Oh, wow, another rant. But political/social this time
On last night's Daily Show, Bernard Goldberg, author of 100 People Who Are Ruining America, suggested that culture becoming more crass is important. Jon Stewart objected, saying that people saying "fuck", and other expletives, is "just words". Goldberg disagrees. He believes it's more than that. If, for example, there was a "bigot channel", which would refer to Jews as kykes, to gay as fagots, and to African Americans as "you know" (I wonder, are his other examples less offensive, or is he just more comfortable offending some groups over others?), liberals wouldn't be as accepting.
But there is a difference. A big one. Some words are just words, some are not. And if anything, recent events here in Jerusalem are an example of it.
Who gets hurt when you or I say "fuck"? I don't mean who gets offended, I mean who gets hurt. Probably no one. The use of that word does not promote or even suggest any action against anyone. When you call gay people "fagots", on the other hand, something can happen. If, for example, you say gay people are an abomination and bring shame to the city, and you say so repeatedly, and you say the gay inhabitants of the city should be thrown "down the stairs", like our mayor has said, someone might (and did) show up at the Pride parade with a knife, and try to kill people. And this is the major difference.
I am sick and tired of people treating all bad language as "bad". Not everything is the same. The words "cock" and "fuck" were bleeped out in last night's broadcast. The words "kyke" and "fagot" were not. Neither was a speculative rap quote stating all women are "bitches and hos", which again, can do a lot more damage than Jon Stewart saying the word "shit", which was bleeped out.
Yes, there is a culture war. Not just in America, but around the world. And in it words are important. Because some people believe harmless words relating mostly to sex are too offensive to be used, and that there lies the important battle, where as truly offensive, hurtful, dangerous content is left alone.
P.S.
Yes, Jon Stewart was a little meaner than necessary. But people like Goldberg are the ones who are truly dangerous, by diverting the discussion from the critical to the inconsequential, and therefore I don't really care.
Edit: He also mentions "spicks", which I totally forgot.
Edit #2: I have looked this up (on the Racial Slur Database), and the correct spellings are as follows: kike, spic, and either fagot or faggot, although semagic prefers the former.
But there is a difference. A big one. Some words are just words, some are not. And if anything, recent events here in Jerusalem are an example of it.
Who gets hurt when you or I say "fuck"? I don't mean who gets offended, I mean who gets hurt. Probably no one. The use of that word does not promote or even suggest any action against anyone. When you call gay people "fagots", on the other hand, something can happen. If, for example, you say gay people are an abomination and bring shame to the city, and you say so repeatedly, and you say the gay inhabitants of the city should be thrown "down the stairs", like our mayor has said, someone might (and did) show up at the Pride parade with a knife, and try to kill people. And this is the major difference.
I am sick and tired of people treating all bad language as "bad". Not everything is the same. The words "cock" and "fuck" were bleeped out in last night's broadcast. The words "kyke" and "fagot" were not. Neither was a speculative rap quote stating all women are "bitches and hos", which again, can do a lot more damage than Jon Stewart saying the word "shit", which was bleeped out.
Yes, there is a culture war. Not just in America, but around the world. And in it words are important. Because some people believe harmless words relating mostly to sex are too offensive to be used, and that there lies the important battle, where as truly offensive, hurtful, dangerous content is left alone.
P.S.
Yes, Jon Stewart was a little meaner than necessary. But people like Goldberg are the ones who are truly dangerous, by diverting the discussion from the critical to the inconsequential, and therefore I don't really care.
Edit: He also mentions "spicks", which I totally forgot.
Edit #2: I have looked this up (on the Racial Slur Database), and the correct spellings are as follows: kike, spic, and either fagot or faggot, although semagic prefers the former.