The greatest threat to freedom of speech, the belief in the right not to be offended

[Newell Steamer]

No, the problem here is the misinterpretation of "freedom of speech" to mean "freedom from speech."

Oh, fuck them then.

 

[jackstar7]

It's the same mentality of the people who believe they have the right to never have to see a Nativity or hear the word "God." They have it backwards all the same.

Of != From.

Please don't conflate. It's not that people don't ever want to see a nativity or god, it's that they don't want their government endorsing such things.

Unless you're just talking about the zealots, and if that's the case, then you're making a poor point by attacking those who are already pointless examples of the fringe.

 

[nehalem256]

Please don't conflate. It's not that people don't ever want to see a nativity or god, it's that they don't want their government endorsing such things.

No I think you are wrong there.

They just use the "government endorsement" as an excuse to get it out of sight.

Lets put it this way. If you really have a problem with government endorsement of religion perhaps you should start coming into work on Christmas.

 

[MrPickins]

I didn't read all the articles, but did read the first quoted bit. With that, how do Warnings of Content equate to Censorship?

This.

While stupid, these warnings are hardly censorship...

 

[jackstar7]

No I think you are wrong there.

They just use the "government endorsement" as an excuse to get it out of sight.

Lets put it this way. If you really have a problem with government endorsement of religion perhaps you should start coming into work on Christmas.

Nope. Secular is the goal. Christmas is a secular American holiday.

The reason for the season is $$$.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

You just babbled.

No, but it might be hard for you. People cannot be isolated from adversity then be expected to cope when it inevitably occurs. These skills are developed early and cannot be taught later. This is part of normal development. Now where you lost is when you decided to play Simplicio and resort to PTSD and the like. Perhaps the person you chose to quote thinks all events are equivalent and if that's what he intended I'd strongly disagree but it did not read than way to me. There are too many people unable to deal with an unfair world.

 

[Rakehellion]

Ah, I see. So "toughing it out" is your recommended approach to those with PTSD.

Yes. The real world isn't going to coddle them so neither should the classroom.

 

[MrPickins]

Yes. The real world isn't going to coddle them so neither should the classroom.

Please explain how warning about the content of a book is coddling.

 

[nehalem256]

Nope. Secular is the goal. Christmas is a secular American holiday.

The reason for the season is $$$.

Cool then there should be no problem with having a nativity on government property to celebrate a "secular" holiday.

 

[soulcougher73]

Pussification of America to the front of the room please.

 

[Theb]

Colleges across the country this spring have been wrestling with student requests for what are known as “trigger warnings,” explicit alerts that the material they are about to read or see in a classroom might upset them or, as some students assert, cause symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in victims of rape or in war veterans.

I know you can always find people who have issues with something no matter what that thing is, but it still surprises me that this is one of those things.

 

[nehalem256]

I know you can always find people who have issues with something no matter what that thing is, but it still surprises me that this is one of those things.

Someone obviously didn't read the article:

At Oberlin College in Ohio, a draft guide was circulated that would have asked professors to put trigger warnings in their syllabuses. The guide said they should flag anything that might “disrupt a student’s learning” and “cause trauma,” including anything that would suggest the inferiority of anyone who is transgender (a form of discrimination known as cissexism) or who uses a wheelchair (or ableism).

“Be aware of racism, classism, sexism, heterosexism, cissexism, ableism, and other issues of privilege and oppression,” the guide said. “Realize that all forms of violence are traumatic, and that your students have lives before and outside your classroom, experiences you may not expect or understand.” For example, it said, while “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe — a novel set in colonial-era Nigeria — is a “triumph of literature that everyone in the world should read,” it could “trigger readers who have experienced racism, colonialism, religious persecution, violence, suicide and more.”

Its about enshrining a liberal culture of victimhood. And that you should feel bad for being an evil white man.

And using, as you pointed out, rape victims and veterans as tools to do so. Its pretty disgusting when you think about it.

 

[jackstar7]

Cool then there should be no problem with having a nativity on government property to celebrate a "secular" holiday.

Obtuse: You are it.

 

[zinfamous]

Eh, lots of these books have been officially "banned" in many states for decades now--Huck Finn is a notable example.

Not that those official bans have any teeth--schools still assign them regularly (well, mine did), and many will celebrate reading from the banned book list as a general activity.

