Here's a question for all of you writers out there: If you write a story or a film and a character uses the "n-word," does that make you a racist? If you're a filmmaker and one of your characters calls something "gay," are you homophobic?

In the race for governor of Texas, a twenty year old clip of Kinky Friedman making fun of racists and using the "n-word" (hereafter known as the word no white person may use) has surfaced, causing his opponents to call Kinky "divisive."

After "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" came out, director Kevin Smith paid a fine to GLAAD for using "gay" as a perjorative. I didn't know GLAAD was able to fine anyone. As it was explained, it sounded like GLAAD told Smith, "Give us lots of money or we'll picket your movie."

I recently read "Batman: Dead White". In the novel, Batman goes up against white supremacists. Not one of the characters used the word that no white person may use, but if one had, would the author, John Shirley, be considered an racist? In fact, since he wrote about white supremacists, does that mean he is a white supremacist?

After all, just quoting someone who speaks ill of Islam makes you an enemy of Islam, and writing a novel about Turkey and mention a Kurdish massacre makes you an anti-Turk.