Flacco uses the R-word....great....

[jonboy79]

The Euphamism Treadmill that was brought up was a great point.

MY issue with the "PC craze" isn't the intention, it's the execution. The problem is that the accepted term turns into a derogatory term adn is replaced now on a nearly annual basis. It is becoming increasingly hard o "keep up with the times" an use today's corrrect terminology for a certain subset of the populace.

Let's use those people that due to genetics are Far shorter then average. Midget, Dwarf... been bad for a while. Ok no problem, I can avoid those terms. So first I was trained to say vertically challenged or height challenged, and now "little people" is the term. The problem, to me, is that the new term is the most condescending of all so it is only a matter of time before a new term is born. It is far easier for a society to conform with new fangled terminology when it isn't such a quickly moving target. Like it's on a treadmill.

[ActualSpamBot]

Yes ASB, that is exactly right, and was alluded to in my "you have the right to think that a person who uses word X is a Y" statement. But you calling the person anything back only furthers the non-PC stance adding merit to the "don't be such a thin skinned whimp" argument from the PC side.

No, if I called him something else that was a pejorative term used to insult a minority class it would add merit to the other side. If I said, "Calling something retarded is something I only expect from low class niggers" then I'd be a hypocrite and a fool. But calling someone who insists on exercising his right to call something retarded an asshole doesn't really compare.

[drunkmormon]

No, if I called him something else that was a pejorative term used to insult a minority class it would add merit to the other side. If I said, "Calling something retarded is something I only expect from low class niggers" then I'd be a hypocrite and a fool. But calling someone who insists on exercising his right to call something retarded an asshole doesn't really compare.

So you think calling people assholes is politically correct?

[NCRAVEN]

Why.

Why what?

[NCRAVEN]

No, if I called him something else that was a pejorative term used to insult a minority class it would add merit to the other side. If I said, "Calling something retarded is something I only expect from low class niggers" then I'd be a hypocrite and a fool. But calling someone who insists on exercising his right to call something retarded an asshole doesn't really compare.

I'm offended by this, could you pleas edit this...

[AirFlacco]

Kids can actually get suspended for bullying these days.

Hell, I got suspended for two weeks for beating up the school bully in the 9th grade and my dad had to
pay his medical bills. I didn't even start the fight but I finished it. Fighting wasn't allowed in school but that's the way
we did things in the 60s. The guy never bothered anyone again.

HR is right and so is T.

I was the Disability Coordinator for my agency and bought a lot of equipment for our disabled employees.
I put in the first handi cap parking places.

NOne of my former clients would be upset with JOe. So there's now we gotta put the R-word on the list with C-word as things we can't say. Now Ben Stiller's movie where he went out of his way to imitate a person with MS on crutches and had the
entire theater laughing was offensive and was one of the only movies I ever walked out of.

[Captain Silver]

So someone who says "you presume much" wants other people to "back up the pretentiousness bus"? That's rich.

And you're right, it would have been "categorically wrong and pathetic logic" of me if I had said what you said I did. Fortunately, I didn't. (Reading comprehension!)

Here is what you said:

When did America turn into a bunch of pussies? You people need to get thicker skin and not give a damn about what people say unless it is directed at you.

Here is what I said after:

Captain Silver was not being specific to this [the "retard" situation] example. He was broadly stating that people should not care about things unless they personally affect them, which is a statement so morally and historically dubious I don't even know where to start.

So to reiterate:

What you said sure as hell sounds like a general statement to me! So, yes, I think that "not giv[ing] a damn about what people say unless it is directed at you" is extremely morally dubious. Mostly because of a little thing called empathy.

Again, split hairs and judge others by your own moral compass, it suits you well. Take note, because you and other's deem the word retarded or have some theory about the advancing of the civilization dropping words that become offensive doesn't mean shit to me nor does it have anything to do with my level of empathy towards my fellow man. I generalized about America's obsession with being PC, it is merely one more form of hypocrisy carried as a standard by the 'holier than thou club.'

You make a point on my empathy, which you know nothing of, so wear the pretentiousness cloak proudly.

