"This could be the beginning of a movement. I forgive those young people who do not know their history, and I blame myself and my generation for not preparing you. But today we are going to know our history. We are not going to refer to ourselves by anything negative, the way the slave master referred to black people, using the n-word."
—New York City councilman Albert Vann, referring to the ban of the racial slur in New York City, which won the unanimous backing of the city council on February 28th.
The ban, however, is symbolic, and use of the slur will not incur punishment.
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