Two African American members of your group refer to each other as “nigga” when they greet each other at the beginning of group meetings.⁴ You and one other member find the use of the term highly offensive and do not believe any person, no matter her or his color, should use the term. One other member really does not care and does not see the point in making a big deal out of it.
This racial epithet is a highly emotive trigger word in the American culture, and people weigh in with all sorts of opinions on its use.
1. As a group what do you do? How would you discuss this issue?
2. When do the references in personal member greetings become an issue for a group?
3. What new rules might this group create to allow for emotive words yet avoid the consequences of their use?