In the history of the United States, derogatory terms and hateful speech has been a part of our most troubling times.

There are words that should not be said, let alone thought, because of the effect they have on others, regardless people feel inclined to use them.

The question I have is, why?

Why use the term “retard” to describe someone with special needs? Why use that term in such a nasty way, that you end up dehumanizing someone?

Why use the term “faggot” to refer to a homosexual, why would you feel proud to express your homophobia? How can you say that without feeling guilty?

Why use the term “nigger” or its variant “nigga”, knowing how much it can offend me a black woman, knowing how much it can offend various black people all because your favorite artist used it in a song and you can’t help but sing along?

Why? How can you comfortably say it in a conversation with a black person, knowing you aren’t black so you cannot understand how it feels to have that term lazily thrown around.

Do you not see the look of disbelief when I hear the word fall from your mouth? Can you not feel the looks we give you when you throw it around and up and down?

Maybe you feel you have a right to say it since you see black people use it amongst their black friends. However, I have to disagree, I simply cannot understand why you would make that excuse.

How you could have the nerve to say that, I don’t know, but think twice before you utter those words.

This to my non-black friends who I adore, this is to the non-black strangers I have yet to meet. If you care about me, if you care about the feelings I possess, you can extract “nigga” from your vocabulary, better yet from your thoughts.

If you have any ounce of sympathy regarding the years of hate and abuse Black Americans have faced, you can refrain from trying to defend your right to use hate speech.

When it comes to homophobic slurs, when it comes to sexist terms, when it comes to the word “retard”, put yourself in the position of person who has to hear your derogatory mouth, 11/10 you wouldn’t like it, 100/10 you would feel as if you were nothing more than that nasty word.

To those who I imagine will continue to use hate speech to harm others, whether they’re aware or not, I hope one day you grow to understand the consequences of your actions. I hope you won’t have to suffer the consequences because you’ll understand prior that happening, how wrong you are.

To those who will see the errors in their ways, who will come to stop their use of slurs sooner rather than later, thank you, thank you for the appreciation for others you have finally acquired, thank you for becoming a better person.

Finally, to those who have never used derogatory words, to those who have never thought to use it, your thoughtfulness is and has been noted and hopefully others will follow.