“Scout,” said Atticus, “n*****-lover is just one of those terms that don’t mean anything – like snot-nose. It’s hard to explain – ignorant, trashy people use it when they think somebody’s favoring N*****s over and above themselves. It’s slipped into usage with some people like ourselves, when they want a common, ugly term to label somebody.
“You aren’t really a n*****-lover, then, are you?
“I certainly am. I do my best to love everybody…I’m hard put, sometimes – baby, it’s never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it doesn’t hurt you.”
– Harper Lee
To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 11. Atticus explains to Scout the racial slur “*****-lover” that has been hurled at him. It says more about the person using it than the person it is directed towards, he tells her. He shows high moral principles by making clear that he loves everybody, regardless of the color of their skin. He’s also a good father who teaches his children by example.