# Offensive statements: the speaker and the hearer **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 6, 2003, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offensive-statements-the-speaker-and-the-hearer/205937 "2003-10-06T22:04:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offensive-statements-the-speaker-and-the-hearer/205937/21 "2003-10-08T13:16:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TaxGuy \* > **What? No. I’m saying that he had a negative reaction to what I said, so he either (i) thought I was being a racist or (ii) thought I was being an anti-dreadlockianist. Either way, he was wrong. So, I’m saying that it sucks that he walked off all offended when I didn’t mean to offend him in any way.** Again, no. For some reason, you don’t seem to understand he could have been offended for a plethora of reasons, TaxGuy. Maybe everytime he asks for a light he hears that joke and is sick of it. Maybe he thought you unfairly assumend he tokes up because of his age. Maybe he just didn’t like the idea of you making a joke at his expense. ---
**Author:** ![TaxGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@TaxGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TaxGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offensive-statements-the-speaker-and-the-hearer/205937/22 "2003-10-08T14:17:33Z")
OK, **JuanitaTech** , I gotcha ya now. 😃 thanks. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offensive-statements-the-speaker-and-the-hearer/205937/23 "2003-10-08T14:21:37Z")
Gotcha? _Gotcha_? You just had to add that slang word there, didn’t you? ---
**Author:** ![Lillith\_Fair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@Lillith\_Fair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lillith_Fair)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offensive-statements-the-speaker-and-the-hearer/205937/24 "2003-10-09T00:34:57Z")
How about a really inappropriate statement I made a few weeks ago: At work we were deciding what kind of pizza to order for a staff meeting. I was surveying what people like and hate and everyone said they hated anchovies. I told this one woman, “Why do people bother to say that? I’ve never known anyone who liked anchovies.” And she said, “The only person I ever knew who ordered anchovies was ‘John.’” (name changed) “John” was her son-in-law who committed suicide a year ago. Then this is what popped out of my mouth: “Well, that’s not going to happen again!” I couldn’t believe I said that! I’m not really sure if it registered with her. I quickly kept talking and hoped for the best. If I was her, I would not ever trust me again. ---
**Author:** ![paul\_smars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3be4f8/32.png) [@paul\_smars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paul_smars)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offensive-statements-the-speaker-and-the-hearer/205937/25 "2003-10-09T04:38:49Z")
So TaxGuy u say he did not understand what u said or what u ment. Maybe u did not understand what he said or ment. Maybe he was joking by acting offended. ---
**Author:** ![TaxGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@TaxGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TaxGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offensive-statements-the-speaker-and-the-hearer/205937/26 "2003-10-09T15:08:59Z")
Hmm, yeah, you could be right, dude, I never thought of that. Well, this has been quite a productive thread. Thanks everyone. ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offensive-statements-the-speaker-and-the-hearer/205937/27 "2003-10-09T19:53:05Z")
Random probably irrelevant point: If he was a Rastafarian he probably wouldn’t have tidy, well-groomed dreadlocks. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offensive-statements-the-speaker-and-the-hearer/205937.md?page=1)