"the way you used it is exactly how a racist would use it to mock a black person." I still don't see what exactly is so mocking about it. Yes, I was perhaps "c

"the way you used it is exactly how a racist would use it to mock a black person." I still don't see what exactly is so mocking about it. Yes, I was perhaps "conjuring up" a stereotypical scenario. So what? Clearly, the stereotype exists. Even if it doesn't reflect reality, imo it would still be valid to refer to the stereotype, as the stereotype exists and is part of reality. The much celebrated Toni Morrison book also conjures a stereotype, about a black girl obsessing to become white. Somehow that is good - why? And again, no - nobody should be forced to spend time learning about the behavior of racists. Why should they? Life is too short to spend it studying nasty people. I reject this as an attempt to control other people's life, with the power of being a minority. "Generally the way to avoid being offensive in that situation is to write your characters respectfully as human beings, and to ask members of the minority group you are portraying to review your work for any unintentional offensiveness before publication." Nope, and that is also why I am so defensive. I value freedom of thought and freedom of art higher than people's choice of being offended. Of course any writer is free to make the choice to try to offend as few people as possible. But writers should also be allowed to write what they think.