The trailer for Vince Vaughn’s upcoming film The Dilemma initially featured a pretty lame scene at the beginning in which Vaughn’s character joked that electric cars are “gay.” The trailer came out right before the highly talked-about series of gay teen suicides, after which more press outlets covered the issue of bullying. CNN anchor Anderson Cooper spoke out against that trailer specifically, saying that “we’ve got to do something to make those words unacceptable cause those words are hurting kids.” As a result, Universal pulled that trailer and put out a new one along with a statement that they were sensitive to the issue. Gay advocacy group GLAAD said they’d contacted Universal immediately after the trailer came out but received no response. They’ve had a campaign for some time urging people to stop using gay as a put down. Now that the scene has been cut from the trailer (but is still playing in some theaters due to logistical issues) people are wondering whether if it will also be cut from the film, due out in January, 2011. The star of the movie wants it to air as-is, though. Vince Vaughn has issued a statement weighing in on the controversy.
Vince Vaughn doesn’t think The Dilemma has much of a problem.
Responding to the controversy over his character calling an electric car “gay,” a clip that originally made it into the comedy’s theatrical trailer, Vaughn has come down on the side of leaving the scene intact.
“Let me add my voice of support to the people outraged by the bullying and persecution of people for their differences, whatever those differences may be,” the sometimes-boorish, sometimes-cuddly actor said in a statement Thursday.
“Comedy and joking about our differences breaks tension and brings us together. Drawing divided lines over what we can and cannot joke about does exactly that; it divides us. Most importantly, where does it stop.”
[From E! Online]
That was very well put. I still don’t agree with him, but I appreciate the way that he made his point despite his poor slippery slope argument. There’s also something to be said for the fact that he’s giving his opinion amid all this controversy. Personally, I cannot fault him for having a different opinion and I respect the way he phrased his statement.
However, I still maintain that associating the word “gay” with “lame” gives the impression that being gay is somehow inadequate. This can be particularly damaging to gay young people who are struggling with their identity. Kids are going to talk smack and bully each other, but adults and movie stars can set a much better example than that. If all they can come up with to introduce us to their movie is a bit in which they use “gay” as a putdown then that’s truly lame. That scene should be cut from the movie, just like it was cut from the trailer.
Here are some PSAs to try and stop the use of “that’s gay” as a putdown. Why don’t we start saying “that’s so Vince Vaughn”? You wouldn’t even have to explain it to anyone, you know?
not to be persnickety, but “lame” is also derisive, ablist language. using “lame” as a putdown is hurtful to those who consider themselves differently abled.
not that i agree. im just saying, VV has a point— someone is ALWAYS going to be offended by something.
Can’t screenwriters think of a more original insult than something used by 3rd graders? The stupidity is offensive.
PC adults banging heads with teenagers and their lingo. This should be good. Homophobia is deeply entrenched in outer suburban teenagers. BTW, Vince doesn’t look like a movie star in that first photo. How is he still getting work?
Agree with gillie, it’s getting where you can’t say anything about anything without someone getting being offended. It’s just a movie people, don’t go see it if you’re just going to get outraged. Turn the channel if the trailer gets you riled.
I disagree re: lame. Sure, it has been used to describe disabled people, but it is inherently offensive in that sense. It was just like calling people with low IQs “morons.” It never should have been used that way. Therefore, to say something is lame does not have the same or similar effect as saying something is “retarded.” Just my own point of view, dont jump down my throat.
The thought crimes of 1984 have been established unter the guise of political correctness.
I wonder, respectfully, if C/B and all who agree with her point about the effect of associating the word gay with negative attributes will also agree that the same offhand negative association of conservatism with racism and homophobia in the popular culture is equally hurtful to young conservatives?
And would you propose the same remedy?
Yeah, I agree too. Its just a word and its in a movie. We still have freedom of speech and if we change EVERYTHING that offends people, what would we have left.
Nothing, no rights, no way to express what makes us all different. Who wants to be a cookie cutter person? I want to be unique with differences. I might not like certain words or phrases or even how some people act but this is America and they have that right, just as I do.
