# Do you have to be offended by personal insults for them to count **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 10, 2010, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-be-offended-by-personal-insults-for-them-to-count/546229 "2010-07-10T17:16:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-be-offended-by-personal-insults-for-them-to-count/546229/21 "2010-07-10T22:11:56Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > **Oakminster** , as always, if you feel you are being “poked” or insulted or any other word of your choosing, the correct thing to do is report the post, not “fight back, even mildly.” I already know how that one comes out. Anybody can call me any damn thing in any forum here without getting a warning. It helps if they are smart enough to post an immediate “oopsie, thought this was the pit”, but doesn’t really matter. > [@](#): > > This has nothing to do with political orientation, and it’s too bad you are insisting on viewing it that way. I think that’s the last thing I’ll say about this topic until I hear opinions from more of the staff. It’s too bad your actions leave it open to that interpretation. **Rand Rover** isn’t exactly my favorite poster, either. I lit into him not so long ago about something he said about **Dio** , and **Dio** ain’t my favorite, either. Fair is fair, and I call em like I see em. Here, we have a generally inoffensive lefty poking a widely disliked righty with a stick. His ploy is successful, the righty responds in self defense, and as a bonus, you hammer the righty. Lefty ewoks celebrate. I’ll concede that probably was not your intent. But the effect is the same. If you’re gonna throw the flag on only one side, you should throw it on the one that provoked the response. A better answer is offsetting penalties, as I’ve said before. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-be-offended-by-personal-insults-for-them-to-count/546229/22 "2010-07-10T22:14:45Z")
> [@not\_alice](#): > > A policy discussion about taxes, where one matter on the table happens to include a situation where you would find your taxes raised, is “most insulting” to you? No. A statement specific to me, ie, “Let’s raise Oak’s taxes” is most insulting. A statement not specific to me, such as “Let’s raise taxes on people that make over X amount per year”, which would have the effect of raising my taxes, is poor policy and obviously unwise, but not insulting. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-be-offended-by-personal-insults-for-them-to-count/546229/23 "2010-07-10T22:20:04Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > No. A statement specific to me, ie, “Let’s raise Oak’s taxes” is most insulting. It may be annoying, but it is not a direct personal insult. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-be-offended-by-personal-insults-for-them-to-count/546229/24 "2010-07-10T22:25:20Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > It may be annoying, but it is not a direct personal insult. I say it is. That ain’t gonna change. I’ll note that you disagree, and your vote counts more than mine does. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-be-offended-by-personal-insults-for-them-to-count/546229/25 "2010-07-10T22:46:19Z")
I was thinking of suggesting we create a new forum devoted entirely to petty melodrama, but I guess it would be redundant. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-be-offended-by-personal-insults-for-them-to-count/546229/26 "2010-07-10T22:54:50Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > It may be annoying, but it is not a direct personal insult. How about “Let’s rape [poster x]”? Is that a direct personal insult? ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-be-offended-by-personal-insults-for-them-to-count/546229/27 "2010-07-10T22:56:34Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > An important difference, though, is that you didn’t say it to him in the context of an ongoing debate. You called him out by name in a thread where he had not even participated. > > Instead of:why not write:?? > > It doesn’t change the substance of your argument, and it has the benefit of not poisoning the well by taking a direct jab at another poster. > > As breaches of etiquette go, it’s not the worst thing in the world, and **Rand Rover** has demonstrated time and again that his skin is thick enough to take it, as well as dish it out in return. But i just don’t see the point of needling someone like that in the OP of a GD thread. > > Just MHO. I like Rand Rover’s posts and I wasn’t trying to be malicious with that. Like I said, its no different in my mind than if I had told someone who I knew was deeply religious if they wanted to come out to the woods and join a satanic ritual. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-be-offended-by-personal-insults-for-them-to-count/546229/28 "2010-07-10T22:58:19Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > How about “Let’s rape [poster x]”? Is that a direct personal insult? No, it’s not. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-be-offended-by-personal-insults-for-them-to-count/546229/29 "2010-07-10T22:59:08Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I assume you’re interpreting this part as an insult, but I don’t see it: > **Fear Itself** describes your beliefs in a way I assume you don’t like, but that doesn’t make the post an insult. > He can describe the policies that way if he wants to. The problem is that made his comment at **Wesley Clark** , not at the policies in question. He called him “a violent person” who “[lacks] the courage of your convictions” and who “[isn’t] man enough to come take my stuff yourself.” This is pure sophistry. I said that Wesley Clark is violent. Fear Itself said that I support the wealthy exploiting the poor. The two statements are absolutely equivalent as far as being a personal insult in GD or not. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-be-offended-by-personal-insults-for-them-to-count/546229/30 "2010-07-10T23:00:03Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > How about “Let’s rape [poster x]”? Is that a direct personal insult? No, but in my opinion, I would warn the poster who said that for being a jerk. ---
