Why MUST we not offend?

Question

A few hours ago I made a comment when seeing a little boy climbing a tree with incredible speed and dexterity. I said, "Wow! That kid climbs like a little monkey!"

The kid happened to be black.

I was told, by a very adamant and irate bystander, "You can't say 'monkey' when talking about an African American! That's racist!!!"

I CAN'T!?

It IS!?

The kid CLIMBED like a monkey, so I said it. Nothing more.

Don't we have the right to verbally express our opinions anymore?

I don't mean saying something with the INTENTION of offending...

I mean, where is it written that we HAVE to constantly censor your own verbiage to use certain words and phrases that OTHERS deem "politically correct"?

Is not ANY verbiage constraint BY DEFINITION a violation of the concept of verbal freedom?

Answer 1

Someone needs to smack that bystander, I think. Little kids are 'monkeys', no matter what skin color. We are all just evolved, not very hairy, monkeys. The person was wrong to hilight an innocent comment with unintended malice.

Edit: I'm of the opinion that you say whatever the hell you want even if it offends. If you meant to offend then obviously you had a reason to want to offend. If you didn't mean to offend then anyone offended by it needs to calm down.

Answer 2

You are right and so was the bystander. Sure the kid climbed up the tree like a monkey. Had the child not been black, it would have been no big deal, but the child was black. The reason is it offensive is because for over a century in this nation, African Americans were often cruelly desribed as apes and monkeys by racists.

Sometimes, the context must be considered when we choose our words.

And of course the bystander needs to lighten up. Not every moment needs to be policed.

Answer 3

It is a very Politically Correct society these days. I've heard of people being offended when you wish them Merry Christmas in December (many schools & workplaces aren't allowed to put up Christmas decorations because it's offensive to non-Christians.)

You have to be careful what you say. Even if you didn't mean to offend you have to consider how your words may be interpreted. Issues of race & religion can be very sensitive. Even if a comment isn't directly racist it may be taken that way. (As pointed out in Seinfeld when he was afraid to say "scalper" or "reservations" to a Native American female he was dating.)

Freedom of speech means that you can say whatever you like. Offensive or not. But it also means that those around you can have their opinions about what you say as well. You can't please all the people all the time...

As long as your comment wasn't mean-spirited I don't see the harm. I used to climb trees like a monkey & I'm a pale redheaded girl.

Peace out.

:)

Answer 4

I honestly don't think freedom of speech has much to do with this, or the "right" to express ourselves. We don't HAVE to censor ourselves. To ME, what you said wouldn't be offensive. There's a very delicate line, & it's more about how sensitive you are to other people's sensitivity, if that makes any sense. It's somewhat regrettable that an innocent comment could make "waves," but that's the way it is. Only you have the choice of thinking carefully before you speak (not easy) or speaking & being condemned. Recently, in idle chatting in a store, some of us were laughing about something, & a black gal said something I thought was "right on." I said, "Go for it, girl!" She almost lunged at me & told me to NEVER use "girl" again. I use "girl" often with my friends. I wondered how I might have trespassed on a language only acceptable between blacks. But, I will never use "girl" to a black again. I'm not "happy" about having to think deeply before I speak, but I will. I don't want to offend anyone, & yet, it can be almost impossible to know what will or will not be offensive. I'd only suggest--that you "forget" freedom of speech & political correctness if an incident like this impacted you enough to ask a question about it. You certainly may say something quite innocent--& if you're judged it's up to you to evaluate the "why" of it, & your response to someone else's response. There is a choice. & that's up to YOU.

Answer 5

I have been overwhelmed by this at times.....

I basically took a vow of silence for 3 weeks, lived alone without a phone, car, in the forrest...........

came out of it not able to make small talk for a long time......

now, I wonder if it is just another way systems in the world control us and opress us?

if your heart is pure be gentle with yourself, if they hurt you or you were squished because you were judged, relax it was their insecurity....

in the big picture it is your heart that matters and not how people perceive you

trouble is we all crave communication, and to understand people around us...often we are too uptight to hear what people say, or become impatient with trivial things........


part of life....

the purpose of not offending someone or trying not to is to avoid misconception and reduce conflict....

yours could be a Karma issue, or you are moving into a state where you are becoming more sensitive to cause and effect.......just be gentle

Answer 6

i dont think it was racist, at all
and im mexican, i dont want other people reading this saying "ohs hes prolly doesnt think its racist cuz shes white"
HELL NO, i aint white.
BUT,
blacks have discriminated against SO mush that now thats it is finally starting to go away, anything said about an african american has to be carefully thought about before it comes out of your mouth. or your a racist or being rude or immature or whatever.
and its not just them, it goes for every other kind of person.

people are too quick to judge and get offended, we are in a world, with TONS of different people with different opinions, learn to just let it go cuz its never gonna stop.
someone who does say somethng racist on purpose is a trashy, uneducated moron and why pay attention to someone who is so lost in a world of so much diversity, you should pity them instead.

Answer 7

I don't get it either . I've said that about my own son and we are white . Political "correctness" is offensive in itself . All this censoring is just nuts . Hillary Clinton is on record as saying "we have too much free speech ". It's a shame to have a U.S. senator with thoughts like that ..let alone anyone trying to become president .

Answer 8

I like Kermit's answer. In our society today, you have to ALWAYS watch what you're saying around "strangers." You never know what will set them off. I would not have used the word "monkey", unless I knew the kid and his parents (because they would know I'm not a racist). I know it sucks, and its not fair, but that's the world we live in. Just ask Imus!

Answer 9

I'd rather somebody offend me from their heart than lie to me from pitty.

Answer 10

Just watch your mouth because everybody is PC now...