It's the only perspective that I have--because one only goes through school once--but this was very common in the south to see many types of "offensive books" banned. Primarily due to racial suggestions or strong sexual content (Ulysses---and not that the majority of High School students would even understand wtf is going on in Ulysses, it still holds a spot on that list). Of course, in the south, you have a strong conservative moral crusading movement, but these are bans that have been in place for a long time.

The real bans happened when this country was far more conservative--and it took a federal judge to lift a real ban on the importation of "lewd and morally bankrupt" material (Ulysses, very famously), in the fifties.

Bitch and whine about these type of warnings (and I agree--I hate this shit as much as any redneck republican would), but our history of censorship in the US clearly shows that things have gotten better, the more liberals have had influence (Tipper fucking Gore notwithstanding)....until some fathead on the hill thinks we are all being morally perverted by video games and pornography. You know, then censorship is important to conservatives. Very, very important.

 

[zinfamous]

Someone obviously didn't read the article:


Its about enshrining a liberal culture of victimhood. And that you should feel bad for being an evil white man.

And using, as you pointed out, rape victims and veterans as tools to do so. Its pretty disgusting when you think about it.

OK, the comment you posted is obviously very stupid, but not for the hilarious reasons you think.

 

[nehalem256]

Obtuse: You are it.

I am not the one trying to pretend Christmas is a secular holiday.

If Christmas imagery makes you so butt-hurt I suggest you start coming into work on Christmas to prove how committed you are to the cause of secularism.

 

[shira]

I am not the one trying to pretend Christmas is a secular holiday.

If Christmas imagery makes you so butt-hurt I suggest you start coming into work on Christmas to prove how committed you are to the cause of secularism.

Your very existence deeply offends me, but do I demand censorship of your stupid posts? Of course not. Yet you think that issuing a a trigger alert ("Warning: The content of pretty much any Nehalem256 post will cause nausea and disbelief in sensitive individuals.") for your posts would be censorship?

You have every right to post any stupid thing you want, but you don't have the right to force anyone to read your shit.

 

[nehalem256]

Your very existence deeply offends me, but do I demand censorship of your stupid posts? Of course not. Yet you think that issuing a a trigger alert ("Warning: The content of pretty much any Nehalem256 post will cause nausea and disbelief in sensitive individuals.") for your posts would be censorship?

You have every right to post any stupid thing you want, but you don't have the right to force anyone to read your shit.

How about:

Trigger Warning: The content of this post may make liberals feel butt-hurt by being forced to face their epic stupidity/hypocrisy.

 

[SMOGZINN]

I am not the one trying to pretend Christmas is a secular holiday.

If Christmas imagery makes you so butt-hurt I suggest you start coming into work on Christmas to prove how committed you are to the cause of secularism.

Just as an FYI I would bet that many rational people would be happy to work Christmas (I know I would). Only there is a xianist conspiracy to prevent us from doing so in order to force their religious holiday on the rest of us.

The holiday means nothing to me. The only reason I care about it at all is because so many other people use it as an excuse to get together to spend money, drink, and overeat.
Personally, I think Saturnalia is the superior winter holiday.

 

[Retro Rob]

Nope. Secular is the goal. Christmas is a secular American holiday.

The reason for the season is $$$.

Christmas is no more an American holiday than it is a Christian one. It's a pagan celebration of the Roman sun god, to be exact.

We should call it by its true name..."Saturnalia"!!

 

[SMOGZINN]

We should call it by its true name..."Saturnalia"!!

+1

 

[Retro Rob]

No I think you are wrong there.

They just use the "government endorsement" as an excuse to get it out of sight.

Lets put it this way. If you really have a problem with government endorsement of religion perhaps you should start coming into work on Christmas.

He's too big a hypocrite to work on that day. As with most liberals, as long as the pendulum swings their way, they're silent.

He's gets paid for being off. He not going to screw that up.

 

[Retro Rob]

+1

Yeah, it's a religious holiday, stolen and made secular by secularists.

 

[shira]

How about:

Trigger Warning: The content of this post was written by someone trying to impregnate his toaster.

FTFY

 

[zinfamous]

wait what--why would anyone complain about time off for ~2 weeks in the winter? so the fuck what if Christian shit is happening. Really--someone would be more than happy to work on Christmas? Bullfucking shit.

The real sickness is wanting to work all the time with no holidays. Or just because the holiday is "religious." what a load of processed italian sausage product.