feuervogel | (Reply)

*nods* I've used various terms that had offensive meanings before I realized they were offensive. I use to use "gypped", for example, and had absolutely no idea it had any connection to "Gypsy". Sure there is some sound similarity, but countless words sound like other words without having any connections. I once read through a web site that was a database of slurs; it was fascinating. There were oodles I had never heard of. Even with the best of intentions you can certainly cause accidental offense, but I figure reasonable people will react by at least thinking over the position if the matter is brought to their attention and they are the offender and by understanding if I apologize and say I had no idea it was offensive if they are the offendee and point it out to me. I'm not going to generally deliberately offend people, but I'm also not going to try to memorize every possible way people could be offended. But I will try to take steps when I can. Plus, I prefer my language being a more accurate reflection of what I truly mean to say. Although sometimes figuring out what I truly mean to say isn't easy.