Lament #0020 - Drat and Bloody Blast It All!

I always seem to do these rants in pairs. Well, here's today's second article, which also happens to be the big 20.

Let's ****'n get right into it. I **** bet you'll never guess what the **** we're going to ****'n talk about!

That's ****'n right!

Profanity. I'm going to admit right here and now that upon occasion there just isn't another word quite like that one on the tip of your tongue. Still, I find it an enjoyable challenge to express myself in less crass ways. Ways that make me sound eloquent, like I have a vocabulary surpassing four-letter words.

There are many who don't feel that way, but consider this.

It really does make you sound stupid when you use obscene language in every sentence. Not only that, it's rude--like spitting tobacco into someone's face. Yeah, let's face it. It's verbal assault.

There was a time, a century back, when using profanity in front of a woman was horrible. Men refrained from crass conversation while in a woman's presence, and if they slipped, they profusely apologized. Such is not the case now. Feminists just wouldn't allow it (it seems a feminist rant is in order; it keeps coming up). But there is such a thing as restraint; as respect. If a person isn't using four-letter words, you ****'n better not, either.

An example. A while back, a man on a bike ran into our car as my sister and I were pulling into a parking space. He was definitely in the wrong (ask any witnesses), but he got to his feet screaming the f-word, demanding compensation. He scraped my car, leaving a mark on the passenger-side door. Was I screaming at him for ruining my paint job? No. Were I or my sister swearing? No. And did his language ultimately avail him? Absolutely not. We threatened to call the cops and he skedaddled away right-quick.

It is possible to experience the highs and lows of life without cussing up a storm. If it's a habit, break it. If it's for reaction's sake, bear in mind you're the one sounding like an uneducated buffoon. There are plenty of other ways to express yourself, without calling everyone else awful names. And if your intention is to offend, take some anger management classes. You flipping need help.

Lament #0019 - Majority Report

I am dumbfounded. Dumbfounded, I tell you.

Browsing through my art community, I stumbled about a club promoting hetero orientation (aka being straight). Heigh-ho, I thought. About time we have one. That's the trouble with being part of a liberal arts community. Liberals tend to latch onto the name and take over. (Sorry, guys, liberal arts is something entirely different! Check out your nearby dictionary.)

The club promotes pride in being straight. And, yeah. They get massively flamed for it. The entire profile page is littered with profane comments accusing the administrators of bigotry and hatred. These flamers call the club "another homophobic group pretending that it is not."

But that wasn't the best comment of the lot. Try this on for size, quoted exactly as it's written:

"You don't understand the meaning of 'pride'. Just like saying 'white pride' is un-needed because it's the majority, theres no need to say straight pride- useless you're creating hate. As a black man i find this offensive, because the majority doesn't ever need to promote 'pride' since it's never subjected to hate, discrimination or bigotry."

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Back up, people! I happen to find the above quote highly hateful, discriminatory and bigoted. As a white woman, I'm offended. But wait, as a Caucasian, does that count for anything? I am a woman, too, so maybe the feminists will back me up. Ha!

A second comment backs the first:

"Gays have gay groups because they are a minority. Groups help them find each other and allow them to socialize. You, on the other hand, have created a group which touts your pride in being 'normal'. Call yourselves what you want, say you aren't about hate or bigotry, but we all know who and what you really are."

Once again, how is this not hateful and bigoted? I fail to understand how they can assume themselves immune from the tirade, when they seek out and then flame a Straight Club. Now, to be fair, I've never visited a Gay Club so I don't know if we heterosexuals ever traverse their domain and leave idiotic flames. If anyone does, stop. It only stirs up trouble. Persecution can only breed resentment and open rebellion.

Let's remember the Golden Rule, okay?

In closing, both quotes dictate that we in majority groups can't separate ourselves like that, because it discriminates against them. Uh, NO. If you can hang with your buddies, separating yourselves from us, we can have our own little hang spot for holidays, weekends, and art communities. It's honestly no different from religion- and fan-groups.

Seriously, people.