Offence to offensive words
“Rape,” “retard,” “gay” and the “N-word” are just a few terms that I commonly hear still being expressed around me and with total disregard to the people it may affect.
The people who still refer to something as being “gay,” when only used in a negative way, must not have had someone give them “the talk.” The talk, which I thought we would all be aware of, so since not, now is their chance.
How is being gay a bad thing? Aren't we supposed to be living in a world where people are treated equal, notably more so in Canada? Unfortunately, Canada is no different, it goes for London and it goes for Fanshawe. The problem about discrimination is that it's not just a global issue; it's one that is five-feet in every direction. We want a person to grow up not feeling persecuted, which includes feeling at ease with their sexuality, race and intelligence level, yet each time we negatively say “gay,” we are putting down the whole of an entire population, whose rights as a human are no less than ours.
Each time you say the “N-word,” you must remember that you are putting down all the people who fought against the use of that word, as well as disrespecting the distance black people have come from and the discrimination they suffer today.
When you so casually mention the word rape, you are shrinking the importance of an act that destroys the lives of women every six minutes. By using that word, you might bring up really bad memories and feelings to someone around you who was raped.
Have you ever said something is “retarded?” Why not say something else instead, like the word stupid, unfair, not right, dumb, or just say something more defined then something so general like “retard”. We don't think about the words we use every day until a time comes when you are affected by your own ignorance.
We cannot let this kind of talk still exist. We accept it when we choose not to talk out about this issue. The second we let someone get away with saying something morally wrong, we ourselves accept the place we live in. We have got to start becoming more aware and critical of what we are saying, to not do so will cause much hurt and this problem to not stop.
The point is simple, the point can't be more straightforward, stop using the words like “gay,” “fag,” “bitch,” “whore,” “rape,” “retard” and “Indian” (when the real term is Native or Aboriginal) and the grand-pappy of them all, the “N-word,” among others. Just because Dave Chappelle says it, does not give you the right to either. We are not at a point in our society where all gloves are off and everything is good and equal, where we can freely say what we want about something different than ourselves, this way of thinking is an illusion to mask the facts. The fact is that there are millions of people out there who are not okay with these words and who face prejudice on a daily basis. The process of reclaiming a word is very tough, aside from having the task to make the word not hold such a poisonous sting. I ask you to please stop and think about the words you are using because it does affect the people who surround you.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
The people who still refer to something as being “gay,” when only used in a negative way, must not have had someone give them “the talk.” The talk, which I thought we would all be aware of, so since not, now is their chance.
How is being gay a bad thing? Aren't we supposed to be living in a world where people are treated equal, notably more so in Canada? Unfortunately, Canada is no different, it goes for London and it goes for Fanshawe. The problem about discrimination is that it's not just a global issue; it's one that is five-feet in every direction. We want a person to grow up not feeling persecuted, which includes feeling at ease with their sexuality, race and intelligence level, yet each time we negatively say “gay,” we are putting down the whole of an entire population, whose rights as a human are no less than ours.
Each time you say the “N-word,” you must remember that you are putting down all the people who fought against the use of that word, as well as disrespecting the distance black people have come from and the discrimination they suffer today.
When you so casually mention the word rape, you are shrinking the importance of an act that destroys the lives of women every six minutes. By using that word, you might bring up really bad memories and feelings to someone around you who was raped.
Have you ever said something is “retarded?” Why not say something else instead, like the word stupid, unfair, not right, dumb, or just say something more defined then something so general like “retard”. We don't think about the words we use every day until a time comes when you are affected by your own ignorance.
We cannot let this kind of talk still exist. We accept it when we choose not to talk out about this issue. The second we let someone get away with saying something morally wrong, we ourselves accept the place we live in. We have got to start becoming more aware and critical of what we are saying, to not do so will cause much hurt and this problem to not stop.
The point is simple, the point can't be more straightforward, stop using the words like “gay,” “fag,” “bitch,” “whore,” “rape,” “retard” and “Indian” (when the real term is Native or Aboriginal) and the grand-pappy of them all, the “N-word,” among others. Just because Dave Chappelle says it, does not give you the right to either. We are not at a point in our society where all gloves are off and everything is good and equal, where we can freely say what we want about something different than ourselves, this way of thinking is an illusion to mask the facts. The fact is that there are millions of people out there who are not okay with these words and who face prejudice on a daily basis. The process of reclaiming a word is very tough, aside from having the task to make the word not hold such a poisonous sting. I ask you to please stop and think about the words you are using because it does affect the people who surround you.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
