Not only that, but even in English speaking countries that are not America. For instance, I was born and raised in Kenya (going to private schools with British/Scottish heritage in Nairobi), before going to the US to study/work. During my time there (I left the US 5 or so years ago to pursue my fortune in international private equity/fund management) I have only experienced what some would call 'racism' twice. The first was when some sot, who happened to be African-American, was trying to explain to me how I sold his ancestors to slavery (after which I proceeded to elucidate how his ancestors came from the Western part of Africa while I was from the Eastern part, and telling him how sorry I was that my ancestors did not have the opportunity to be the ones that sold his to slavery - needless to say he was not happy). The second time was when some sot, who happened to have white skin, used the N word for me. Reaction? Absolutely none. The word has absolutely no emotional significance to me ...it is tantamount to calling me a 'red-speckled nightingale,' or maybe 'two scoops of blue-berry pie.' So I just gave the person a blank look before I started laughing and walked on.
Certain words or phrases that may have a certain context (and emotional poignancy) in one geographic area can have absolutely none in another.
I understand your experience but France us different.
There has always been a love/hate relation ship with America, and an obsession with African Americans.
The Trayvon Martin story has received almost as much media coverage in France as in the US. The French still view America through the lens if Alabams 1955.
This Hollande racist video is the N word heard round the world. And everyone in France knows exactly what it means. If you were to use it, you would be viewed as just another American racist persecuting AFrican Americans, with the whole slavery story thrown in, along with stealing the land from the “native” Americans, or the casino owning Americans as they are now known.