Racial Slurs Essay

It has long been understood by educated individuals and laypeople alike that some words are considered acceptable in polite society and others, are simply not. It is not the habit of most academics to use language that demeans of otherwise subjects others – particularly not minorities. It is, nonetheless, common to hear phrases and slurs with either a direct connection to, or perhaps a historic origin in, racial oppression or bigotry. Not all of these phrases and slurs are uttered with the intent to verbally assault the minorities they consequentially disparage – at least not in every instance of use. However, their very existence is not only harmful to those to whom they are directed, but they propagate a culture which is, by necessity,

From the mind of an individual who understands the indications of their prejudiced attitudes and has judged them as un-harmful, racial slurs should flow freely from their mouths in the absence of the individuals they are directed towards. This behavior can be explained not only by the ignorance of the utterer, but more so by the justification they feel by the sentiment that as long as no minority hears their words, they are above reproach and innocent of societal wrongdoing. What then, is the harm of using such slurs without being in the presence of the slurs’ recipients? It would be impossible for the prejudiced individual to see the answer. In actual fact, the harm of such practices is immeasurable. Normalizing utterances of racial slurs is an undeniable step towards racial violence. All that is needed to normalize racial discrimination in policy and custom is to previously normalize the idea that such groups are somehow less than, “other”, or otherwise distinct from one’s own race, class, or societal group. What better way to accomplish this but to refer to a whole ethnic group as some derogatory moniker? Such is the err of these “nondiscriminatory”