h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

True, free speech doesn't seem to exist. Which can be a bless at times.

It is a rare event that I have lunch.

Well Bel, at least you know what word was considered offensive.

I haven't been able to edit my PS for more than two years, because something is "offensive" according to the philter... In spite of spending a lot of time figuring out which word it's all about I've not succeded. I keep getting caught.

Oh well, it's soon to be history anyway.

DQ, it's probably a word from the thingite drop-dwon list. It usually is.

I had a lovely email from the eds telling me that they've reinstated my post because I used the word in context, and NOT as a pejorative term of abuse. Bless the eds.

At least they weren't behaving like na...sty people.

No, they never did.

Gans isn't pejorative, is it?

Our Eds are wonderful

lil x

Am I the only one that didn't know k.raut is seen as particularly offensive? It's not a word one normally uses but I didn't realise it was rude enough to be banned!

Auntie Beeb is probably sensitive to words like g.ook too

I reckon she's been since 1945. Before then words like these were allowed in satire if I'm not very much mistaken

Mind you, if memory serves Monty Python used words like these in the 1970's

I am not offended if k.raut is not used offensive

But of course in close combat anything can be used as a weapon

I don't think you can ever say whether a word is offensive without understanding the context in which it was delivered. It's not the sentence that the word occurs in, necessarily; it's the message that the writer/speaker is trying to convey by using it. Is it friendly banter, mockery, or hatred?

Indeed

Isn't offence, like beauty, in the eye of the beholder. We can't really say whether something is offensive or not. Only that it does or doesn't offend me at this moment, regardless of context.

I clearly cannot say that something is inoffensive if someone has taken offense at it. Whether I think they should have or not.

And didn't I skip merrily between UK and US spelling?

3.142/o--m

Nobody would have noticed if you hadn't mentioned it, Vestie.

Funnily enough, I didn't notice it until you mentioned it, Bel.

You mean, you ignored Vestie's post?

Ummmm....


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I hadn't seen it until now

A32151692 is what you need.

Blah!