Stop being offended and get over it already.
@Wonderful–
‘Therefore, to say something is lame does not have the same or similar effect as saying something is “retarded.”’
is the word used as a putdown? was the word once used to describe a medical diagnosis? is that term now replaced by something more pc??
then wheres the difference?
im definitely not a pc person. i agree that some words are as they are (you’re blind, not visually impaired; youre deaf, not hearing impaired; etc.) but your argument is flawed.
I dont think people automatically associate conservatism with homophobia, racism, and sexism, but the name “conservative” implies they would enjoy it if the zeit geist remained as it was during eras of extreme discrimination toward those groups. It DOES seem like more of these conservatives voice these types of opinions, but this is the portrayal I get from the media as someone who does not live in the USA so it is more than likely innaccurate. If I had to pin it on anything, I would pin it on RELIGION as opposed to conservatism.
What offends me is how f-cking unfunny it is. “Electric cars are gay” – that’s the laugh line? F-cking hack.
Gillie I agree there isnt a HUGE difference, it is ever so slight, but specifics seem to be what we are getting into here. “Lame” is a word that was used beforehand and simultaneously to negatively reference many things and was adopted to describe something medical, while “retarded” was used only in the medical sense but then became a put-down term simply due to its original meaning. There is the difference.
Kaboom, your statement gave me chills. I believe you’re on to something here.
I’ve got to agree w/VV on this one . . .where will it ever stop – there has always been sensitive topics reduced and disected for laughs . . .it’s what relieves the tension, it’s what makes comedy work as a release . . .
@Kaiser-Yes the uninspired comedic writing is offensive indeed.
Well, Tess, you know I stand with you on this one. Free Speech.
If you start banning a word (or the context in which a word is used) because one person is offended then you are on a slippery slope that leads to the government banning the use of certain words entirely (basically telling us what we can/cannot say). Then where do you draw the line? What becomes the basis for banning a word? Does it have to be one person or an entire group that is offended? I’m offended by what Bill O’Reilly has to say but does that mean the government should have a right to muzzle him? Bill O’Reilly is offended by Jon Stewart so does that mean Stewart must be taken off the air?
I know the point is about using these words cautiously or in a sensitive manner and I support that but I don’t support the idea of removing words from movie trailers (or the English language) because it is viewed as offensive to either one person or group or even collectively as a nation.
While everyone is discussing whether or not the gay joke should stay in the movie. It has just given Vince Vaughn and the producers free publicity for a movie that would have headed straight to dvd release or the .99 cent bin at the local video store.
I just think everything is getting way too politically correct nowadays and agree with others in thinking it’s getting to the point where no one can can say anything without being martyred. I mean look, I have gay friends and I still say “that’s so gay”, because that’s slang that I grew up with. Hell, I have gay friends and even THEY say things are “gay”. Seriously, where’s the line anymore?
If the P.C. police have their way, it’s only a matter of time before the Gov’t sees fit to insert a “no-offense chip” into us that zaps us if we dare to harbor an offensive thought to anyone. I wonder who will program that chip? Where are they going to find that perfect person?
My mother gave me as a middle name ‘Gay’. In her defense, in her era it meant light-hearted and merry. Nevertheless, when most people learn they inevitably say, ‘Oh, you’re so gay’, like I’m supposed to be insulted. At the same time, when anyone with an alternative lifestyle learns of this, they love it.
Conservatism is when in 2008 the American Family Association’s news service, OneNewsNow, implemented auto-replace to automatically substitute the word ‘gay’ with ‘homosexual, which resulted in some interesting headlines about Tyson Homosexual winning the 100 meter at the US Oylmpic trials. That is an example of things going too far.
Vince Vaughn didn’t write that particular scene did he? What’s with his face, he’s looking so puffy. Anything would think he’s having the baby.