Thicker skin means, try and laugh it off not give yourself an aneurysm over it.

[drunkmormon]

Seriously, stupid fucking comment Joe.

And you think it ok to make fun of PETA on the Ray Lewis deer antler thread? PC is all about not picking and choosing based on your life, but accepting all...

[ActualSpamBot]

So you think calling people assholes is politically correct?

It can be rude, depending on context, but there is no minority class of people who are collectively labeled "assholes". So yes, there is nothing inherently politically incorrect about calling someone an asshole.

Honestly I think half this debate is about people like you who keep trying to define politically correct as meaning "Never say anything that insults anyone ever." That's not what it's about. It's about removing, to the best of one's abilities, culturally loaded terms that have historically been used to lump minority classes into homogeneous groups.

[ActualSpamBot]

And you think it ok to make fun of PETA on the Ray Lewis deer antler thread? PC is all about not picking and choosing based on your life, but accepting all...

People chose to be members of PETA, no one decided to be mentally handicapped. One is fair game for mockery because it is mocking people's behavior and choices, the other is mocking someone for something innate and inborn in them.

[ActualSpamBot]

I'm offended by this, could you pleas edit this...

If this is a sarcastic attempt to pretend to be PC, it fails because political correctness doesn't expect people to never use loaded terms. Clearly I don't condone calling anyone a nigger, but using the word to draw a comparison between one word which is universally regarded as verboten, and another which is slowly moving in that direction, is a valid use of an otherwise offensive term.

[akashicrecorder]

Again, split hairs and judge others by your own moral compass, it suits you well.

Does anyone have anything BUT their own moral compass by which to judge? I guess it suits everyone well!

so wear the pretentiousness cloak proudly.

Sure, I will, seeing as an ad hominem attack is a logical fallacy and has nothing to do with the validity of my argument that words have power so we should use them mindfully.

Take note, because you and other's deem the word retarded or have some theory about the advancing of the civilization dropping words that become offensive doesn't mean shit to me nor does it have anything to do with my level of empathy towards my fellow man.

Wrong. Your "level of empathy toward your fellow man" is directly spoken to by your inability to not use words that can and do hurt many people. The fact you believe no one should care what strangers say to strangers speaks directly to a lack of empathy. Calling people "pussies" for the fact they care how their fellow man is spoken to speaks to a lack of empathy.

[drunkmormon]

People chose to be members of PETA, no one decided to be mentally handicapped. One is fair game for mockery because it is mocking people's behavior and choices, the other is mocking someone for something innate and inborn in them.

You are correct that mentally less-abled did not choose to be so... but the rest is unfounded. Being politically correct, which is what protects the less-abled from the word retarded, also protects peoples life choices.

And I would add that handicapped is considered an offensive term.

[ActualSpamBot]

You are correct that mentally less-abled did not choose to be so... but the rest is unfounded. Being politically correct, which is what protects the less-abled, also protects peoples life choices.

You're seriously going to try and tell me the meaning of a word that you clearly don't understand, so here, let's just actual definitions huh?

politically correct
noun
marked by or adhering to a typically progressive orthodoxy on issues involving especially race, gender, sexual affinity, or ecology

Not seeing anything about life choices. Let's try another.

politically correct
adj. Abbr. PC
1. Of, relating to, or supporting broad social, political, and educational change, especially to redress historical injustices in matters such as race, class, gender, and sexual orientation.

Hmm.. Still nothing about life choices.

politically correct language or behaviour is not offensive, especially to people who have often been affected by discrimination

Still nothing. Weird.

[ActualSpamBot]

I'll say this, I doubt if this were an actual conversation and not a bunch of anonymous posters on a message board you wouldn't being using that word. That's my point.

When discussing issues of offensive language and it's impact on society, I have used that word in person and online.

I'm not using it for shock value or to appear tough. I'm using it because it is a universally understood example of a word that society has collectively decided not to use anymore because of it's loaded history and social baggage. When people insist that they don't understand why calling something gay or retarded is such a big deal, reminding them of the existence of the word nigger is often an effective way to provide a relateable example.

