Not trying to be funny, cute or belittle anything but is the "N" word offensive?  I could go buy any rap CD from Wal-Mart, turn on almost any video on BET / MTV, pull up any Twitter account from a person of color and the word is prevalent.  So, the honest question I have is that is it the word itself or the context?  Chris Rock has a full You-Tube video devoted to the word.  Chapelle show had a whole segment to the word.  I don't use it, but I would like to know who is offended by it when I hear the same people use it that claim to be offended.  Sorry, rant over.