Oh Fence

Who is the "they" who makes things the way things are?  I'm talking about offending.  Saying something and someone gets bent out of shape because of what was said.  I think it is sad.  It is sad that we have become so soft and everything is fluff.  You put a hard edge on something and oh boy somebody is gonna get hurt.  Hurt little feelers.  Buck up little campers, life is not all soccer and soft-ball trophies.

If I say that something is gay, I'm not trying to offend, poke fun or demean people of a lifestyle choice.  I don't use the word as a derogative toward someones sexual preference.  It has taken on a meaning that has nothing to do with the original meaning or the substitute meaning that the word now signifies.  Gay in it's original form meant fun, happy, whimsical.  I don't use it for it's first intended usage, that would be gay.  See how I used it there?  And I did not use it as a sexual preference slang. 

Words change, language changes, people define words in their own and unique way.  Case and point, I spent some time in the '80s, and the word bad changed it's meaning.  Bad became good, it was an uber positive word and a little overused or abused.  I am guilty as charged.  Dude became a standard and I have not gotten rid of it in my day-to-day vocabulary.  I call everyone dude, and have even had full conversations with people only using the word.  Dude -look it up in the dictionary, and tell me we don't change words.

Now for my favorite offencive word that I cannot stop using.  Retard, and it's other form, Retarded.  Hang around me long enough and you will hear it, more than once.  I laughed so hard in the Hangover when Allen pronounces it RA-tard.  "Ha ha classic."   I am by no means using the word to be offencive to people who are handicapped, mentally challenged, developmentally challenged, challenged challenged, etc.  I know this word it the one with the least amount of grey area, and I use it with reckless abandon.

I feel that no matter how guarded we are with our choice of verbiage, we will offend someone.  It is inevitable.  Once again, I think people should harden up, speak your mind.  -Respect your fellow human.  Dude, I might be retarded if I call something gay.  Get your pannies unbunched, a clean bowl of Post Toasties and enjoy life 'cause it's BAD.