Don't be 'gay' about thought control

[sbp]

A story about a kid who got suspended for using the word gay.

Article is kind of long so here's part of it.

The article also talks about another boy who got suspended for sexual harassment cause he stuck his tongue out at a girl who didn't want to be his girlfriend.

http://www.dailycamera.com/bdc/opini...882423,00.html

The meaning of the word "gay," like many words, has changed over time. Fifty years ago, "gay" meant "lighthearted" and "happy." Remember the theme song from "The Flintstones," which went "we'll have a gay old time"? Fred Flintstone didn't wear any pink oxfords. Of course, no one was ever too sure about Barney Rubble.

In any event, a lot of old-timers lament the passing of this beautiful word, which to today's generation is only allowed to mean "homosexual."

To the next generation, it seems it will again mean something different.

Twelve-year-old Ben Madison was playing foursquare at West Middle School in Grand Junction. Foursquare is where you bounce a ball from one square to another. Another 12-year-old kid was acting as the referee. As ref, he called one of Ben's bounces out of bounds. Ben didn't agree with the call.

While tennis great and super-brat John McEnroe would have yelled, "you cannot be serious!" Ben protested by saying, "your call was gay." When this was reported to a teacher, it was immediately interpreted to be sexual harassment, so of course Ben was suspended.

Sexual harassment? Ben didn't say, "Have sex with me or you'll lose your job." Ben didn't say, "You are a homosexual, I hate homosexuals, and therefore your call is invalid." He said the call was gay.

Can a 12-year-old boy really sexually harass another boy? Maybe, but it would be hard. At 12, most kids understand the birds and the bees, but do most really understand homosexuality?

According to Ben's mom, Ben didn't even know "gay" meant "homosexual." To him and many kids his age, "gay" means "stupid or dumb." So even if Ben did understand homosexuality, maybe it was the teachers who didn't understand the new term "gay."

---------------
How gay.

[vampireuk]

Ahh the great old world that we live in. I hate political correctness I mean for christ sake its a word, some people should really lighten up. Excuse me while i go shoot someone, uh oh I'm a terrorist

[silence]

bah......u can always offend ppl if u want,you don't need special words to do it......


this is plain and simple dumb......kids should be left out of this.....

[digitalwanderer]

I've been seeing it around and I now use it meself a lot. "Gay" is a descriptive word for homosexual, "ghey" is the word that is used in place of "gay" if you ain't homo bashing but are trying to get the poofy thought across.

It's like a politically correct way of saying "gay" without meaning to dis anyone's sexual orientation. (Which is there business/choice and I don't care to comment about to 'em. )

I like the term "ghey", just thought this was an appropriate spot to mention.

[Kruno]

I say get Eminem to piss them off more.
Offending people is his game.

[1stFlight]

Again some people take a good idea too far. The chasm between an insult and a valid description is immense. Some of these PC people make me ill.

[False Christian]

Ich habin Frau unt mein lederhausen, ya!

[digitalwanderer]

Originally posted by 1stFlight
Again some people take a good idea too far. The chasm between an insult and a valid description is immense. Some of these PC people make me ill.

You think? I sort of like the distinction. That way I can still use the word in it's descriptive sense without it being an insult.

[DaveW]

Using the word "gay" in this context still describes a homosexual, but it is also used to describe persons, things or events that are offensive, disagreeable, or otherwise bad. Through association the meaning of the word and the situations in which it is used, it is a form of bashing homosexuals.

[Kruno]

Originally posted by DaveW
Using the word "gay" in this context still describes a homosexual, but it is also used to describe persons, things or events that are offensive, disagreeable, or otherwise bad. Through association the meaning of the word and the situations in which it is used, it is a form of bashing homosexuals.

By saying that you are bashing a homosexual. That would be me. I am a male. So unless you are a bisexual I suggest you take that back because you would also be a homosexual.

Get it?

I am talking about being only 1 sex.

I think the word 'homosexual' is too vague to describe a "homosexual". Why can't they say male to male or female to female?

Instead of asking a person if they are a homosexual (which could mean: are you of only 1 sex), they should ask:

Are you a male-to-male/female-to-female?

[netviper13]

Originally posted by DaveW
Using the word "gay" in this context still describes a homosexual, but it is also used to describe persons, things or events that are offensive, disagreeable, or otherwise bad. Through association the meaning of the word and the situations in which it is used, it is a form of bashing homosexuals.

You are absolutely correct.

Some forms of political correctness can be taken too far, but at the point where it's obvious in what context the word "gay" is used anymore, the word becomes no different than the "n" word. Both can have different contexts, but both are considered very offensive to certain groups when used as an insult.

Basically what it comes down to is the laziness of the world. Instead of coming up with a valid argument such as "that call can't be right, the ball never crossed the line," today's generation simply uses a generic word which often hails from a racial, sexual, or social insult. Perhaps if we stopped allowing people to be so damn lazy and generic with their speech, the political correctness tyrants would have a little less ammunition to use.

[DaveW]

Originally posted by netviper13
You are absolutely correct.
Basically what it comes down to is the laziness of the world. Instead of coming up with a valid argument such as "that call can't be right, the ball never crossed the line," today's generation simply uses a generic word which often hails from a racial, sexual, or social insult. Perhaps if we stopped allowing people to be so damn lazy and generic with their speech, the political correctness tyrants would have a little less ammunition to use.

"Yeah, like, I like, totally like, agree with you, like, insulting people is so like, lame, i'm like, whatever yknow"

- A typical American teenager.