Insensitivty Training

One of the things I hate is people trying to control language. for some reason people seem to think the First Amendment of the Constitution has the caveat "unless, of course, it offends a person's sensibilities."

The latest example of such is the "Think B4 You Speak" campaign. Do not get me wrong, I know that this campaign was created with the best of intentions, but trying to control language, and therefore thought goes against the very foundation of the United States and its origins. Simply put, people will always say things you do not like, and by extention, things you hate.

the solution is not to try and change people, but rather to change yourself. I am not saying that, in this particular case, gay people need to not be gay. that is like asking the sun to not be a giant fusion furnace, or for housefly's to walk from A to B. I am saying that people need to insulate their sensitivities to what they do not like. As a kid who got picked on and bullied A LOT growing up, I know it works. if you never want to be offended, you might as well not leave the house. that is not much of a way to live, but like abstinence preventing STDs it is garunteed to work.

What makes this campaign even worse for me is the silly tactics they use. right on the front page of their website you can see three examples of what someone COULD say about Jocks, Cheerleaders, and Gamers. that kind of passive aggressive stance takes something that could have been a clever "oh snap!" moment, and turns it into an image of a kid sitting on his bed crying and saying these things to his/her pillow.

I hate to quote the 2007 Film Transformers, but here is a great bit of dialogue to counter such things if a jock gives you crap.

Trent DeMarco: So, what are you guys doing here?
Sam Witwicky: We're here to climb this tree.
Trent DeMarco: I can see, it looks...it looks fun. You know, I thought I recognized you. You tried out for the football team last year, right?
Sam Witwicky: Oh, no, no, that...That wasn't like a real try-out. I was researching a book I was writing.
Trent DeMarco: Oh, yeah?
Sam Witwicky: Yeah!
Trent DeMarco: Yeah? What's it about? Sucking at sports?
Sam Witwicky: No, it's about the link between brain damage and football. No, it's a good book, your friends will love it. You know, it's got mazes in it, you know, little coloring areas, sections, pop-up pictures...it's a lot of fun.

A comedian named David Naster refers to such a tactic as a Humor Hand Grenade. the use of wit in an appropriate situation can stop a situation from getting unpleasant, or in this case, shut a bully down where all they can do is walk away grumbling under their breath. I would suggest that anyone who feels oppressed form "that's so gay." Try this before whining to a special interest group.