What happens when the next generation forgets what the "N" word referred to?
(Since no one is allowed to use the word even to explain why it is bad, now.)
Will people commit seppuku for saying "Nigeria" or "nanotechnology" or "Nag Hammadi" just to be on the safe side?
Do New York Times reporters have naked dreams, only in which they can't help but shout some word on the forbidden list? (And how long should that list be?)
Can Mark Z's Department of Magic come up with a spell so that whenever you say one of the bad words, Snatchers automatically descend on your home and take you to Azkaban?
Exciting times to be alive. When progressives hold the reins of power, one never knows just what new steps we'll be taking next.
I have never carelessly tossed that word around, and agree some words should be used with great caution. That's why I don't think the NYT reporter was careless, certainly not maliciously.
It's not progressive to bully people and hurt them because they break your own superstitious taboos. That's just another expression of the totalitarian nature of the Left these days -- it ends in riots and bloodshed and people having their lives ruined.
PS: To prevent misunderstandings, yes, one should be kind and thoughtful in how one uses potentially hurtful language, in all contexts, to all audiences. One should also be kind and thoughtful in how one interprets use of language. Some words are minefields, and should only be used with extreme caution.
Virtue and vice do not lie in sounds, they lie in intent. Even the words "I love you" can be deeply cruel, in a certain context.