**Author:** ![not\_alice](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_alice/32/7283_2.png) [@not\_alice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_alice)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-be-offended-by-personal-insults-for-them-to-count/546229/31 "2010-07-10T23:00:19Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > How about “Let’s rape [poster x]”? Is that a direct personal insult? By the logic in this thread, I predict “no”. But it might cross the line of the “jerk” rule. Does the post in question in this thread cross the line of the “jerk” rule? No one has asked. Perhaps that would be a difference between the two. ETA: beaten to the punch. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-be-offended-by-personal-insults-for-them-to-count/546229/32 "2010-07-10T23:00:40Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > I like Rand Rover’s posts and I wasn’t trying to be malicious with that. Like I said, its no different in my mind than if I had told someone who I knew was deeply religious if they wanted to come out to the woods and join a satanic ritual. OK, no hard feelings Wesley. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-be-offended-by-personal-insults-for-them-to-count/546229/33 "2010-07-10T23:01:40Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > I like Rand Rover’s posts and I wasn’t trying to be malicious with that. Like I said, its no different in my mind than if I had told someone who I knew was deeply religious if they wanted to come out to the woods and join a satanic ritual. If you did that in person, with a smile or other “I don’t really mean it, ya big lug” vibe, then the recipient probably wouldn’t take offense. On a message board, without non-verbal cues, it can be offensive. It could be read as “Let’s all mock **Rand Rover** ”. Which you can do, in the Pit, but not in GD. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-be-offended-by-personal-insults-for-them-to-count/546229/34 "2010-07-10T23:04:45Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > How about “Let’s rape [poster x]”? Is that a direct personal insult? Are you seriously suggesting that raising someone’s taxes is equivalent to rape? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-be-offended-by-personal-insults-for-them-to-count/546229/35 "2010-07-10T23:07:33Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > How about “Let’s rape [poster x]”? Is that a direct personal insult? > [@Colibri](#): > > No, it’s not. > [@samclem](#): > > No, but in my opinion, I would warn the poster who said that for being a jerk. OK, my head just exploded. WTF? How is “Let’s rape Poster X” not a personal insult of Poster X? You’re calling for him to be violently assaulted in the most personal way possible. You are saying he is a person who deserves such vile treatment. You are insulting him. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-be-offended-by-personal-insults-for-them-to-count/546229/36 "2010-07-10T23:08:50Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > OK, no hard feelings Wesley. Thanks, sorry on my part too if things came across as malicious. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-be-offended-by-personal-insults-for-them-to-count/546229/37 "2010-07-10T23:11:50Z")
There. **Rand** & **Wesley** made nice. Now, **Marley** , just retract the warning, and we’re done here. ---
**Author:** ![not\_alice](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_alice/32/7283_2.png) [@not\_alice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_alice)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-be-offended-by-personal-insults-for-them-to-count/546229/38 "2010-07-10T23:13:58Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > OK, my head just exploded. > > WTF? > > How is “Let’s rape Poster X” not a personal insult of Poster X? You’re calling for him to be violently assaulted in the most personal way possible. You are saying he is a person who deserves such vile treatment. You are insulting him. Maybe I am wrong, but I thought from other threads you are an attorney. If so, you _really_ don’t see the rationale? The real question RR is asking is, is any sentence of the form “Let’s [verb] [Poster Y]” an insult? The answer seems to be that it might not be jerk-free (hard to argue) but not an insult. Rephrase the invite to “[Poster y], you deserve to be [X’d]” and I bet it become an insult. Mods, how about it: “[Poster Y], you deserve to be raped”? Insult? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-be-offended-by-personal-insults-for-them-to-count/546229/39 "2010-07-10T23:23:44Z")
> [@not\_alice](#): > > Maybe I am wrong, but I thought from other threads you are an attorney. If so, you _really_ don’t see the rationale? Not sure what my job has to do with the price of tea in China in this thread. > [@](#): > > The real question RR is asking is, is any sentence of the form “Let’s [verb] [Poster Y]” an insult? > > The answer seems to be that it might not be jerk-free (hard to argue) but not an insult. I say “let’s [verb] [Poster Y]” is an insult, unless it’s one of those “Let’s help out Doper X for situation Y” mod-approved things or something similar.. > [@](#): > > Rephrase the invite to “[Poster y], you deserve to be [X’d]” and I bet it become an insult. > > Mods, how about it: “[Poster Y], you deserve to be raped”? Insult? That’s arguing form over substance. In both cases, the intent is to insult Poster Y. “Let’s [verb] {Poster Y}” = “{Poster Y}, you deserve to be [verbed]” ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-be-offended-by-personal-insults-for-them-to-count/546229/40 "2010-07-10T23:27:08Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > OK, my head just exploded. . Our work here is done… 😃 > [@Oakminster](#): > > WTF? > > How is “Let’s rape Poster X” not a personal insult of Poster X? You’re calling for him to be violently assaulted in the most personal way possible. You are saying he is a person who deserves such vile treatment. You are insulting him. Counselor– “let’s rape poster x.” Your honor, my client merely made a suggestion to his fellow idiots. He didn’t insult the poster X, he merely made a declarative statement. “let’s rape poster x, who is a douchbag.” Your honor, my client indeed insulted [del]the douchebag[/del] poster named x, and wishes to throw himself on the mercy of the court. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-be-offended-by-personal-insults-for-them-to-count/546229.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-be-offended-by-personal-insults-for-them-to-count/546229.md?page=3)