I don’t think the N-word should never be used, but close to never. Philosophers and grammar nerds respect a key distinction between actually employing a word’s meaning and simply referring to it or saying its syllables — the “use/mention distinction.” This is why it was bonkers when a professor at The New School was recently threatened with censure for uttering it in quoting James Baldwin, after a white student complained. Thankfully, she was cleared of wrongdoing.

The N-Word is the worst word in the English language, especially in American English. I vividly remember the first time I heard it used in real anger. Its vileness stands apart from other “bad” words. At the risk of being told to read another book, I’m going to mention Harry Potter: The kids in the series won’t say “Voldemort.” Instead, it’s “he who must not be named.” These characters, themselves users of magic incantations, understand such is the power of language. For reasons social and historical, certain “curse words” have a different dark magic all their own.