# Is there a new rule about political slurs? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [November 9, 2011, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-new-rule-about-political-slurs/602392 "2011-11-09T15:02:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-new-rule-about-political-slurs/602392/1 "2011-11-09T15:02:41Z")
In [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=630403), Marley [says:](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=14445063&postcount=52) > [@](#): > > Please keep terms like “Paultard” in the Pit. They don’t belong in a serious discussion. > > The next poster to use the word “Paultard” - or any alternatives like “libtard,” “conservatard,” “Whigtard,” or anything similar - will get a formal warning. Is it just the -tard words that are now disallow? It’s OK to say Troglodyte, DEMONcrat, or Repug as long as you don’t attach a -tard to it? Seems rather arbitrary. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-new-rule-about-political-slurs/602392/2 "2011-11-09T15:07:08Z")
How about Tea Bagger? -XT ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-new-rule-about-political-slurs/602392/3 "2011-11-09T15:23:49Z")
I’ve said a couple of times in GD and Elections that I don’t want to see slurs like that in those forums. They don’t add anything to the debate and they’re offensive to the targets and to people who are disabled or work with people who are disabled. It’s fine in the Pit, but saying someone’s position or political party is retarded doesn’t belong in a debate forum. We’ve done the “tea bagger” dispute a couple of times, and I can’t see my way to banning it. We’re not banning any negative reference to any political group. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-new-rule-about-political-slurs/602392/4 "2011-11-09T15:35:05Z")
So, as long as the slur doesn’t have 'tard in it we are good then? Fair enough. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-new-rule-about-political-slurs/602392/5 "2011-11-09T15:44:05Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > So, as long as the slur doesn’t have 'tard in it we are good then? Rule of thumb for GD: if it can be seen as a personal comment but not at a level that will incur a warning, keep it to a minumum. I believe **Gaudere** has said that those who don’t keep it to a minumum will be warned if they don’t back off when told to. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-new-rule-about-political-slurs/602392/6 "2011-11-09T15:45:58Z")
I’m not a member of the Tea Party in any way, shape or form, but if someone was constantly calling me a ‘tea bagger’ I’d certainly be taking that personally, whether it’s something I generally do or not… -XT ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-new-rule-about-political-slurs/602392/7 "2011-11-09T15:49:21Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I’ve said a couple of times in GD and Elections that I don’t want to see slurs like that in those forums. They don’t add anything to the debate and they’re offensive to the targets and to people who are disabled or work with people who are disabled. It’s fine in the Pit, but saying someone’s position or political party is retarded doesn’t belong in a debate forum. We’ve done the “tea bagger” dispute a couple of times, and I can’t see my way to banning it. We’re not banning any negative reference to any political group. So, to be clear, it’s only the -tard words that are forbidden. Right? We can say DEMONcrat all day long, and that’s OK. Right? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-new-rule-about-political-slurs/602392/8 "2011-11-09T15:57:40Z")
Tea bagger = good. Teatard = bad. Okay… got it. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-new-rule-about-political-slurs/602392/9 "2011-11-09T15:58:30Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > So, to be clear, it’s only the -tard words that are forbidden. Right? We can say DEMONcrat all day long, and that’s OK. Right? Knock yourself out. My problem with “libtard” and “Paultard” and things like that is that they’re offensive to the retarded as well as the groups of posters being discussed. I don’t think something like Demoncrat or Tea Bagger is comparable in that sense even though they’re obviously all rude. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-new-rule-about-political-slurs/602392/10 "2011-11-09T16:04:44Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Knock yourself out. My problem with “libtard” and “Paultard” and things like that is that they’re offensive to the retarded as well as the groups of posters being discussed. I don’t think something like Demoncrat or Tea Bagger is comparable in that sense even though they’re obviously all rude. OK. I didn’t get the -tard = retard connection wrt an insult to disabled people. If that’s not explicitly in a rules sticky somewhere, it’s probably a good idea to put it there. Seems to be common currency in the vernacular these days. And, just for the record, I don’t use -tard terms, DEMONcrat or Repug. I’m not asking permission for myself, just trying to understand what is acceptable behavior from those who regularly do. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-new-rule-about-political-slurs/602392/11 "2011-11-09T16:05:28Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > I’m not a member of the Tea Party in any way, shape or form, but if someone was constantly calling me a ‘tea bagger’ I’d certainly be taking that personally, whether it’s something I generally do or not… > > -XT Quit your whining, tea bagger. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-new-rule-about-political-slurs/602392/12 "2011-11-09T16:19:53Z")
