Burying the "N" Word: Symbolic Move Won't Stop Rappers, Racists or Drunks from Using Racial Slur

The symbolic burial of the "n" word in various cities around the country won't change a thing.

Rappers, racists and drunks will continue to use the divisive term at will and with relish. Upset comics and various celebrities will, too, as we've already seen. The mock burials should not be seen as anything but symbolic, until public perceptions of the damage the word does becomes much more widespread. We're only hearing this from one part of the population, and stunts like this do nothing to change the perception that this is a problem for our entire society, and not just the African-American communities.

Eliminating this vulgar term from entertainment alone is nothing but window dressing which covers up a much bigger problem. Racism doesn't reside in entertainment alone; and the NAACP has unwisely focused too much of it's attention there, and on this one word.

Many words can be put together to describe someone based on their skin color, religious belief, and other things which set people apart from one another that are just as harmful as the "n" word. Consider Don Imus's words. I had to look up part of the term he used to understand what he meant.

Racism is more than words, and affects more than one group of people. Burying one word won't do anything to change it.