Are there any other words that are permissible when used as an insult against a person “because of some action or attitude,” but hate speech when used about a person?
If this is indeed that standard (and no offense, but I’d like to hear this from the people that can hand out warnings.
If any X-tard construction is directed toward a poster in GD or Elections, I will moderate it for personal insults. That could be a note or a warning, depending on context. There will be some grey area about group insults or off board people vs. those towards posters, but I don’t think that needs to be fully fleshed out here more than it already has been.
As for silence on the issue of hate speech - it’s being discussed.
Thanks, Bone! I would love to see variants of “-tard” used as insults or dismissive descriptions of folks with developmental disabilities excluded from the board. Sure, they’re used frequently on the internet, but their use is invariably douchey, and I’d like this board to be better than reddit and 4chan.
If this incident is modded as a note rather than a warning, I could see that, but ideally moving forward it’d be unacceptable around here.
This statement should have been made about, oh, post #10 or so of this thread, which would have precipitously reduced the back-and-forth.
Or maybe not, given some of the posters involved in that back-and-forth. :rolleyes:
As for the term “retard”: it’s like what Hermione Granger says about “mudblood”. “It’s not a term one usually hears in civilized conversation.” Yet, as a high school teacher, I can say that the term is quite common, used regularly by students, and not just by those who are lower “class” or otherwise unclear on the idea of proper language for daily conversation. Nor is the demographic that uses it limited to those who are “conservative” (as opposed to “liberal”) in their thinking.
This whole “hate speech” thing has GOT to be treated with a bit more careful thought than shown by the moderator in this instance. We can all be clear that using the term “nigger” to refer to someone who is “black” is inappropriate per se (though please note that the demographic of those who are “black” has appropriated the term and uses it freely…). But just because this is true doesn’t mean that ANY and EVERY derogatory term used for some demographic of people should be eliminated on the basis that it is “hate speech.” Unless, of course, this Board wants to become a place where only that which is “correct” and “proper” gets used in discussion. At which point I, who cannot imagine wanting to use such derogatory terminology, will exit stage left, having no interest in a Board where such thought control becomes reality.
Awesome – thanks much.
The rules appear to be whatever a particular mod feels like on a particular day. But that’s fine because they do this for free.
[Moderating]
On further consideration, and after consultation with other mods, I have rescinded the warning. Shagnasty’s use of the term was still offensive and inappropriate, but it did not rise to the level of a Warning.
This wasn’t insulting toward anyone on or off the boards - Forrest Gump is an imaginary person.
I don’t understand the reluctance towards giving a list of forbidden words as constituting “hate speech”. Everyone understands that “ngger" or "kke” or “fg" are hate speech. If "rtard” is also hate speech, just say so.
“I’m giving you a ticket for speeding.”
“What’s the speed limit?”
“I’m not saying, because if I said 65, people would drive 64 1/2.”
“So, was I doing 64 1/2?”
“You were speeding. Don’t do it again.”
:smack:
Regards,
Shodan
I thought it had been for several years:
Clarification of the forum “GD” added.
Cowards.
Well done.
Sigh.
People, there is no such thing as “hate” speech. That’s a politically correct, made-up bullshit concept so that some people can get all righteous and indignant over something somebody else said.
It’s speech, period. Deal with it. If it twists your shorts into a knot, perhaps you need to get a grip on reality. Remember the old saying about sticks and stones? If somebody says something, such as in your example of calling Sulu a fag, then you simply decide how much value you want to put on that person’s statement…and then move on with your life.
Political correctness is killing us as a society.
On behalf of those of us that love rich irony, thank you.
NM
Hey, I’m not saying that this is the standard, in fact I’m not sure one way or another whether the OP deserves a warning, I’m just offering my own two cents about why I find insulting someone by using the term retard (slightly) less offensive than calling the mentally handicapped retard.
As for other examples, I suppose if bought a radio that broke two days after I bought it I might say, “Aw, what a gyp” But if someone said that he’s got to be careful when he goes to Romania because of all the Gyps there, I would find it offensive.
Thank you! There is some justice left in the world.
Hoist by his own petard?
::applause::
Congrats on your consideration of the issue. Well done.
If you think that, you’re on the wrong message board. From the registration agreement, which you agreed to when you signed up: