[user104658]

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

If you are offended that's fine if you are not offended that's also fine.
Its not a crime to be or not to be, so after another twenty pages you will get the same outcome some offended some not offended.

The question isn't whether or not each person finds it offensive, though, not really. I personally am not offended by blackface, racist words, racist stereotypes, any other sorts of stereotypes (including ones that apply to me, e.g. about men or about Scottish people). I'm very, very hard to offend I would say. However, not being easily offended on a personal level doesn't mean that you can't try to appreciate that some people ARE hurt, offended and angered by various things and therefore, is it not important to consider the feelings of others? Again I'll say that I'm well aware that it can go too far, there is a line where it becomes ridiculous (as we're seeing on certain academic campuses, etc.) but likewise, there is a line that goes the other way... I sort of feel like we (as a society) are somehow losing the ability to have a feel for what's "too far"... and people are dividing into these two extreme camps where one will take offense at things so minor that it becomes impossible to live a normal existence, and at the same time, the other end of the spectrum is saying "well I've had enough of all of it so I'll just say and do whatever I want" with which, again, things start to become impossible.

Where is the middle ground and why have we lost it? As always, this forum seems to be a bit of a microcosm for this effect. Views seem to be so extreme one way or the other, and frankly, the answer ALWAYS (with all things) lies somewhere in the grey area.