Reply #18: This is kinda strange

[toughboy]

Most people where I live are black or hispanic and I hear the word frequently. What surprised me was to hear white guys on the street using it back and forth with blacks. We live in Jersey in a part where you have to pay a realtor up front 50% commission before they'll let you get a place that you had to locate. Even the lawyer reminded us that we were buying in a "mixed" neighborhood. I had to ask what that meant. Maybe it's more common to hear among younger people? It doesn't seem like anybody says it to cut anyone down but it's one of those words that my parents let us all know that we would get seriously thrashed if we ever said. So I just don't use the word. I can tell real easily though if someone has a problem with black people, and I usually can't not say something to them about it being just stupid and worng, but my wife tells me just to shut up and not get myself hurt. My wife's best girlfriend who also has a young baby is black and she said the same thing to me about it. I just don't know how I feel about that. I've never needed to use the word to say anything anyway.