"That's so gay" - enough to get twelve-year-olds suspended

[Agathon]

Originally posted by Asher

Again, no, it's not.

Then you aren't making an argument. If people find it insulting that is a fact about the world. But if you think that this entitles them to ban others from using the word then you need to come up with some reasons sharpish since mere offence is not grounds for censorship (i.e. the Tabloid example). Justifiable offence means that one has grounds for censorship.

Anyway, I'll check back on this tomorrow. Drake can hold our side up.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Agathon
Then you aren't making an argument.

You're completely missing the point.

No argument should have to be made.

The gays here are unanimously telling you that they're offended by it, and you went on some (very offensive) righteous rant about whether they have the right to be offended.

[Drake Tungsten]

Drake can hold our side up.

No I can't; I have a paper to write.

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten

Another possible explanation is that, living in a region not known for tolerating homosexuals in the first place, they may not want to rock the tolerance boat any further by sticking up for themselves over it.

Just for the record, Lincoln has one of the highest percentages of gay population in the US (second to San Francisco IIRC). Your (and Asher's) ignorant stereotypes don't reflect well on you...

edit: Lincoln is third in the US, after San Francisco and New York. My bad.

Yeah, and we also know that Lincoln was where Brandon Teena was murdered, don't we?

Percentage of gay population within a small area doesn't prove anything about the tolerance level towards homosexuals in the region as a whole.

And where did you find that statistic, out of curiosity? Considering Palm Springs and Guerneville in CA both have higher gay populations than SF...

[Asher]

Did all of the gay people flee to Lincoln, NB as a haven because of the intolerance of people elsewhere?

Much like Mormons fleeing to Utah?

[Agathon]

Had to reply to this..

Originally posted by Asher

All of my friends are, amazingly, left-wing bastards.

Wow, so are mine. Who'd have thought it...

But seriously, college is a very socially-liberal atmosphere. I know lots of people who are conservative like me and fully support motions like legalizing gay marriages/civil unions and the like.

I know several too. I also support these things - even adoption.

I know lots of people say that, but not many people can lock themselves in the house for months on end and be perfectly content alone.

A hermit, eh?

I could never do that, the call of the pub was too loud. Oddly enough I moved out into the country to get away from the pub and be alone to write my MA thesis. There I met my wife (no sheep jokes please).

[MrFun]

Originally posted by MrFun
Um -- last time I posted here, this thread was only three pages if I recall correctly!

Anyway, I tried catching up by reading some of the more substantial posts by Agathon, Boris, and a couple of other guys.

Here are my two and a half cents:


All minority groups use words among themselves for bantering and joking, that would be found to be offensive if anyone outside that particular minority group used them in a deragatory manner. This is one reason, for example, that black rappers have used the "N" word.

I often joke with my gay friends in ways that if someone outside the minority group, who has no first-hand experience of the hardships of being gay would use them, would turn out to be offensive to many gays.

This is one reason why minority groups have this privilege among themselves in using words that if other used them, it would likely be offensive -- those minority group members already have the first-hand experiences.

Because heterosexuals do not have any first-hand experience on what it's like to be discriminated against for being gay, they have no ground on which to argue why gays should not be offended by deragatory remarks.

Geez guys, lay off the caffeine.

I thought I would reiterate my last post, since this thread is exploding to new pages so quickly.

[mindseye]

this argument isn't about whether they do find it insulting, but whether they are entitled to.

Would you really use a slur against someone because you felt it wasn't derogatory, despite them plainly telling you that they were in fact offended by it?

I mean I find tabloid newspapers deeply offensive, but I don't think I have a right to stop them being published.

That's hardly the same kind of offense as someone insulting you.

[Drake Tungsten]

Yeah, and we also know that Lincoln was where Brandon Teena was murdered, don't we?

Brandon Teena was murdered in Falls City, IIRC, which is over an hour away from Lincoln. Anyway, what's your point? I'm sure homosexuals have been killed in New York...

And where did you find that statistic, out of curiosity?

Some blog about the DOMA. I'll try and find an official statistic somewhere...

[Boris Godunov]

Geez, now you guys have MrFun once again quoting himself to get attention! LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE!

[MrFun]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov
Geez, now you guys have MrFun once again quoting himself to get attention! LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE!

I do that once in a million years here on Apolyton.

Anyway, I didn't think my last post was read, since this thread is expanding so quickly.

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by MrFun


I do that once in a million years here on Apolyton.

Anyway, I didn't think my last post was read, since this thread is expanding so quickly.

Come on, you do it about once a thread!

[MrFun]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov


Come on, you do it about once a thread!

not

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten

Yeah, and we also know that Lincoln was where Brandon Teena was murdered, don't we?

Brandon Teena was murdered in Falls City, IIRC, which is over an hour away from Lincoln. Anyway, what's your point? I'm sure homosexuals have been killed in New York...

Actually, it was Humboldt, which is about 40 miles from central Lincoln. Still part of the region, though, ain't it?

I haven't heard of a murder of a gay person due to their sexual orientation here in New York happening, and if it did, it was undoubtedly a long, long time ago. Regardless, surely you wouldn't want to try and compare the level of tolerance towards homosexuality in the Lincoln metropolitan area as opposed to New York, would you?

[Sava]

That's okay, I got suspended in 6th grade for making a "finger gun" at one of my friends.

as for this thread? Well...