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Should certain words be banned because they are offensive? Who decides what words are offensive? If racial slurs, such as the infamous N-word are banned, what precident does that set for the banning of other "offensive" words? Are we going to now have a Vocabulary Police, who's job it is to monitor all conversation for "offensive" content? What punishment is approriate for saying "offensive" words? Will certain people be allowed to use these words, while others will be forbidden? where does "Freedom of Speech" end, and Stalinism begin? What price are you willing to pay for your "offence free" lifestyle?
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There is no freedom without law.
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yes, this is true, but how far should we let the law go? there comes a point when the law becomes an enemy of freedom, especially when it is used to promote political agendas.
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Agreed, there is only one perfect law.
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the semiologist Roman Jakobson once claimed, "Language is a socialism." we can ban the words, but we should also fight for them. words are never inherently offensive at all times; it takes an offensive context before they can be seriously taken to be unreasonable. and surely, none of us here would suggest that banning a person or a post is out of the question for anybody.
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1984
in George Orwell's novel 1984, The INGSOC party invents Newspeak, the "offical" language of the party. With Newspeak, only those words, and those definitions that are acceptable to the Party line are allowed... all other word and meanings are Thoughtcrime.
the more I look at the liberal agenda today, the more I think Orwell was right. he might of gotten the date wrong, but the totalitarian system he wrote of is fast approaching. -
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It was an argument against extreme conservatives, not extreme liberals
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is there a difference?
extremists are jerks in both camps. if anything conservatives are more honest about their intentions. they admit they're self-serving. Liberals try and molly-coddle you into thinking they're looking out for your own good while stealing you blind and snapping chains on your ankles and wrists and stuffing a gag in your mouth. -
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"is there a difference?"
Yes.
"extremists are jerks in both camps."
And jaywalkers and rapists are criminals in both camps. Should you be allowed to label rapist attributes to jaywalkers, since they're both breaking the law, so what's the difference?
"Liberals try and molly-coddle you into thinking they're looking out for your own good while stealing you blind and snapping chains on your ankles and wrists and stuffing a gag in your mouth."
Most liberals are against censorship.
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I think you see my point
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while I will admit Orwell was prophetic, he prophesied Stalinism. what one has in the west, that is something one may change, has yet to be baptized with something so XIXth century as an "-ism". we do not have Newspeak. we have what the right honourable mr. gingrich calls "newtspeak." we are fortunate to live in a country where if you say the wrong thing, your career will be destroyed and your prospects will be obliterated whereupon your individuality exists but in oblivion. in russia, they'll still have you assassinated in extreme cases. there are capitalist means to control the public and there are stalinist means to control the public; ever since americans wised up to duck-and-cover filmstrips, the capitalist filter has proved much more effective and continues to be so. it is both liberal and conservative (which is to say full of overpaid elitists), for while the one side may use the press better, it will never be politically specific and money can have all manners of blood and shame smudging the face of it. the guys who own Olberman manufacture arms.
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Sometimes people take words and push to far with them. That is when we need to take control of our actions and not allow what the other person to say to affect us but rather learn and move on from it...
Each word here serves as purpose as crappy as some words might be
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Mild profanity such as shit, damn, and etc...are allowed on the board and the forums but extreme profanity such as fuck, bastard, dickhead, and etc...will never be allowed on the board or the forums. Variations of extreme profanity such as M.F., f**k, and etc...will not be allowed either. This is a public board and forum but it is privately owned thus most of our rules(which are few in nature) are a standard with all the other sister sites within our large community. We do not seek to limit our members with tons of needless rules but let's face it, this is a public forum which anyone in the world can participate and thus some basic rules are needed to maintain order and to keep down possible name-calling.
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agreed. anything that is degrading to another member, social group or the like should be banned. but mild stuff that isnt directed at someone should be fine.
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that isn't what i feel the question is. degrading another member isn't intrinsically limited to specific words, but to contexts; mildness is relative, just as context is in constant flux.
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Words should not be banned, thought obviously some words might be discouraged by social norms. I don't think eliminating words really achieves anything positive and this includes inflammatory words such as nigger, spick, fag etc. The problem is not these words but the attitudes that would motivate someone to hurl them at their fellow man.
Oh, and we should all draw pictures of Muhammad as often as possible.
A. H. -
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Is it even possible to ban a word?
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i do not know if it is, but there are those who would try to.
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i dont think we should condone hurting people. take our boards for example, if you cannot argue civilly, why would people even listen?
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Agreed, but I don't think making words ILLEGAL will help anything. That in itself is dangerous. Keep it extremely localized. Fire-able offenses and such for displaying racism and bigotry is understandable, but nothing else.
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Whoa now back to my question how can you ban a word? go back to ancient times and cut off tongues of those who refuse to abide by said ban? Thats a little absurd.
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You can't. The n word is used mostly by the very same people who claim it is offensive.just as they are going around re nameing anything that may be seen as offensive so in a way they are already baning these words.
Simply put watch what you say and police your self on words that maybe offensive to others.Also keep in mind that what is offensive to some.May not be to some one else or even among groups of people.
Take the N word.Its a really big one.It can and has cost white people there jobs but the very same people who call it offensive when a white person uses it.Use it the same way we might say pal or bud.
Why is it offensive if used by one skin color and not the other?Is there another meaning that we don't know?Or is it something else altogether?
Also why are these words seen as offensive taken at the basic level they are just words.What makes them offensive is it tone and movement thats done while using these words?is it stressing and emphisizing the words that make it offensive.
Could it be that we are simple fallowing some preset conditioning that anything that is said with force is offensive?
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Adding your reply:
NeferMaatNetjer
Dec 19 9:21 PM 2006
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