Well this is just a way to get free speech relegated to the trash pile. I mean it is not really about the issue at all.The powers that be are using certain groups of people to control other groups of people. Now Gladd is all up in arms over this. But nary a mention of Adam Lambert’s trip to Malaysia and the fact he has to agree to take a kiss out of his act. Malaysia is Muslim and if you are caught having a homosexual relationship there you will go to jail for 20 years. You see some countries are not tolerant at all. But here in America everyone acts as if we are so oppressive.
The movie Kickass (that I otherwise loved) used the word gay as a substitute for lame a couple of times. Hitgirl: “What a gay little knife”.
I found that so offensive that I really don’t want to see the movie again. Even more offensive than an 11 year old killer, since she was otherwise awesome. I’m really glad there’s a focus on the derogatory way the word gay has been used and that it’s been almost considered to be okay to use it like that.
I didn’t see this same amount of outrage over Katy Perry’s “you’re so gay” song. not just a joke, but a whole friggin’ song! Seems to me that its more OK for a female pop singer with lots of gay fans to say this kind of thing than straight frat boys. Its not so much what people are saying, but the types of people that can get away with it is what worries me. This is the bigger issue. We can’t keep telling one that, yeah maybe you shouldn’t say stuff like that, and get up in arms over someone else.
And not to mention Katy got through what outrage there was unscathed, and the song is still on her albums.
@Zooniverse-that’s exactly the conundrum though. You were offended by use of the word “gay” but others were offended by the idea of a young teenage girl being a killer. Actually there was a lot of controversy surrounding that movie in general. The bottom line is that if free speech was not part of our inherent constitutional right and if everything/word that offends someone was banned, then the movie never would have been made. Hell, protected free speech is what enables us to engage in conversations about words that offend us in the first place 🙂
Got to hand it to George Orwell.
He foresaw the problem with Socialist rhetoric about equality and wrote about it in Animal Farm, where all the pigs were equal but some were more equal than others.
@ Westcoaster: Ding ding ding, we have a winner! You are absolutely right. All this PC controversy is focusing lots of attention on a movie that most likely otherwise would have generated little.
I thought the joke was funny in the movie. It looked to me like the character VV is playing is a jackass, and that comment illustrated that.
lame started out as a medical term to desribe the inability to walk. it became an insult later. there is zero difference between retarded and lame.
im simply saying that if we’re all gonna call out people on exclusionary, insulting, hurtful language, we shouldnt be using it to define words in that category, either.
Just a sidenote: Just because people say certain words are offensive and people should take more care into not using them DOES NOT mean they automatically advocate BANNING the words and creating a 1984 world. Stop being such extremists, we are allowed to discuss words that are hurtful in our culture as a way to educate and thus hinder the public from making the choice to use them. This has nothing to do with free speech, it has everything to do with education.
Well said, Wonderful. It is about education not PC run amok. I believe that it is damaging to gay (and straight) youth to use the word gay as a perjorative so I’ve learned to not use it. Education is great that way.
I could see people being bothered by VV saying this if it were actually him saying it.
Lets not forget he’s playing a part here, people!
Gillie: I stand corrected – I never disagreed with your original point about how many words there really are that stir this pot, I just mistakenly thought lame was not a good example.
@wonderful-Not sure who your comment was directed towards but I’m simply stating that I don’t want others deciding for me what is deemed to be “offensive” or not. And at the heart of the matter it absolutely is a free speech issue. I agree the floor should always be open for people to discuss the power behind words but I don’t think that inhibiting speech is the solution. I don’t use hurtful language because I don’t enjoy hurting others but I don’t presume to tell other people what they can/cannot say.
this whole f*&king controversy is F*&KING GAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
People arent defining what is offensive for you, they are defining what is offensive for them. For some people, this use of the word “gay” is offensive. It has nothing to do with you. It is SO NOT A FREE SPEECH ISSUE. People are free to say what they want, and others are free to say that it offends them and perhaps they should think about the possibility of hurting someone before they speak. I dont see where you see your constitutional rights being taken away. Again, it is about education not free speech – as you stated in the last part of your comment.
