I think it speaks more to the fact that, for the offended people, the word carries a different connotation and emotional loading.
This is true, and is true for many words. Obviously the meaning also depends on the accompanying emphasis and the context.
Personally I would never say "f-word" when I am talking about the word ****, because I don't believe its necessary to protect anyone from what I am expressing. It is my opinion that if you cant stomach what someone is saying, you should either stop listening(reading) or learn to handle it. Like me or not, this is how I am.
I think masking words by reflex or automation is a pretty lame cultural thing. So is the silly bleeping of words on TV. How can you ever talk about as nasty things as war, starvation and aging when you cant handle the emotionally charged word for rough sex (which is fucking awesome by the way)? Its not all pretty in this world. Trying to hide the nastiness behind "f-word" and censorship is just trying to hide the nature of reality.
The reason is obvious I think. Its much easier to close ones eyes than to actually confront and change things.
BTW, what other words besides **** are being masked automatically by this forum software? Is there a specific policy in place for this silly attempt at context independent censorship?
http://tinyurl.com/2lljzor.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/****In 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that the mere public display of **** is protected under the First and Fourteenth Amendments and cannot be made a criminal offense. In 1968, Paul Robert Cohen had been convicted of "disturbing the peace" for wearing a jacket with "**** THE DRAFT" on it (in reference to conscription in the Vietnam War). The conviction was upheld by the Court of Appeals and overturned by the Supreme Court. Cohen v. California, 403 U.S. 15 (1971).
Who would actually bring such a case to court? They cant be completely sane by a general definition of the word. Jesus Fucking Crist
![;)](http://www.imminst.org/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)
that is: Jesus actually having sex with himself
Edited by lightowl, 08 December 2006 - 03:23 PM.