Well, I guess that’s not an insult. 😛 Go and tea bag your mama, since it’s not an insult. It’s all in good fun! -XT ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-new-rule-about-political-slurs/602392/13 "2011-11-09T16:25:20Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Well, I guess that’s not an insult. 😛 Go and tea bag your mama, since it’s not an insult. It’s all in good fun! > > -XT You telling me to go teabag my mother is actually insulting, and is in no way synonymous with calling supporters of the Tea Party by a term they adopted for themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-new-rule-about-political-slurs/602392/14 "2011-11-09T16:27:06Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > And, just for the record, I don’t use -tard terms, DEMONcrat or Repug. I’m not asking permission for myself, just trying to understand what is acceptable behavior from those who regularly do. I know you don’t. It’s a fair question. As far as “tea bagger” being insulting- this is where I have to point out that not every rude or insulting comment is against the rules here. When I say that “tea bagger” isn’t an insult, I’m speaking in terms of the Straight Dope rules. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-new-rule-about-political-slurs/602392/15 "2011-11-09T16:30:12Z")
[QUOTE=MOIDALIZE] You telling me to go teabag my mother is actually insulting, and is in no way synonymous with calling supporters of the Tea Party by a term they adopted for themselves. [/QUOTE] Well, leaving aside the fact that you decided to take it on yourself to label ME as a ‘tea bagger’, I’ll just say that, no, it’s obviously NOT insulting in any way. It’s just playful fun. So have at it…tea bag that old lady! Tea bag your father too! Tea bag everyone you meet! See, it’s not an insult…just good clean fun! We can get into labels I can apply to you, all in the name of fun of course, later…and then I can tell you to stop your own whining too! -XT ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-new-rule-about-political-slurs/602392/16 "2011-11-09T16:37:31Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Well, leaving aside the fact that you decided to take it on yourself to label ME as a ‘tea bagger’, I’ll just say that, no, it’s obviously NOT insulting in any way. It’s just playful fun. So have at it…tea bag that old lady! Tea bag your father too! Tea bag everyone you meet! See, it’s not an insult…just good clean fun! We can get into labels I can apply to you, all in the name of fun of course, later…and then I can tell you to stop your own whining too! > > -XT Yeah, you have no association with or support for the Tea Party at all, you just live in Arizona, spout half-baked anti-government sentiments, and get offended when they’re referred to as tea baggers. Whatever you say. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-new-rule-about-political-slurs/602392/17 "2011-11-09T16:39:26Z")
Somehow I assumed you two couldn’t possibly be serious, but I guess I was wrong. Knock it off. ---
**Author:** ![Omegaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e480ec/32.png) [@Omegaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omegaman)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-new-rule-about-political-slurs/602392/18 "2011-11-09T16:45:41Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Well, I guess that’s not an insult. 😛 Go and tea bag your mama, since it’s not an insult. It’s all in good fun! > > -XT Um… if your mom has a bag… I don’t think that’s your mom. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-new-rule-about-political-slurs/602392/19 "2011-11-09T17:02:18Z")
Oh joy-yet another “_Exactly_ how much can I get away with?” race to the bottom thread. Instead of trying to find out where the line is just so you can dance on it, how about making an honest attempt to keep discussions outside of The BBQ Pit somewhat civil in nature? ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-new-rule-about-political-slurs/602392/20 "2011-11-09T17:02:52Z")
[QUOTE=MOIDALIZE] Yeah, you have no association with or support for the Tea Party at all, you just live in Arizona, spout half-baked anti-government sentiments, and get offended when they’re referred to as tea baggers. Whatever you say. [/QUOTE] I have no association with or support for the Tea Party, I don’t live in Arizona and as far as spouting half-baked anti-government sentiments (really?), that’s my gods give American right. You did get the ‘Whatever you say’ part right though…thanks for acknowledging that. 😛 [QUOTE=Marley23] Moderating Somehow I assumed you two couldn’t possibly be serious, but I guess I was wrong. Knock it off. [/QUOTE] He’s serious and I’m not from Arizona, so take it as you like. [QUOTE=Omegaman] Um… if your mom has a bag… I don’t think that’s your mom. [/QUOTE] Presumably the one doing the bagging has the bags, ehe? So, if I tell you to go tea bag your mama, the assumption there would be that YOU would have the bags, not thy mama. But it’s all good, clean fun so no insult intended. -XT [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-new-rule-about-political-slurs/602392.md?page=2)