For those that want to say, "you are saying it is OK to have Black people use the N--word," then all of you need to go back and read the posts I made. Take everything in context, not just one line and come to a conclusion.
I grew up in a house where this word was not acceptable, was not used and was not condoned in any way. But having said that, there are people in my family (cousins, uncles and aunts) that might use that word in conversation, no matter what I think about it or what my Mom's
(who was the main person against my usage as a child, especially with her education background and time she grew up) attitudes about the subject.
If any of you actually READ my responses, I said "I would handle it differently." Mainly because the usage of the word whether I agree or not agree has a completely different context for those that use the word of the same race as compared to a white person using the word. And if you do not believe me, I challenge anyone white to say that around in a mostly Black crowd. Then come back and tell me if you think there is not a difference.
So for the person that claims there are some white folks that can use the word and have acceptance, well I have never met them. And if they used that word around the people I associate with, they might find their teeth on the floor. But that is just the many Black folks I know.
The two times this word was used by a Black player talking to his Black teammate during a game, I pulled the players aside, I told them basically, "You would not use that word in your classroom, you would not use that word around your coaches, do not use that word on my field." Both kids said basically, "OK" and it did not happen again. In both cases, I had white coaches and did not feel that they would understand, nor address it to my satisifaction, so I addressed it myself (not much different than many situations on the football field). These kids realized that they had some Black official on the field and showed respect like they do in many other situation in their lives. No different than what I would have done if they players dropped F-bombs that I was the only one to hear. And being a Referee, I have learned to address many situations outside of race and they are dealt with and solved by my words or my umpire's words. Those things can range from taunting to complaining about penalties. And if I took this "black and white" approach, then I would flag everyone for any unsportsmanlike offense and do so 5 or 6 times a game.
Considering that this is something never addressed by the "higher ups" who are all white, I stand by my application of this rule as it relates to people that look like me. And when I have talked to other officials that are not Black, I have helped them understand what is important to them. And just like calling holding, I am going to use "common sense." And common sense is not to call holding on the opposite side of the field of where the ball was run. Common sense is to address a situation (especially when I am the only person that hears it) in a way that stops the action without a flag, in my opinion I have won if I do not have to take out the yellow hankie. I do not have to explain this to the coach and I do not have to debate whether it happen.
I guess 2 years ago my (all-Black crew) basketball crew should have T'd a white coach for bringing this to our attention. This coach was claiming his only Black player (all white opponents) was being called that by the visiting team. I guess because he actually used the words and did not say, "he called him the N-word," we should have just T'd and ejected him for such language. Something my all-Black officiating crew would have definitely addressed if we heard it. But because this was such a controversy at the time, the AD from the visiting team (who we knew very well and is white for the record) had his players run for the apparent slur used by their players. But none of that is important, this coach used a racial slur, so we have to go by the letter of the law and use little common sense at all because the "N-word" was used. BTW, what does this have to do with football? Well the rules are pretty much the same in all sports I have officiated or umpired on this issue. It might not be a flag, but it is unsportsmanlike in nature in all sports I have done over my career. It might not be a flag, but it is a T or an ejection depending on the sport.
Peace