OK time for some omnibus judgments:
- Should a professor use the N word in class? No.
- Does it mitigate the issue that it’s used in a dry academic context? Yes.
- Does that make it OK? No.
- Should she have apologized? Up to her.
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- Can students complain about the use of the N word in class? Yes.
- Should they post the address and phone number of the professor to subject her to harassment and fear? No.
- Can they call for the professor to be fired? Yes.
- Should the professor be fired? No.
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- Should the university defend the professor? Yes.
- Should the university defend the offended students? Yes.
- Should the university defend academic freedom? Yes.
- Should the university ensure a safe space for students on campus? Yes.
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- Does this mean racism is overblown in general? No.
- Are "microaggressions" made up by oversensitive virtue signallers? No.
- Are some virtue signallers too sensitive to the point of absurdity? Oh God yes.
- Are some freedom absolutists disconnected from reality? Yes.
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- Should you be able to show and say anything you want in an academic setting? No.
- Can discuss the N word without actually pronouncing it? Yes.
- Is it legitimate to worry a slippery slope of restraining free speech in the name of protecting feelings? Yes.
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- Can white people opine about this issue? Yes.
- Can TV news networks have all-white panels talk about racism? Yes.
- Should TV news networks maybe add at least one person to these panels who knows what it's like to be called the N word? Yes.
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-Am I a privileged white person who should probably allow marginalized people and experts carry this debate instead? Yes.
-Am I writing this anyway because I'm just annoyed by how everyone is treating this so-called scandal and want to get this stuff off my chest? Yes.