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Looking back at my law school education at the time of my graduation, I thought I had learned the answer to most difficult legal questions: It depends. I think that answer may apply to the question of whether calling someone the “n” word is protected speech under the First Amendment. The Supreme Court has exempted “fighting words” from the protection of the First Amendment. It is a shrinking and dubious category, but as of today it still exists. The 2025 Harvard Law Review Note “Fighting Words at the Founding” presents a thought-provoking reconsideration of the doctrine in light of the common law at the time of the founding.