03-20-2016, 06:06 PM
I think Americans have become too sensitive over the last couple of 'me' generations.
It's my belief that words matter, but thinking and intent matter more. Sometimes, the people who are most offended by word choices, where there is no offensive intent behind those words, are the least tolerant and most self-centered (though they often position themselves as the defenders of tolerance and diversity without seeing the hypocrisy).
That's not to say there aren't plenty of bigoted and backwards thinking assholes spewing crap that is understandably offensive to some; just that there are probably as many or more people who are itching to be offended on behalf of themselves or for 'the greater good'.
I've witnessed some unbelievably stupid and hyper self-righteous reactions to word choices and differences of opinions on college campuses recently. 'You disagree with me and I'm black, you must be a racist.' 'You're a professor who doesn't believe in banning certain types of freedom of speech, you need to be fired for not creating a comfortable enough campus experience!" It's idiotic, to me.
But, I think just about every place is a still a safe place to speak freely in this country if you're not looking to provoke violence and you're not among the overly sensitive who wilts if someone tosses shit back at you.
It's my belief that words matter, but thinking and intent matter more. Sometimes, the people who are most offended by word choices, where there is no offensive intent behind those words, are the least tolerant and most self-centered (though they often position themselves as the defenders of tolerance and diversity without seeing the hypocrisy).
That's not to say there aren't plenty of bigoted and backwards thinking assholes spewing crap that is understandably offensive to some; just that there are probably as many or more people who are itching to be offended on behalf of themselves or for 'the greater good'.
I've witnessed some unbelievably stupid and hyper self-righteous reactions to word choices and differences of opinions on college campuses recently. 'You disagree with me and I'm black, you must be a racist.' 'You're a professor who doesn't believe in banning certain types of freedom of speech, you need to be fired for not creating a comfortable enough campus experience!" It's idiotic, to me.
But, I think just about every place is a still a safe place to speak freely in this country if you're not looking to provoke violence and you're not among the overly sensitive who wilts if someone tosses shit back at you.