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This column reflects the opinion of the writer. Learn about the differences between a news story and an opinion column.

End the “N-word pass”

Why do people think they have the right to say the N-word?

I am a student at Mead High School and I was wondering why the people at my school think they have the right to say the N-word.

I have had the N-word said to me three times and when I said, “Hey that’s not OK,” they replied that I have the “N-word pass,” I am 1% African American, or they said that racism is over, and that is sadly not true. People today are still being treated differently because the color of their skin.

We of Generation Z have made up the “N-word pass.” A tangible object that states that you can say the N-word for a period of time. Which makes no sense - no one should be using the N-word because the more we use it the more popular it becomes. When I hear someone use the excuse that they are 1% African American it makes me a little mad. It makes me mad because if you’re 1% African American it doesn’t mean you have the skin color of an African American. Which means that you are not treated like every other African American.

Matthew McClure

Spokane

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