I knew you were a closet fan .

Short answer from a middle-aged white guy: The word clearly has it's place in history, so to edit it out of a book written over a hundred years ago is not only ridiculous, but it goes against everything this country was founded on.

I personally wish black people wouldn't use it around me. It makes me very uncomfortable, and I'll often ask them not to do so when talking to me. They usually respect me for it (although I have been directed to go fuck myself a few times).

White people should NEVER use the word. That's just how I feel.