Ok...I feel compelled to add my two cents worth here....
A lot of this comes down to history. History is history, and some of it is ugly without a doubt. But if we shelter people from it...aren't they doomed to repeat it? I've always agreed with the saying, you have to know where you came from to know where you're going. I'll share this information with my children, as I do all sides of history I possibly can. That way they are prepared for life, and they know what is acceptable to utter as well as what is not. I've never heard this phrase before I read this post. Now I can teach them what it is, its an ugly term, and not acceptable to use it. Thanks for bringing this to my attention, and furthering not only mine, but my children's life education.
We need to be careful to not assume the worst in people...some things are just a lesson in history, that we need to know about!
As far as literature, I think it is more offensive to ban any of it, than it is to read and openly discuss it. We can't learn if we can't know.