[quote=Irishman12
But even as Vercetti said, Blacks have not been the only minority who have been oppresed in this country. Granted, there's has probably been to the greatest extent of the word but what about the Irish when they came to America? Were they welcomed with open arms? Or how about the Italians? The Jews? The Chinese? The Japanese? The Mexicans? etc. As Carlos Mencia said, America is like a fraternity and every ethic group has to go through "greek week." Some have and it looks like they will always go through it (Blacks, Jews, etc), while others seem to have overcome it (the Irish, Italians, etc). I'm not saying I agree with this, but that's just what it seems like. [/quote]

I agree completely that many groups have suffered scorn and discrimination on some level. As an Irish-American, I'm mindful of the phrase, "No Irish Need Apply." However, I sincerely believe that no group can begin to compare their struggles to the plight that engripped African Americans.

While all those other groups came to America of their own accord, Africans were captured, enslaved and sold as property. Even after slavery, they've been segregated under law from the rest of the groups. They've overcome a lot, and have had a lot more to overcome than any other ethnic or minority group in America. They have played and continue to play on a much different field than the rest of us.

My point is that because the racial slurs against Blacks have historically carried implications that they were less than full human beings and are rooted in oppression, their use today is acutely more sensitive and carry a far more sickening impact than the use of other terms.