I was talking to anyone bringing up the stupid slippery slope argument that we ill turn into 1984 if we continue to tell people who use terms that are offensive to some that they are indeed, offending some. They would only remove the scene from the trailor to protect their potential for making money, not to actually protect anyones feelings and go against the idea of free speech.
and can we please move on from discussing people’s F&*king habits. Human rights is one thing….but the need for everyone to know how you like it in the boudoir…so f*&king yesterday.
(bully’s bully everyf*&kingbody, not just people who like to bang those of the same sex..they pick on midget’s, hispanics, nerds, sluts, the poor, etc – you catch mah drift)
and I’m SURE this won’t get passed whatever pc board there is monitoring this sh*t…but who cares, cause that’s GAY! 😉
and I’m sorry, but as woman I too am offended by all the usage of hoe’s, bitches and sluts in today’s music…can we get that sh*t deleted too of numerous songs on youtube as well. Like Billie Jean said in the great flick The Legend Of Billie Jean, “Fair is fair” -bitches!
@Wonderful-I guess you have a lot more trust in the government than I do.
As I said, I do not use the word “gay” as slang nor do I use the word “retarded” but I do NOT believe that I have the right to tell others not to use those words, anymore than another person has the right to tell me that I cannot use the word “fuck” because they are offended by it. If I want to swear, I’m going to swear. I find swear words an expression of anger or frustration and yes, it’s an effective tool to emphasize a point or even just release stress for me. You can keep saying it’s not a free speech issue but I cannot emphasize how much I disagree with you. Also, saying an argument is “stupid” is offensive to a faction of the population-people of a lower IQ 🙂
EDIT: I guess I have the “right” to tell others to not say it but they have the “right” to tell me that they can say it if they want to. Which I guess makes the whole argument futile in the end anyway.
Just to play devil’s advocate here, does that mean we should stop say “You must be blind,” or “are you deaf?” because it’s insensitive to people who suffer from those afflictions? Should we also not be able to say things like “it’s a black day in *INSERT LOCATION HERE* when…” because I would be offended as a black woman for associating the word “black” with something negative? (I’m not offended btw) I think his slippery slope argument isn’t poor, it’s very valid. And yea, these are silly examples but they’re silly to demonstrate how absurd the barring of certain speech can get if we don’t address it lightly.
He could’ve very well said that his character in the film is an average cis gendered straight man, and I can tell you that men like that DO say “that’s so gay,” not meaning any harm by it and not understanding the harm it can do. Wouldn’t taking it out be essentially tweaking the character into someone he’s not? The idea of “that’s gay” being detrimental would never even cross the mind of his character (I’m reaching here), so why should he say something different than what’s true to form for that archetype?
It does in fact become a free speech issue when they are pressured into taking it completely out of a film, which turns into censorship. Not a fan of the usage of the word, but they have every right to say it. As long as it is not inciting violence (ie: Saying “Beat up gay people”) then it is OK to say, according to the law. He has every right to say it, and someone has every right to be offended. If you are offended, then don’t see the movie.
In regards to conservatives, what about the use of the word “teabagger”, which is also a gay slur. It seems that no one has a problem with that word if it is used in a different context. Why is it a pick and choose outrage? Shouldn’t it just be outrage across the board?
and I think commenter #23 just blew the whole damn thing right outta the f*&king water people. Take heed to what 23’s said.
#23..muchos gracias, Penelope too!
For the record, I personally have stopped saying things are “gay” after a very stern telling off by a summer school teacher who was gay. To counter my point above, after he heard a friend and I use “gay” to mean “lame” or “stupid,” he looked right up from his desk and said to us “I would never say that’s so nigger or that’s so spic, would I?” My friend and I are hispanic and black, respectively. That was the moment the lightbulb went on for me, and now I don’t use it unless I’m referring to someone who’s, you know, actually gay.
Does anybody remember a time when the word “gay” use to mean happy.
Pretty soon The Flintstones theme song with have to be edited to remove the the phrase “we’ll have a gay old time”.
Because it will be offensive to homosexuals and the elderly.
I think it was appropriate that it was removed from the trailer, as that was an advertisement, however, removing it from the film would be wrong.
