1. The "Fighting Words" Doctrine In the legal sphere, the U.S. Supreme Court established in Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire that certain words—by their very utterance—inflict injury or tend to incite an immediate breach of the peace. These are not protected as a meaningful "exposition of ideas." When we look at the history of the N-word, we see the ultimate example of words used to incite state-sanctioned and extrajudicial violence. 2. Modern Compliance and Workplace Standards Today, in the world of corporate compliance and paralegal practice, the use of dehumanizing language is recognized as a primary driver of "hostile work environments." We have moved from a time where such words were ignored by the law to an era where their use can be grounds for significant legal liability under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. 3. The Paralegal’s Role in Justice As legal professionals, our duty is to ensure that the law serves as a shield for the vulnerable,...