Quote:
Originally posted by Faceman:
I am not saying that words like sword (or guns) kill people.
People kill people. I agree with that. But a sword is a dangerous tool so if someone cannot handle it right he should stay away from it. And if a forum or a society discovers that (s)words are in general misused to cause a significant number of members pain they should start thinking about banning them.
I not talking about people being offended by insults like groovy dude (or other more evil remarks  ).
I am talking about words that have a negative history that live to up until now.
If someone for example has parents/grandparents who were killed/tortured in WWII they may NOT have a choice of how to react.
Imagine:
Peter's grandfather was freed from a concentration camp in the last weeks of war where he had been staying for 3 years before that. Every time someone mentions terms who remind him of that time he breaks down in tears. Peter - as most people - likes/loves his grandpa. Therefore when he sees him suffer he suffers himself.
Someday Peter visits a public place/forum and gets into an argument with someone who ultimately calls him a fascist/nazi.
Now Peter accused (in what manner whatsoever) of being one of these guys who causes his grandpa pain to an extent that Peter can still feel it when his grandpa just tells is understandably upset. He has not so much as a choice to say "I'll just take it cool, what does he know anyway."
Words like fascist, nazi, commie, ... for the culprits
or ■■■■■■, paki, Jud, ... for the victims
are strung to stories so full of grievance that it takes some people superhuman strenght to cope with them. So why don't freeze these words in your active vocabulary. It's not a big deal for you, but it might be a big deal for the people who can't cope.
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*nods head in agreement*
the last bit has a lot of wisdom...the drake has a tendancy to forget that every one has there own way of handling things...what might be hard for him can be easy for someone else and the opposite is true too.