I think bringing up the story was fine; the argument just needed a little exposition.
(As much as I hate to say it, I don’t think this is a case where hippies are at fault.) 
Wood-woses. Mythical characters of European folklore who lived in the woods. Euhemerized in Lord of the Rings.
I am officially the biggest nerd in the thread.
In Black culture I think the paradigm is “Fag”. As Skald the Rhymer points out.
And if we’re going strictly by stereo-types; Blacks get very offended when you question their sexual orientation. Calling someone a rapist just sounds plain odd given the context. If I were the OP, I don’t think I’d use that insult at all in the story line. If the boy in the story is White, I’d say “nigger” might get one’s blood to boil.
[disclaimer: Keep in mind I said “stereo-types” not my actual opinion.]
Let’s pretend I never mentioned the story. I’ll give a cookie to anybody who answers without mentioning the story but rather answers the question in the thread title.
Oh…uh, nevermind.
My answer is “No”.
(I’m partial to chocolate chip cookies myself.)
Heh, sorry man. I didn’t mean to mess with your creativity.
“Liar” is pretty high up there for me, especially if I wasn’t lying. I’ve gotten into a couple of scraps, but it’s been so long I don’t remember what started them exactly.
If I can bring up characters of my own, I have a few self-based characters who would have their own beserk buttons. Felino would probably go off from being called a dog, but he’s feline. ‘Silverkitty’… I’m sure she has one, but it’s probably something random since she’s kinda nuts. ‘You like Picard’ maybe. Or ‘Frank Miller is the greatest comic writer of all time.’ Clythia probably would if you insulted her family badly enough.
So, what kinda cookies you offering?
Honestly? Kike. I was only called it by one person, and at first I thought it was a joke (it was in the context of a joke), but when he started getting very, very agressively angry after I responded with an anti-catholic joke, I realized that it was meant as an insult, and I trully wanted to slug the guy. So… Perhaps word-and-context more than just word, but I still find the term pretty hackle-raising.
I’m a 43-year-old beige guy, and there isn’t much of anything anyone could call me that would get me riled enough to be physically violent; I’d pretty much just laugh it off. Talk smack to my wife or son and there’s a possiblity of my boot meeting your balls, though.
Since I actually am a fag, that one wouldn’t bother me at all. I’m not black though so I can’t speak to that part of it.
Okay, yeah, that makes sense.
I’m not sure I have “fighting words,” mainly because I’m small and well…I’d lose any fight I started.
It does seem that words with a grain of truth are more anger-sparking, though.
Once.
I was a soldier on barracks guard duty and broke up a fight, used words (loud ones), and separated them. One of them looked me in the eye and said he was going to go to his car and get his gun, I dropped him instantly.
So yes, fighting words are threats I won’t take a chance on.
Hmm…I think that’s more responding to a danger than an irrational surge of anger.
I’m not going to punch someone for calling me poopypants or something, however if someone is getting right in my face in a loud and threatening manner then yes, I might be inclined to give him some face time with the lads (or run like a little girl, as appropriate). IANAL, but if someone is right in your face threatening violence, I don’t think you have to wait and see if they will actually hit you before you react.
Beige?! That sounds a little to close to yella’ for my tastes.
Are you asking what is an insult severe enough to trigger me attacking, or what is an insult that comes across as an invitation to a fight? I can’t think of an insult from a stranger that would be bad enough for me to hit them.
Come to think if it, I wonder if I am more likely to lash out for an insult to my wife or kids. Not sure what it would be, though.
Male, 53, got most of my fighting out of the way a long time ago.
Regards,
Shodan
Never turn your back on them, or you risk being jumped from behind - especially when you are a security officer or in any potential danger.
Stand tall, look them in the eye with a smile on your face and laughter in your voice and wait until they slink away.
Not necessarily to be used on people very much larger than you or the completely insane. There are still people out there who will gladly kill you for looking at them and tell the police “I didn’t like the way he was laughing/looking at me!”
I tend to be pretty live-and-let-live. If someone wants to insult me or goad me into fighting my response is like “Yeah, whatever”. IMO grown-ups don’t fight like little kids.
However, I shocked everyone at my Granny-in-law’s house when my husband’s cousin called him a “fat fuck” and accused him of running over her dog. I went OFF on that bitch! I’d never been anything but sweet and polite up til then, but you just don’t talk shit about my baby!
I was deeply ashamed and burst into tears immediately after. When cousin’s mom showed up to scream at me, I hid in the bathroom, but granny pulled a gun on aunt and sent her packing!
Aunt is Granny’s own daughter, but my husband is Granny’s baby too.
Yep, good times!
I don’t reallly have any words, but in retrospect, I shouldn’t have told my angry-drunk friend* as he was drunk and getting angry at me, “so, what, are you gonna throw down then?”
•Friend is an angry drunk AND he was drunk and angry, if that was in any way unclear.
It apparently used to be the same for white people. I can’t find the right section now, but in Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk (that is, punk rock) there’s some discussion of when the term first became used to refer to a genre of music. The earliest punk musicians (e.g. The Stooges) seemed unsure what to make of being called “punks”, as this was considered an insult – not even just that one was gay, but that one was playing the “girlfriend” role.
I agree punk means more than just fag. It’s someone whom gives sexual favors out of fear or some weakness of manhood. A jailhouse bitch or crackhead looking for a bump. Someone who is easily intimidated. A punk is usually not gay but “turned out” just like a hoe you would put on the street.
I agree with Kim the Rhymer if your character is in any way Street punk is fighting words.