDMARK DECISION
WAS MADE LAST WEEK WITH
THE PEOPLE AT
MERRIAM-WEBSTER DICTIONARY. THEY HAVE
RECOGNIZED THE ERROR OF THEIR WAYS. SO, BEGINNING
WITH THE NEXT EDITION, THE WORD N*%%#@ WILL NO LONGER
BE SYNONYMOUS WITH AFRICAN-AMERICANS. IT SHALL BE
DULY NOTED THAT IT'S A RACIAL SLUR AND NOT WHAT
AFRICAN-AMERICANS THEMSELVES ARE. ALONG WITH
THIS, ALL RACIAL AND RELIGIOUS SLURS WILL FINALLY BE
INDICATED FOR WHAT THEY REALLY ARE-CRUEL AND EVIL
SLURS TOO OFTEN USED TO DEGRADE PEOPLE.

Any thoughts?

[Miss. Mocha]

I remember a couple of years ago, black people were encouraged to call some "higher up" at Webster's, and express their displeasure with the dictionary's definition.

I did my part to leave the person an eloquent, yet neck-rolling message. I'm glad it finally worked. The sad part is that it had to be like 1997 or 1998 when I made that call.

[Ideal08]

I think that it's a good idea. I know a lot of dictionaries don't even have the word in there anymore, and that's a little unnerving to me. But the one's that did still have it, to say it was synonymous with AA's was just ridiculous. So I'm glad they have put the TRUE meaning of the word. Hell, they need to put that white people back then couldn't pronounce Niger, and that's how they got the jacked up word in the first place. Might as well put some historical word origin with it, too, hmph. They don't want people to know, though, that white people were just as stupid as they want people to believe WE were.

Why are you making me go off up in here???

[nikki25]

I'm very pleased with this move. It's been too long in coming. Every linguistic and symbolic representation of the old 'crow' guard is something that this nation must free itself, as it only acts to bring back a very hurtful past, and harm the promise of a more free future.

Kudos to those whom contributed to this effort.

[Six_Three_Sigma]

With this change, we have made a giant leap toward properly educating people (and correcting a major wrong).

The next step (or should I say leap) is to, somehow, get our pwn people to stop using the word. (Although I know that some are not using it in a manner that is intentionally disrespectful).

In my opinion, that ranks among the top ten of things that I really hate to hear my people say. (I hate it when I say it myself, but I'm working on it.)

When we "collectively" get away from using the term, I'll be happy.