----------------------------Original message---------------------------- T saying that the "n" word whould be shouted from the rooftops till it ceases to be offensive is really just a paraphrase of something Lenny Bruce said, oh, 30 years ago. Bruce concludes that when a four year old child is called a "n", it would have no meaning, and therefore no pain. But to argue that African-American audiences watching a white man use that word, for humourous effect yet, are *in* on the joke is plain insulting. I do agree that the word "racism", as it is being bandied about here, is a bit too strong. I don't want to be flamed, but to argue that because T used the "n" word, is the same as his dawning a white sheet and going on the Geraldo show, is a bit much. But back to the point in hand. A-A audiences, by being aurally subjected to that particular form of abuse are made to feel excluded from the "coolness" of T, which the media sez is GREAT ART. This disenfranchaises our African decended brothers and sisters by implying a "shame" in their race; to be in on the joke is to use the "n" word, regardless of context. As minority group member myself, (it being totally irrelevant which one) I know how I cringe when derogotory remarks are made about us, even if it is not meant to be taken seriously. It makes me very uncomfortable. used properly, and I'm not suggesting that all racial epithets are removed from the canon of screen-utterance, I just think they should be used more pointedly. If a character attacks, makes jokes about, or even looks the wrong way at my particular group of hereditary membership, my emotions toward that character are definately negative. I agree that T should explore the emotional effects his rhetoric has, rather than mindlessly uttering mild platitudes which have not only become parodied, but ultimately meaningless. Be that as it may, I rather like Pulp Fiction. Mikel Koven