I don't care what Michael Richards says to black people

I really don't care how Michael Richards feels about black people, but this episode has pointed out one thing, the n-word deeply offends people. Not just black people, but all decent people. Maybe not when Chris Rock says it, but when it was used in the manner Richards used it.... it stung, hard . The Al Sharptons and Jesse Jacksons of this world would prefer that you not see that the kind of vigorous racism that was the norm only 30 years ago is entirely unacceptable now, with the exception of a few ignorant fools. Do I think Richards is a racist, don't know, don't care. We tend to give some sort of special importance to what celebrities say and I find that to be an odd situation. What Richards' rant really revealed is how those remarks are just not gonna' fly, people no longer sit in uncomfortable silence when those kinds of statements are made. Unless, of course, you're Senator Robert Byrd.