I've decided (even if nobody cares about my opinion) that until black guys like Dave Chappelle quit using the N-word, black people have no right to get worked up about white people saying it.
That said, we shouldn't say it and I've worked hard to get it out of my vocabulary (I said it A LOT in the 70's and 80's), but I refuse to be supportive of a cause that refuses to police itself.
I have talked to a lot of black people, acquaintances, friends, etc, who black, about this.
And blacks are split on this. About half think that black people shouldn't use the N word. About half think that it can be ok in certain semi limited situations.
Of the Half that think it can be semi ok in certain limited situations, they explained it to me like this:
Black people have adopted the N word in much the same way that others have adopted racist names that thrown at them.
It was, is a way that they make peace with, deal with being called the N word, and so they call themselves and other black people N word as a way to deal with being called N word by non blacks.
It's also part of their black people slang, street language, etc, that is semi ok to them to use in certain limited situations, between and only between black people, etc.
According to them, black comedians, etc, using the N word is wrong, because there are non blacks in audience, and because it's in a more public way.
They also think that it's wrong for black musicians, actors, etc, to use the N word except for Rappers, actors who are trying to tell a story, etc.
While I disagree with them in that I don't think it's ok for blacks to use the N word, etc, I do semi understand their viewpoint.
And all I can do is try to set a good example by not ever using that word, and by trying to discourage black people and others from using the N Word around me by asking them to please not use the N word around me, and saying that the N word is a OFFENSIVE word to me, etc.