Quote :

" Legally, free speech is in the constitution."

legally, not exactly.

the Constitution guarantees (for whatever that's worth nowadays) that Congress shall not restrict free speech.

5/23/2007 12:02:48 AM

Quote :

"Forget the 'n-word'....how about 'articulate' or 'bright'? Apparently as a white person, I can speak about another white person and use those words, but I may not speak about a black person and use those words...however, a black person may use those words when speaking about another black or white person. Explain to me how I'm an idiot, racist, troll and/or cunt for believing that this is outrageous?"

The full quote from Biden about Obama was: "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that’s a storybook, man.”

Read that one or two times, and ask yourself what could he have possibly said wrong there. Was it the "bright and clean" part, or was it something else? Hmmm...

Ask yourself "is Obama the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy" or are there other mainstream African Americans who are decent people? Are there even any decent African Americans?

5/23/2007 2:15:28 AM

Anyone with common sense would [sic] "presidential candidate" in there after "African-American", since that's obviously what Biden meant.

5/23/2007 2:22:29 AM

I have a question

Why do Black people say the word faggot? Don't they realize that they're being bigots toward a minority in just the same way that they (Blacks) feel they are being discriminated against? It seems that after suffering racism they would have more appreciation for other minority groups.


and p.s. how long before faggot becomes "the f-word" and we are just as sensitive about it?

[Edited on May 23, 2007 at 2:28 AM. Reason : ]

5/23/2007 2:24:14 AM

Quote :

"Anyone with common sense would [sic] "presidential candidate" in there after "African-American", since that's obviously what Biden meant. "

That may be true, but that doesn't affect mytwocents' misunderstanding of the controversy surrounding the issue.

5/23/2007 2:35:11 AM

Quote :

"Why do Black people say the word faggot? Don't they realize that they're being bigots toward a minority in just the same way that they (Blacks) feel they are being discriminated against? It seems that after suffering racism they would have more appreciation for other minority groups."

Ignorance comes in all colors.

Quote :

"and p.s. how long before faggot becomes "the f-word" and we are just as sensitive about it? "

Probably never, because faggot is far more often used between straight people as a general insult rather than an actual denouncement of the homosexual lifestyle. It doesn't really have the same dynamics as other slurs.

5/23/2007 2:38:07 AM

Quote :

"Probably never, because faggot is far more often used between straight people as a general insult rather than an actual denouncement of the homosexual lifestyle. It doesn't really have the same dynamics as other slurs."

then how is that different from me saying something is "nigger-rigged" or telling someone to stop being "such a jew about that" or saying that someone "plays ball like a girl"

it's sort of scary to me that such a demeaning slur, which is basically the "nigger" for gay people, has become so socially acceptable that people don't really have a problem with it. it's obviously derogatory. when you call someone a faggot you're demeaning their masculinity, basically saying that they are gay and therefore they are less of a man.

5/23/2007 2:42:07 AM

Quote :

"then how is that different from me saying something is "nigger-rigged" or telling someone to stop being "such a jew about that" or saying that someone "plays ball like a girl" it's sort of scary to me that such a demeaning slur, which is basically the "nigger" for gay people, has become so socially acceptable that people don't really have a problem with it. it's obviously derogatory. when you call someone a faggot you're demeaning their masculinity, basically saying that they are gay and therefore they are less of a man. "

It's not different (well, a little). You probably say those things in private anyway, just like white people probably still use nigger in private, or call each other faggots in private.

Most media outlets though don't allow them to be used in a derogatory term, as well as most school or formal business settings.

Still society doesn't wholly look down on homophobia yet though, until we reach the point that it does, faggot will be slightly more acceptable than other types of slurs. It takes time to alter the tyranny of the masses.

5/23/2007 2:51:32 AM

Quote :

"Still society doesn't wholly look down on homophobia yet though, until we reach the point that it does, faggot will be slightly more acceptable than other types of slurs. It takes time to alter the tyranny of the masses."

yep, it's sort of eerie to see the simliarities between now and early civil rights related things... the government banning interracial marriage just as now they are banning gay marriage....

gay jokes on tv are totally acceptable and encouraged.... hell, I'd even make the analogy that people playing flamboyantly gay characters on TV are no different than minstrels in the early vaudeville days. they're representing the most stereotypical aspects of the gay community for comedic value...

5/23/2007 3:06:00 AM

^Absolutely.

But the prejudices/discrimination are a little different because homosexuality doesn't show up in your skin color. You don't have to walk around with it displayed to the world all day, every day of your life.

5/23/2007 6:59:59 AM

Quote :

"You don't have to walk around with it displayed to the world all day,"

5/23/2007 10:38:28 AM