[Darth Denkay]

Arwen makes a really important point here. If I am offended by what someone posts, it is my responsibility to let that be known, and again as Arwen said, in a frank and gentle way. I think that the individual should explain what is offensive about the word/phrase as well. While I am certain that at times folks make comments that they know will be offensive but do so anyway, in the majority of the cases (I hope) the person doesn't realize that it might be taken offensively. The intention is not to be offensive, but yeah, we're all going to say stuff not realizing how it is taken by some. I try to give folks the benefit of the doubt - if something is said that bothers me I'll point it out while assuming that no ill will was intended. In this way, my point is made respectfully, no accusations thrown, and we can get on with whatever discussion was going on to begin with.

[quote=Arwen;23636]

The person who is offended needs to have the courage to say something to the person who said the offending term. As has been pointed out by many of us, we do not always know when a word is offensive. So being told in a frank and gentle way is important.[QUOTE]

Slippery slope indeed. You mention various areas where censorship has been used/abused: art, film, books, music. I'm going to offer a thought, wondering if it is a useful distinction to make. The mediums you mention, as artistic expressions, are things that we generally have a choice in whether or not we view them. If we don't like a movie or book, we don't bother with them, and this affects no one except ourselves. When art is displayed, books written, music played, the intended audience is some population full of folks the artist doesn't know. SUre, some people might be offended, but this is a case where that is entirely unavoidable. Specific example - I find Howard Sterns absolutely completely offensive. I choose not to listen to him. But my being offended is nothing directed personally at me. No relationship between us, nothing personal.

To my mind this is a very different scenario than art offered to the public in general. We are a group of folks involved in dialogues between specific people. Some of us know each other in real-time, some don't but know folks well in online terms - there are relationships involved here. Real people, real names. Real feelings. I think it is different here, there should be attempts to not offend because, well, we're a community. Mistakes will be made, of course. Disagreements are going to happen. But if we try to communicate respectfully, seems as though our discussions should generally go reasonably smoothly.

Thoughts? Fair distinction?

Originally Posted by Ms Cyn

I struggle with this issue..

It feels like such a slippery slope to me...


On one hand I think that we as a society can become too *polite* too careful.. We want to make sure that no one is offended...

But someone is going to be offended by something.. Period..

Where does it end?

Art?
Film?
Music?
Books?

People have both fought for and against the right to censor these things..

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