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You hit the nail on the head. It matters far more in this country what you say than what you actually DO. Then again, if you're a liberal hater like Robert Byrd, it doesn't matter what you say OR do. You get a pass, anyway. How many fags and niggers do you think he's beaten up in his lifetime? My sympathy goes out to those folks.
To some extent. It also matters what your intentions and motives are, not just your words. You could call someone a "super-intelligent shade of the colour blue" and make that sound like an insult, if you work at it.Quote:
Originally posted by anthson
You hit the nail on the head. It matters far more in this country what you say than what you actually DO.
Hell, I think it is now time that I interjected this little gem of an article which fits so well into this conversation.Quote:
Originally posted by Carrah
Click for complete interview
I'm not sure what schoolyard she frequented where "faggot" was just an innocent word tossed around as a lighthearted taunt, but it sure wasn't any one I've ever been on.
That's so Gay
This whole discussion kind of proves her point. Everyone's so caught up with the word 'faggot' that they forgot to listen to the words surrounding it. To me she was making a point about how stupidly far political correctness has gone. I have gays, both men and women working with me, and they didn't take any offense or objection to it either.
*shrugs* maybe it's just a cultural thing. Aussies sledge each other all the time, in fact some of our most affectionate greetings are derivations of rather horrid insults.
Hurry, post your point before Darion locks the thread.
Frankly, the school's failure to protect the girl against ACTUAL bullying from her classmates is far more serious than her ignorant usage of "gay" as an insult. They seem more interested in symbolic acts of support for minorities than they are in preserving a safe nurturing learning environment.Quote:
Originally posted by Leoryn
Hell, I think it is now time that I interjected this little gem of an article which fits so well into this conversation.
That's so Gay
That said, I think it is important to bear in mind this statement from the article:
This is a very important point, and I do not think kids should be allowed to use gay as an insult in school. I don't think getting a warning from the principal and a note in her file was an unreasonable punishment. However, the kids who were bullying her should have probably gotten detention at least, and yet they got no punishment at all.Quote:
"It bothers them a lot," Byard said. "As odd or funny as the phrase sounds, imagine what it feels like to be in a setting where you consistently hear it used to describe something undesirable or stupid, and it also refers to you."
I understand the point you're trying to make, however it's going to happen again and again, as far as name calling is concerned. Being called a faggot or queer was the worst thing you could call someone while I was in school. I teach alot of high school kids and I hear it quite a bit. Someone brought up the issue of what the context is when the term is used. The problem, in my opinion lies when it is allowed to escalate from there into aggressive taunting, and physical acts of violence.Quote:
This is a very important point, and I do not think kids should be allowed to use gay as an insult in school.
I hate the idea of thought and word police telling my kids what they can and cannot say. That's my job. Again, this is where strong parenting is key for character building and acceptable conduct.
At any rate, back to Ann Coulter. How can anyone be expected to be taken seriously when they say such ridiculous things publicly? I sincerely hope this affects her sponsorship and muzzles her actions a bit; although I seriously doubt her tone will lighten or go away anytime soon.
No no no. Hurry, post your point so Darion doesn't _need_ to lock the thread! :)Quote:
Originally posted by anthson
Hurry, post your point before Darion locks the thread.
On the use of "gay" for all and sundry purposes: Any overuse of any word will destroy its meaning. If people start calling someone an "expert" just because he's figured out how to turn a device on, how will its dedicated technician be recognized? The usual course is for a new word to be invented - in the case of insults, a stronger and more offensive insult.