If one really has an issue with it, they should boycott the film or picket outside the theatre, but censorship is not the answer.
Western society has already become too politically correct for it’s own good, and it seems to be getting worse. Soon, we’ll be a society of cry babies who cannot maintain a normal conversation without being offended in some manner.
I always use the word gay for something lame, stupid, or something I don’t like. But in no way do I ever mean it as having anything to do with homosexuals.
Eh, maybe I’ll just stop saying it…
So in USA:
Unless you’re gay, you can’t make gay jokes.
If you’re not black, you can’t make black jokes.
If you’re not hispanic, you can’t make hispanic jokes.
If you’re not Jewish, you can’t make Jewish jokes.
If you’re white, you’re not allowed to be funny.
But i think if gay folks want to be treated like everyone else then we have to be able to make fun of them. You want equal rights? This is part of it…
I stopped using the words “gay” and “retarded” a long time ago, but still use “lame”, although really there is no difference – each term could be offensive to people who literally fall into that category.
Now what about the way our society demeans half its population with things like “stop acting like a girl” and “you’re such a pussy”? And I’m guilty of it – I call people pussies as a put down all the time, and also tell people to “grow a pair”! I think you just have to watch who you say things in front of – my friends know I’m not sexist, racist, or bigoted, but I wouldn’t say this crap in public or at my job!
It’s called free speech people. Stop it. This is so benign, humour and an explanation were included & we are making it into something malicious that it was never intended to be. Censorship is censorship & yes, watch out for that slippery slop.
It’s funny how quickly this devolved into censorship, blanket cries of political correctness run amok, and the obligatory Orwell reference. In a country with free speech protections you are allowed to say whatever you want, no matter how offensive. However, that doesn’t mean that no one will be offended. One of the reasons we have so many problems in this country is that people are unwilling to see the other side of hot button issues. It is much easier to act like everyone is so overly sensitive, rather than attempting to understand another point of view. Censorship is not the answer but surely reasonable people can agree that some speech IS offensive.
Now he is looking rough, Halle may have looked a little tired but this is ROUGH.
His argument made a strange type of sense. We joke about most things & when you draw a line it does make something “special.” O’well, I’m sure there are many “off-limits” subjects that can be argued pro & con.
@Hamm-I think the majority of us agree that there is language that is offensive to others, which is why personally, I wouldn’t use said language. That’s the thing-the idea that the word “gay” or “retarded” is offensive to some people is NOT NEWS. It has been talked about to death actually. I remember it being discussed when I was in elementary school which was a million years ago (*ahem*).
Bottom line: if it’s a movie with something that offends me, I simply DON’T WATCH IT. That doesn’t mean the movie should never be made. You can always choose to disassociate yourself from people who speak in a way that you find offensive or change the channel if you find a TV show to be crass.
*shrug*
Maybe it’s because I went to art school where kids were always trying to shock or offend as it was a way to provoke a reaction with their art work, but I just respect other peoples’ right to say what they want to, especially if it is in the form of “art”. So sue me-I’m a hippie like that 🙂
And you are right-censorship is NOT the answer.
I’m not offended when people use the word “gay” in slang. I AM offended when kids all over the US are hurting themselves and others because being a homosexual is offensive. Vince Vaughn is a role model. Our kids are watching him support using a slur as “free speech” when it’s actually “hate speech”. He is telling them that it’s ok to be hateful to others as long as it’s in the name of free speech. Do you think kids are going to see the difference or do you think they will just take it as permission from one of their favorite actors to use slurs because it’s their right as Americans? He is setting the example. That’s the problem with it being in the movie. He is someone our youth looks up to, not some a$$hat on the street corner that they can walk away from. He got paid to use that slur and we are condoning it.
@Olivia- I’m sorry you feel like your white and can’t be funny. Question- When was the last time you thought it was funny calling an African-American the N word to their face? It’s the same thing. And it’s not funny.
“Do you think kids are going to see the difference or do you think they will just take it as permission from one of their favorite actors to use slurs because it’s their right as Americans?”
