And here we go again.



Countdown to the following:



1.) “Well, Black people use the word all the time, so we should be able to use it too! Either everyone can use it, or no one can!” —If you actually need linguistic reclamation explained to you, ask, and I’ll be happy to provide a calm, respectful description of how it works; if on the other hand you’re just being a disingenuous toolbag, maybe ask yourself why you think the way you do—and why so many folks think you’re a toolbag.



2.) “It’s just a word. Stop reacting to it, and it’ll cease to have power!” —It is true, on some level, that language changes over time—particularly through popular use or cessation thereof. However, some words have very strong historical connotations that cannot be divorced from present use simply by wishing that it be so; saying that certain words—particularly those that were used as part of a systemic effort to enslave, oppress, and dehumanize a race of people—simply “shouldn’t be allowed to hurt” is exactly what privilege looks like. If you’ve never been part of a heavily marginalized group (and no, “male gamer” doesn’t count, because there have never been legal injunctions against your existence, no one tried to keep you from voting, you’ve unlikely been cornered and beaten by law enforcement because of your hobby—and also, importantly, a hobby is a choice, whereas race is a born-in quality that cannot be changed or hidden at will), then you have no idea how language like that can hurt, and should probably not be trying to tell other people what they should/should not feel about certain terms.





3.) “ZOMG, why is Kotaku so biased?!” —Factual reporting on an event—in this case, the words of some dude that are readily observable on a stream—is not indicative of a bias. Editorializing can be, but factual reportage is not—unless, of course, you perceive facts themselves as holding a bias, in which case you may need to reevaluate your engagement with reality.



4.) “LOL, SJWs are gonna be upset over this!” —If wanting others to understand that racial invective coming from the mouths of non-members of the target group (or the in-group that is reclaiming the language, to be more specific) makes someone an SJW, then I suppose I’ll go ahead and wear that badge with pride; I mean, why would you not?



