It's not unusual for some of my friends to snarl a derogatory comment such as "that's so gay" or "that's so retarded."
Truth being, it's not right to say things that insult a group of people. I mean, as Doctor Seuss said "A person is a person". If something bothers me, I say "That's so irrational" or "That's weird" or "That doesn't make sense" because it's so much better than targeting a specific group. Yet some people still can't grasp the same concept. It doesn't necessarily mean people are mean, but it shows their ignorance.
I was interviewing someone for my last story when someone said "...it was gay...". At that point, I stopped to think: As journalists, where do we draw the line? Yes, we quote people word for word, but are there any restrictions, technically speaking?
Food for thought. In general, it's really not a terrible idea to think before you speak-about anything.
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6 comments:
I agree! I do not know how these comments caught on. T_T
I really don't understand why people say these things. They think since everyone else says it, it must be ok. That isn't true. So, I totally agree with you! A" person's a person no matter how small!"
I agree...also I know from experience that it can be a hard habit to break
Love this insight. In my (long) life these comments have shifted, but there always seems to be a group we've targeted. The problem is, most people mean little by it, if fact just don't think. I love your ideas. CN
I like the idea you had here. And even more so, I like how eloquently you phrased it.
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