[NCRAVEN]

When discussing issues of offensive language and it's impact on society, I have used that word in person and online.

I'm not using it for shock value or to appear tough. I'm using it because it is a universally understood example of a word that society has collectively decided not to use anymore because of it's loaded history and social baggage. When people insist that they don't understand why calling something gay or retarded is such a big deal, reminding them of the existence of the word nigger is often an effective way to provide a relateable example.

I deleted my post in hopes not to go down this road. So I'll just say this. I know many, many , many people that the mere use of the "N word" regardless of intent will be offended.

Which is why PC is so ridiculous. Just using a word regardless of intent offends people. R.I.D.I.C.U.L.O.U.S.

[drunkmormon]

It can be rude, depending on context, but there is no minority class of people who are collectively labeled "assholes". So yes, there is nothing inherently politically incorrect about calling someone an asshole.

Honestly I think half this debate is about people like you who keep trying to define politically correct as meaning "Never say anything that insults anyone ever." That's not what it's about. It's about removing, to the best of one's abilities, culturally loaded terms that have historically been used to lump minority classes into homogeneous groups.

I agree asshole is not at the center of politically correct, but was curious as to your response. However, insulting someone, no matter how you do it results in the thin/thick skin debate that you are arguing against.

To be honest, I am just having fun with this whole thing... if I was in an interview I would never use the word retard or gay, but with my friends I would.

[drunkmormon]

You're seriously going to try and tell me the meaning of a word that you clearly don't understand, so here, let's just actual definitions huh?


Not seeing anything about life choices. Let's try another.



Hmm.. Still nothing about life choices.



Still nothing. Weird.

PC is not a word, but a concept... so a dictionary type definition is not going to work... visit Wikipedia:

"Political correctness (adjectivally, politically correct; both forms commonly abbreviated to PC) is a term which denotes language, ideas, policies, and behavior seen as seeking to minimize social and institutional offense in occupational, gender, racial, cultural, sexual orientation, certain other religions, beliefs or ideologies, disability, and age-related contexts, and, as purported by the term, doing so to an excessive extent."

Or take an ethics class...

[dweezil22]

Which is why PC is so ridiculous. Just using a word regardless of intent offends people. R.I.D.I.C.U.L.O.U.S.

No, it's not ridiculous at all. First of all, other than the fact that it reflects badly on Joe and Ravens, I'm glad Flacco did this b/c I think it's a useful discussion. A NFL media event is held to pretty much the highest standards of scrutiny and PC-ness (or whatever you want to call it, I don't want to get hung up on that debate). Anyway, I view it as a trickle down effect.
1) Flacco gets called out for using this term and apologizes (this alone doesn't matter to me)
which causes
2) Lots of people who used the term casually realize that it might offend people and stop using it (again, I don't care about this)
which causes
3) The term to be less widely used. So when a bully on a school yard wants to pick on a kid, especially a disabled kid (and perhaps my son), and decides to call him a retard, it's not normal or ok anymore, it's offensive. The teachers, and more importantly, the other kids now look down on that bully and make him feel ashamed for doing it, and he's less likely to do it again. (I care deeply about this)

Replace "retarded" with pejorative use of "gay" and you can have the same discussion about gay kids (with the obvious difference that "gay" has been co-opted into a positive or descriptive meaning as well).

The N-word is still the greatest example of this. Tons of people that might use the N-word with no malice don't use it, and it causes actual asshole racists to have to either stick out like a sore thumb or keep it to themselves, and the world is a better place for that.

[Captain Silver]

Does anyone have anything BUT their own moral compass by which to judge? I guess it suits everyone well!



Sure, I will, seeing as an ad hominem attack is a logical fallacy and has nothing to do with the validity of my argument that words have power so we should use them mindfully.



Wrong. Your "level of empathy toward your fellow man" is directly spoken to by your inability to not use words that can and do hurt many people. The fact you believe no one should care what strangers say to strangers speaks directly to a lack of empathy. Calling people "pussies" for the fact they care how their fellow man is spoken to speaks to a lack of empathy.

Again, your opinion, you want to get butt hurt over it, have at it.