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Bill Maher is in trouble for referring to himself on air in unscripted conversation as a “house nigger.” This is being represented as in the same league as Kathy Griffin’s recent ISIS beheading shoot.

Publications and web pages referring to the incident almost all fail to actually print the word “nigger,” replacing in with, variously, “the n-word,” “n--,” or “expletive.” Huffington Post headlines “Bill Maher Jokes He’s A ‘House N****r’ On ‘Real Time’”

Twitter erupted:

“There are no explanations that make this acceptable.”

“HBO must fire him this is not acceptable.”

“Bill Maher must be fired immediately for his racism ...”

“Maher] has got to go. There are no explanations that make this acceptable. And why did the audience think it was okay to laugh? And Ben Sasse doesn't even flinch. What is happening in the world?"

"Please @HBO Do Not Air Another Episode Of Real Time With Bill Maher."

HBO responded swiftly: “Bill Maher's comment last night was completely inexcusable and tasteless. We are removing his deeply offensive comment from any subsequent airings of the show."

This is insane. This is deeply offensive to the sane. We have lost all moral judgment. This, perhaps, is the most frightening aspect of modern North American society: we no longer grasp or care about the distinction between right and wrong.

“Nigger” is not an expletive. It is not even, in any way, offensive. It simply means—sit down, brace yourself, and have the smelling salts ready--“black.” Accordingly, it is no more disturbing that calling someone “white.” Better not to think of someone in terms of their skin colour, but that is all.

There is something especially pernicious about reinterpreting a simple neutral description of a group of people as a pejorative. In order to do so, you must accept and promote the concept that there is something morally wrong or worthy of criticism about simply belonging to that group. About being black, or African American, or coloured, or negro, or whatever the preferred euphemism happens to be this week.

In other words, nothing could be more racist and anti-black than objecting to the word “nigger.” It is like being offended if you are Canadian, and are called Canadian. Makes sense only if you believe deeply that there is something obviously and indisputably wrong with being Canadian, of which all right-thinking people must be aware.

By contrast, “cracker,” a term commonly used to refer to white Americans in the South, really is offensive. It originally meant men “descended from convicts that were transported from Great Britain to Virginia.” A bit of an aspersion cast on your ancestors, surely. Merriam-Webster defines it as meaning “a bragging liar.” Not very flattering.

Neither is “redneck,” implying someone who labours outside, and so is presumably uneducated, if not lacking in natural intelligence.

Or “white trash.”

How would “black garbage” sound?

All commonly used, without a twinge of conscience nor a peep of protest.

This comparison suggests, not a special problem of discrimination against gentlemen of the well-tanned persuasion, if you will, but a special position of social privilege. Combined perhaps with a deeply rooted self-hate.

Worse, Maher manifestly could not have been insulting anyone, even if the word were indeed itself pejorative. He called HIMSELF a “house nigger.” Why should this upset anyone other than him? Perhaps he should give himself a stern talking to?

Actually, in a minimally sane world, a white man calling himself “nigger” would be seen as an expression of solidarity.

Even worse, blacks themselves happily and commonly refer to themselves and other blacks as “niggers.”

It amounts to awarding special privileges on the basis of race: to blacks. Yet one more example of the growing inequity of “black privilege.”

I have no special reason to want to keep Maher on the air: it think most of his expressed opinions are pernicious. If the left wants to destroy themselves, who am I to argue?

Except for one thing.

There really is a difference between right and wrong.