Electric Larry
Electric Larry's JournalFuck a duck. When I'm proven wrong, i say "i was wrong". How hard is that?
I blame Bush, speaking of "how the culture has changed for the worse" 
. He was constitutionally incapable of acknowledging his fuckups.
"there weren't people fighting over being able to use words" ..No, heavens, of course there weren't.
[font size=3](Warning: These are links to DU posts still openly available and not hidden in the archives, however, some of the threads may contain words or language readers may find offensive. Again, these are only links to posts and threads, written by DU members years ago, which are readily and publicly available to anyone who searches the archives of DU2.)[/font]
2004:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1359420
Skinner: "this is thread #8 on the subject" - April 6, 2004.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=1332538&mesg_id=1332538
2007:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=6699622&mesg_id=6699628
2008:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7581142
2010:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=8848113&mesg_id=8848170
No offensive google ads to complain about, either, in the good old -sigh- days...
oh wait
2009:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=7146970&mesg_id=7146970
Ladies and Gentlemen, for one night only...
[font size=5]The Repeatedly Band![/font]
HELLO CLEVELAND ARE YOU READY TO ROOOOOOOOOCCCCCCCKKK??
You have a point. And it is good that we are examing the SPECIFIC underlying mechanism & impact
of SPECIFIC words and terms.
Granted, by an objective analysis- say, from an Alien who just got to Earth and was running the English language through the computer- there would be little to obejctively differentiate the words "c**t" and "dick". Both are insults which insult a member of a particular gender by calling them a slang term for their respective genitalia.
The fact is, though, it's not only the objective meaning of the words, but also the cultural impact or import. Like I said, most people on DU get that "c**t" is not acceptable.
But what we have here (again) is some people arguing against a strawperson that doesn't- for the most part- exist; those people who supposedly "demand" to use all terms, under all circumstances, regardless of context or feeling attached. The dreaded individualists with pesky free speech arguments.
As rrneck notes upthread, there is already widespread agreement on DU about the c word, for instance. As you've seen, even an OP criticizing the use of the word receives approbation for using it. The idea that there is some groundswell demanding that the "C" word be given more free use, or not understanding why it is deemed offensive, is fallacious.
Likewise, "Pansy". Most of DU, I believe, understands why that word is offensive- because in the context which it was objectionally used, it implies not just homosexuality, but that homosexuality is bad. It is a homophobic, bigoted term and does not belong on DU. I also feel that the discussions around the "Romney and Ryan are gay huh huh" photoshops were helpful and educational, in terms of why they were, also, clearly offensive and out of line.
Now, let's move on to the word "b**ch". I believe that, actually, this word in terms of a weighted combination of what it actually means (a female dog) and the cultural linguistic impact, that word is roughly equivalent to "dick"- in that, again, it is a targeted insult (as in, an insult targeted at the person it is directed at, not a group) with a gender-specific component. Same as, generally, we call men "dicks", etc. Language is, more or less, often gendered. ("Asshole" works for both, beautifully, doesn't it?)
In the case of "b**ch", though, you have people (time honored meta tradition!) conflating a gender-specific insult with a slam or slur on the entire gender. They are not one and the same.
So the real question is, are there any gender-specific yet targeted only at individual insults which would be acceptable, in the case of women? Dick is acceptable for men. Are there any comparable words for women which would not be taken, by some, as offensive and as such an attack on ALL women and not just the woman in question (i.e. Ann Coulter, or whoever)
I think, since we are delving into the specific language and culture-based machinations here, this is a reasonable question.
Then weve established neither of us are MRAs. You allege there are "MRAs on DU" (your words)
So Id like to know where and who they are.
I will reiterate my point about "The Patriarchy" since you seem inclined to ignore it.
Yes, I think "The Patriarchy" in the sense of the original all-pervasive source of all oppression, an illuminati-like cabal that has plotted throughout history to convince women that PIV sex is 'natural' as well as the spooky plot to have men get sex change operations to sneak into the michigan Womyns music festival, for instance, IS a conspiracy theory, as nutty as anything Lyndon LaRouche ever dreamed up.
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Name: Danny DubersteinGender: Male
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