Too PC when it comes to language? [View All]

[scottcsmith]

My wife and I are both liberal Democrats, although she's actually more to the left than I am (I think she'd call herself a Socialist).

We don't talk a lot of politics at home. If anyone brings up a subject, it's usually me.

My wife has a 15-year-old, and I've noticed that he uses the word "nigger" a lot. The context is (supposedly) that he's imitating someone when he says it. Here's an example: a report on the news about illegal immigrants, and my step-son says something like (and he's apparently doing an impression of someone) "We can't let all them niggers across the border." I guess he's imitating, I dunno, a racist? And when he said it, I looked at my wife and said, "Are we now allowing him to use racial epithets in the house?" My wife kind of squirmed and said no, but that it was okay in the context he was using it. I didn't want to get into an argument, but to me, using racial epithets -- even when you are joking -- is not cool. Maybe I'm being a little too sensitive on the subject (I'm Jewish, and know that Jews are the target of epithets as well), what do you think? Is this a case of "lighten up"? I don't think it's right, but as step-dad, my role is limited as far as discipline goes.