Just Breathe

As I have gotten older and lived around different types of people, all from various walks of life, I have learned to appreciate the differences and the idiosyncrasies. But, I also wonder and watch in amazement as people do and say the oddest and most vile things straight to your face and don't blink! Picture this: I am at work and one of my co-workers asks me when they are going to get the clear to say and call me the N-word. I am not joking. Now mind you, I would have been offended even if this person was Black, so to have a White person say this to me not only struck me as surreal, but I ended up laughing and said, in my "this person is "Special" voice" I wouldn't ever do that. My co-worker then said "Even if I don't put an er on it, just keep it nigguh, you know! with a uh?" This is when I said to myself "Dawn, just breathe" and I explained it this way: When you call someone a bitch, does the meaning change when you say it like BEEEEAAATTTCCH? No, you are STILL calling them a bitch. The same goes for the word nigger. No matter how you say it or spell it, a nigga, is a nigger, is a nigguh! If I pulled all of the racial epithets that I know( and I know a lot) and changed the spelling or the way I say it, do you think it would take the hurt and pain away from the word and the history behind them? All of the pain these words and their meaning have caused people?  I don't think so. Now I need you to know that I lectured for about five minutes and when I went to wrap it all up; I looked at this person, this child standing in front of me and forgave them their ignorance. Even in this global community, where common sense ain't so common, we still are... here. I asked this person why would you want to call anyone these words? They are beyond hurtful, why? There was no answer and I really didn't expect one. Everyday Humans never cease to amaze, befuddle, surprise me with our compassion and sicken me with our insensitivity. And yet, we all muddle through don't we? We just count to ten and breeeaaathe. 
Peace and Love, but mostly Peace.