White CNN political analyst lectures black author on use of the N-word

Kirsten Powers, CNN senior political analyst and USA Today columnist, lectured author Thomas Chatterton Williams, who writes for Harper's and New York Times Magazine, about when, how, and how not to use the "n-word." This after saying white people should not lecture black people on the use of the "n-word."

Powers, who is white, began her Twitter conversation by asking "What is so hard about listening to Black people and respecting their view?" And ended by telling a Williams, a black man, that his view has no place in her conversation "about white ppl who argue with Black ppl about when it's ok to use the N-word."

The controversy began when Powers shared an article about the latest white person to discuss use of a racial slur and lose his job for it. Mike Pesca was suspended from the podcast he hosted on Slate for defending New York Times science writer Donald G. McNeil Jr., who was recently forced to resign after being accused of saying the word to a student on an extended field trip some years ago in the context of a conversation about the word's appropriate usage.

Powers wrote "Another day, another news story quoting white men saying they can say the N-word bc 'context' + that 'nothing should be beyond debate.' WHAT IS SO HARD ABOUT THIS? What is so hard about listening to Black people and respecting their view?"

The debate surrounding whether or not O'Neil should lose his job was made clear when a series of posts from a private, New York Times, Facebook chat were made public. It led to a wider conversation about whether it was ever appropriate for a white person to say the word, even in the context of having a conversation about whether or not it was okay to say it.

In a Slate Slack exchange, Pesca allegedly said that "he felt there were contexts in which the slur could be used," according to the Times. "Slate's chief executive, Dan Check, stepped in to shut down the discussion."

Powers seems to believe that Pesca's firing, and O'Neil's forced resignation, were justified, and that it is appropriate for white people to be prohibited from saying the word even in conversations about whether or not it's appropriate to say the word in given contexts. The result of the debate appears to have been determined, and no further debate can be permitted.

In response to Powers comments, a Twitter user who identifies as a Philadelphia lawyer, with under 500 followers, chimed in, saying "Most of those offended are over educated and relatively young white liberals rather than AAs [African Americans]. The focus should be on substantively addressing inequality, injustice and discrimination as opposed to ineffectual symbolic gestures that amount to nothing more than virtue signaling."

But Powers replied that he was "Wrong," quoting the Times story, saying "From article: Joel Anderson, a Black staff member at Slate...disagreed. 'For Black employees, it’s an extremely small ask to not hear that particular slur and not have debate about whether it’s OK for white employees to use that particular slur,' he said."

It is at that point that Williams joined the debate, pointing out that Williams, who Powers quoted, had used the word himself in conversation with Williams. Williams wrote: "I mean, Joel Anderson has used that term in reference to me on this website."

"What's your point?" Powers replied. "Does that mean white people should be saying it?"

"I think a while person mentioning it not derogatorily is not as bad as a black person using it derogatorily," Williams said.

But Powers countered "ok not sure why you are trying to change the subject. Feels like whataboutism which i don't entertain. my tweet was about white ppl who argue with Black ppl about when it's ok to use the N-word"

To which Williams quipped "I hate to break this to you, but right this very moment a 'white' person (YOU) is arguing with a 'black' person (ME) about when it's okay to use that term!"

Powers demanded that white people listen to black people about their discomfort or comfort level about using the n-word and ended by refusing to listen to a black person's view in that debate.