@katsrulz-Actually I DO think that kids will recognize the difference and I DO think that you’re underestimating children’s capacity for empathy and understanding. Anyway, that is where good parenting comes into play. Hate speech (as you call it) has been around forever yet the majority of people chose not to use it. Have you ever wondered why? Maybe because they were raised by loving parents that told them not to use words that hurt others.
Richard Prior and George Carlin are just two examples of artists from the past who used words that so many found to be offensive. I guess you would have preferred to have them silenced for fear that a “robot-child” (as you seem to view them) would hear their stand-up routine and suddenly start spewing swear-words all day long? Children DO have the ability to think critically and they DO (if raised properly) understand right from wrong.
Kitten- I agree with you: Kids raised with responsible parents can tell the difference. Unfortunately most of America isn’t in that group or gay kids wouldn’t feel the need to commit suicide because they get bullied. It takes a village to raise a child and America is that village when it comes to multimedia. Is this movie going to get a worse PG rating because of his slander? I doubt it.
Do you think that as a society we should condone kids making fun of other kids because they are Jewish or Black? Do you think VV’s free speech statement would have gone over quite so well in either of those cases? George and Richard used desensitizing in their comedy routines on purpose. Vince Vaughn does not. Calling an electric car “gay” doesn’t have anything to do with desensitizing the public or teaching the public to laugh at themselves. He just uses it as an adjective in a comment in a film. As a society, we measure what is truly offensive by the percentage of the population that finds it offensive. If you aren’t LGBT, you probably aren’t offended, so for you to tell someone that is LGBT that they shouldn’t be offended is like calling a Mexican a spic and telling them to get over it. If you did that on the street, it would start a fight.
And no worries: I’m not planning on going to see this film because I don’t support it. But I also get the right to free speech and I’m going to use it. I’m just not going to use it to slander someone’s identity.
What I appreciate about this whole debate (and the previous issue with the word “retarded”) is that it is a chance to openly discuss why it’s a potentially harmful thing. That’s one of the reasons I don’t feel that this is a free speech or a censorship issue. People are able to air their concerns and respond to detractors. In countries where censorship is a bigger issue these discussions don’t even take place.
You know, I’m pretty sure, as one poster has already pointed out, that Universal pulled the ad because it didn’t want to deal with the controversy. As far as we know the government didn’t tell them to. Vince Vaughn has not, to our knowledge, been carted off to Room 101. So the 1984 references don’t make much sense to me.
@katsrulz:
You’re going to make me sound like a broken record at this point 🙂 If you read my posts you would see that I’m not condoning “hate speech” simply supporting “free speech”.
A child killed himself because someone invaded his privacy and essentially “outed” him to the world, not because Vince Vaugn called an electric car “gay”.
We don’t know for sure but sufficed to say that this young man had some deep-seeded issues with his sexual identity, enough so that he didn’t feel comfortable saying that he was gay. It may be his family didn’t accept homosexuality, it may be that he did not want a “non-traditional” lifestyle for himself and fought against it.
Honestly, I’ve said more than I want to about that situation, as I don’t know the guy or his family and I don’t feel equipped to discuss it. Nor is it my place to speculate. It is tragic that he died and tragic the WAY he died. I just mean to say that there was clearly something much much more problematic that prompted him to take his own life.
Anyway, I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree on this one. I don’t and will never support censorship, it’s not anti-PC, it’s pro- free speech and I realize many don’t understand the distinction. Honestly, I’m exhausted because I feel like I’m beating a dead horse at this point. Plus work is over for the day so I’m officially in “relax mode”.
Fun talking with y’all though!
Peace out.
“Electric cars are so gay”
It’s not even funny let alone offensive. I agree with everything Vince Vaughn said. It’s just an unfunny joke in a movie, nothing more. Movies don’t influence people all that much, the way they are brought and the people they are surrounded by has more to do with the way they talk and who they are.
