We give the “N” Word more Power than it deserves!

“Earlier today I made a horrific error while attempting to tweet about the Denver-Utah game. I don’t know how I mistyped. I had no intention of ever using that [“N”] word. John Focke Apology after he was suspended by the Hornets for accidentally mistyping Nuggets for N****. I accept Focke’s apology and understand his technical mistake; I can see how someone can make such an error, and twitter does not have the edit option that allows you to edit a posted tweet. But Such harsh and severe punishment for an innocuous and technical error from a social and nonprofessional platform. Further Focke seems like a good man, a guy who is incensed by the thought of racism and if Hornets and his colleagues who work with him can’t vouche for his character in this regards it speaks volumes about their loyalty and collegial relationship with their members. Focke is a distinguished sportscaster who was voted the 2017 NSMA Minnesota Sportscaster of the year. Nevertheless The Hornets allowed the hypersensitivity around that word and disregarded the ethical rationale and issue around the “taboo” or illegality of the “N” word and their relationship with their members. What’s the context here: he was commenting about the Utah-Denver game and made a technical error that seemed innocuous on the face of it. Was anyone offended? If so, who was? Did anyone protest? Was it directed to hurt or to put down? Has Focke historically demonstrated racial patterns. Is Twitter an academic forum with editable capabilities? Does the punishment fit the error/crime? And what of his character? What do you know of him? Yet you suspended him. We give the N word more power than it deserves. We punish inappropriately without thinking... the law is not a shackle and it is to be applied with sensitivity. 

It is rather nonsensical and harsh for the Hornets to require conduct an investigation and suspend Focke for such an expletive in a society that uses them every day? If truth be told, there is so many other real ills that need their attention.

Offensive

Frankly speaking, expletives are not 'bad', but are 'offensive', if, in fact, they offend those who hear them. They aren't inherently 'bad'; it is how, when and where we use them and 'who' hear expletives that make them 'indecent'. In fact, there many words or expressions that are used to denigrate another person, yet we do not outlaw such expressions. Indeed, there are many 'curse' words or expressions that are quite legal, yet they are illicit and are generally definite and specific in their meanings and intent.

In essence, in so far as those among/around us are not offended, expletives are neutral words. Moreover, some words are public and others private and people have different reactions to words.

What is necessary is that we educate our people from an early age as to how we use language and the context of using certain expressions. Proper understanding of expletives and language but also technical editing of such errors. Twitter could come up with a checker alert🚨 that allows us to double check racial or critical errors. Then again twitter is not an academic service or platform. But must we be so punitive and draconian in this post-millennial world where words and who use and own them and are offended by them are ever evolving?