The Terrible N-Word

So, I suppose I should mention that this opinion is coming from a middle-class, suburban white kid, attending a small country school with little exposure to black culture. Nevertheless, I'll throw out my 2 cents.
With the recent outburst of Michael Richards, there has been a call by black community leaders and figures for a voluntary stopping of the usage of the infamous "n-word." They say it's just offensive, there's no reason for its use or existence. Using the word is "unacceptable." This annoys me. I am by no means discriminatory towards any race, creed, sexual orientation, etc., and that's something you'll just have to take my word on. But the idea of eradicating a word from existence by command is absurd. Listening to and NPR article on the evolution of language, it was mentioned that language changes form and rules on its own, and without some sort of authoritarian rule, no person or group can demand change in a language; it happens on its own. To me, however, referring to any word as "unacceptable" strikes a very negative chord. I'm reminded of a very enjoyable post by Keith Olbermann regarding Bush's remark on a certain train of thought (I recommend everyone give the article a good read.) I believe this way of thinking applies to words as well. Words are the only communicable representation of thought. Limiting language implies limited thought, as strongly implied in Orwell's 1984.
Now, true, this particular word could probably be effaced without much loss of freedom of thought. However, lines must be drawn, and in my opinion the line exists at the very beginning. No words can ever, EVER be forced out of existence, whether that word has a beautiful, positive meaning or a terrible negative connotation. Expression can never be cut down.
If one is looking merely to reduce the power of racism by destroying the power of this racist word, then calling for an all-out stopping of its use is doing the exact opposite! A good quote to remember: "Fear of a word only increases fear of the thing itself." No wise thinker said this one; it was in a Harry Potter book. Why do curse words retain their power of expression? It's due to their lack of use! It words like "fuck" or "shit" are used on a regular basis, do you think those words imply the same level of passion? No, they are simply used as normal words with normal implication; they do not express the same extreme emotion as they once did. The same idea works in reverse. If you know someone who never uses foul language, when they curse you are astonished, but you recognize his/her level or frustration, right? Of course you do. If people want to reduce the power of this "n-word" then by God just say it. Encourage everyone to say it. Push it to the level of frequency that it becomes an everyday word. In many places it is already, but the commonness of the word must traverse racial lines; white people can say it too. Everyone should be allowed to use this word, and often. What would happen then? If anyone tries to use it as an insult, a negative epithet, would anyone care? Would it get the slightest response of anger? No, it wouldn't. It's now the norm. To remove a word's meaning, you must remove its taboo.
So, really, why all the fuss? My comment on any argument founded on the use of this word: Get over it.