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Originally Posted by Mr. Kotter
I thought that was the standard--even if I, personally, didn't always live by it.
But, apparently, you CAN say offensive things, as long as you are the right race, gender, or other appropriate "group."
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To equate what Imus said with rap lyrics is just so dumb on so many levels ...
Why is it so hard to understand that context is EVERYTHING when it comes to whether or not someone is "offended" by "racist" remarks? Language isn't purely objective. Why would it be? Curse words aren't. For example, the words "fuck you" are much more subjective than they are objectively offensive. There are times and places where such language is completely unacceptable (that's the objective component), but other times and places where it is not. If someone tells me to "go fuck myself" should I be angry and/or deeply offended? You can't answer that question without knowing the context. My reaction will depend entirely on the context of the encounter, my own tolerance for cuss words, and most importantly,
who is saying it to me. In other words, what matters is the intent and meaning that I believe is being conveyed by the "offensive" language, not the words themselves.
Context matters.