Nike Anti-Racism Campaign

In high school, I knew of people (white people to be specific) who would throw out the "n" word like it was saying hello. First of all, aside from the meaning, it just sounds like a degrading and awful word. But then you put the meaning into it, and it is completely unacceptable. I don't understand how so people can honestly have the nerve to say that word to an African-American or even behind their backs to another white person. They are people and calling them that makes it sound like they aren't and like they are less. I personally have always considered someone who uses this term on a daily bases, a racist. Now, I could be mixing this term up with prejudice. However, I personally feel that for someone to be able to say this word like it means nothing, means that they have no care in the world about the race or how the people within the race feel therefore, I would say they are racist.

How do we stop this kind of behavior? Well, I used to ask my friend to please not use the word around me because I just really couldn't stand hearing it. It helped maybe a little bit but he still would use it on occasion. If we aren't able to change the minds of the ignorant, how are we supposed to do away with racism? Nike even did a campaign against racism which I wasn't even aware of.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fpRKOK3Nb8

Did it help? Did it change the minds and opinions of some?

http://www.breakingnews.ie/archives/2005/0210/sport/kfididqlauid/

In the previous article, Neville claimed that there haven't been many racism problems in the last 5-10 years and that the campaign is irrelevant and shouldn't be run. Why do you feel that Nevelle considered this campaign such a threat? Would that statement alone constitute that he could be a racist? Or do you think there is a difference in ignorance and racism?

Could it be said that the people I knew in high school were ignorant? Or were they racist? How do you distinguish which one a person is? Is it necessary to know which they are before trying to change their outlook?

Unfortunately, I feel that there are some people that simply won't change. Nothing is a wake up call to them. I guess my hope is that if they feel a certain way, that they can learn to keep it to themselves and not possibly influence others.