Yep. America is still disgusting
Katsrulz: I have to disagree with you. It is not the media’s responsibility to raise your kids with you. Some people get a crappy roll of the dice and get bad parents. Does that mean they should look the to media as a parent? No. That is silly.
I agree with Vince Vaughn.
for what it’s worth, probably nothing, but i agree with Vince, there, my 2 cents.
You might think that the media doesn’t influence kids and that its the parents responsibility to teach their kids whats right and wrong but if that’s the case…then WHY ARE KIDS KILLING THEMSELVES AND OTHERS BECAUSE THEY ARE BEING CALLED GAY??? Why is it socially acceptable for kids to ridicule other kids when they come out of the closet??
Oh I forgot, its because the LGBT society are all second class citizens and get treated as such so who cares what people call them.
bottom line… i agree with @neelyo, its not (to me) that the whole “thats so gay” thing is bad as much as the fact that the whole joke just sucks. So hey Vince, throw that sh*t out not because of the implications but due to the lack of intelligent humor. Can’t wait for this one to bomb.
katsrulz: It is not socially acceptable for anyone to ridicule anyone else. No one is saying that it’s ok to bully others.
The point is that parents need to be there for their children and teach them about how to respond to bullying, should it happen, and parents should be responsible for the health and well-being of their children.
Kids aren’t killing themselves because of the media. They are killing themselves because some of the individuals around them were total a-holes to them-possibly including the parents who should have been there for them.
PARENTS need to be there for their children and teach them how to deal with people day-to-day.
And beside that, the media doesn’t portray saying “that’s so gay” as a GOOD or socially acceptable thing. When someone says “that’s gay” in the media, 9 times out of 10 its some douchey guy. You don’t see it as something everyone is saying, it’s something that a-hole is saying.
I have never seen anything where someone said that something was “gay” and the character wasn’t being a dick.
i feel bad for all those people killing themselves over other people calling them names.But i think we are taking all this a little too far.
I feel like we are turning into those countries where we ask everyone to cover the f*up or dont come do a concert or dont use this word or this and that.
Its like walking on egg-shells
The Hamm is My Dream Man: The point is that parents need to be there for their children and teach them about how to respond to bullying
==========================================
No, Hamm, that’s not the point. You’re talking about the wrong set of parents. The point is that parents need to tell their bullying kids that bullying is unacceptable anywhere, any time, under any circumstances. Why is the responsibility for bullying always put on the targets?
Interesting, all my comments seem to have been deleted.
Are you joking!!!
If I say “That’s so lame.”
I ‘m insulting people with disablilities? Oh pleez!
I’m not using the word in that context.
I am so sick of PC.
I’m offended because you made a joke about people with brown hair.
I’m offened because you made fun of people with long eyelashes.
When will it stop? Soon we wont be able to make jokes because everyone is so sensitive.
@Paul E. Stanley: yes I do Paul 🙂 in the 60’s my friends and I, male and female were considered “gay” which then meant: merry, happy, lighthearted and carefree” Which as 12/13 year olds we were that 🙂 I still wonder how and when the word changed to mean homosexual 🙂 about the Flintstones song, you can clearly understand the meaning to the lyrics “we’ll have a gay old time” They were going to have a happy, carefree old time. No offense to anyone old or gay 🙂
I’m not planning on seeing the film. Even if I had been, I wouldn’t because of the joke. I believe the phrase that would be used is, “voting with my dollars.”
I would like to say to everyone on the board talking about words like “retarded” and “Lame” that although I don’t generally use retarded except in a medical context, I do routinely use lame. I hadn’t really considered where it came from, and I’m going to stop now. So thank you for educating me in an open environment where we all have the right to say what we want.
PS, although I meant every word I said about not saying the word lame anymore, I do think that the fact that I’ve learned something proves that it is important for people to speak up when they hear something they find offensive. I figure, most people don’t want to be assholes, it’s just that they don’t know any better.
vince is, himself, a homosexual man. I wish he’d come out of the closet but – for whatever reason – he chooses not to. I agree with the point he’s making. And while I don’t use the word “gay” to mean anything but homosexual, I’ll defend others’ right to do so.