Poll: Was the response to Kobe Bryant's use of the word "******" appropriate?

[thevillageidiot13]

...Or howbout we don't bother with this as it is a stupid, petty thing to dwell on. Who gives a fuck what Kobe Bryant said, thats his problem. I highly doubt that he was thinking "I hate gay people so I will call this man a ****** because I believe he is a homosexual." He was thinking "This guy's a jackass, I'm going to verbally express it."

Thank you. I couldn't agree more.

 

[Nikolaz72]

I'd love to see kids in CoD being fined 50K per swearword. . . Hey, actually. Lets just fine everyone who uses swearwords and insults mothers on CoD. I'd make the game a much nicer place. . . (If not so very empty)

 

[loc978]

...considering the amount of money those people take in, I have no sympathy. I just wish the money he's being fined would be taken out of the team sports industry completely... maybe donated to a worthy charity.

 

[Soxafloppin]

$100,000 for hurting someones feelings is a bit much i think.

 

[Sacul]

Absolutely. To the heterosexual community: hey ass holes, just because we're a minority doesn't mean we're not offended. Would've been totally justified if it was a white guy screaming ******, but it's just homophobic so it's fine.

Um, what? If it were a white guy calling someone a ****** then the outrage would of been far worse. What makes you think that anyone who's not racist would consider that justified?

 

[The Gnome King]

* wall of text *

First link, in particular, is a fairly good one.

http://books.google.com/books?id=xJZf1x1KLfUC&pg=PA106&lpg=PA106&dq=source+word+fagot+burning+gays&source=bl&ots=1dEZf84FgJ&sig=tHxeGvY4mEUReAzJz-aDwlQOqz4&hl=en&ei=0iCoTbPrJ8Wgtgf99aneBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CDMQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=******

Again - all this because you just have to use a word that causes other people pain?

Really?

Need any other sources cited?

 

[Bobbity]

I support what the LGBT groups are doing here. It's not that he said it, but that he said it so carelessly. It's the perception of the word, and the things that it means, that these groups are trying to change. It doesn't help that a well known athlete just spouts the word on national television, in an unrelated context during a fit of rage.

If he'd said, "You fucking dickhead!" it would have been a personal attack, and not nearly so bad. He probably still would have been penalised, because he did scream abuse at someone, but hopefully not nearly so much.

 

[The Gnome King]

And let me guess - you're a white, straight male who doesn't understand what the fuss is about, right?

Blacks can call each other the "N word" all they want, it's called reclaiming power for themselves. I, on the other hand, as part of a class and race of people who historically treated blacks very badly in my country have NO right to use the word.

What about brothers calling white people honkies and crackers?

I know I'm nuts but I try to avoid insulting anyone; especially with racial remarks. A simple "You're being stupid" is about as harsh as I get.

I didn't used to be this way but as I matured being a kind person became important to me. It was less about "What can I get away with" and more about "What can I do to make the world a little bit better place?"

I try to treat people with respect and kindness; and if they don't deserve it I try my best to avoid contact with them. As I said, I didn't used to be this way but life has taught me that it's really the best way to go.

I'd rather leave this world having done as much good as I can, and hurting as few people as I can.

 

[Lucane]

I'm pretty sure when you call someone a ****** you aren't actually saying that you believe they like men. People call stuff they don't like gay all the time and I'm pretty sure they don't think their Xbox is homosexual.

People are going out of their way to be offended.

But people who use it like that usually consider being gay as a negative so they use the term as one for other things.

Example:Like if a racist said "She ran real fast but couldn't swim just like a ------, but she was albino." Well I doubt I neeed to fill in the blank.

 

[Vunts]

I don't see the word "******" as offensive to gay people. It's nowadays just a common insult, even with a slightly comical effect. Like for example if I want to take a break at work and my boss (with whom I have a good relationship) says I can't get it, then I sometimes reply to him, that he's a fag. I don't mean that he's a flaming homosexual or anything like that. It's just one of the shortest words that I can use to express my dissatisfaction.

Also, if I'm not mistaken, ****** is also a type of food: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faggot_%28food%29

A common phrase is ******. White people can't use it, but rappers etc use it...ALL THE TIME when speaking to each other. All of this "equal rights" and "racism" benefits only one side. But I'd rather not derail any further.

Case in point. Unless you actually say "******" as a direct insult to a gay person, it should be fine. It's not like calling a good person "bastard" is any better. It's just a generic insult when sexual preferences are taken out of the equation.

 

[razer17]

It is a gay slur and always will be - that's the intent of using it as an insult, but the outrage is obviously overblown.
It's just a word, and rage produces rage.

It won't always be a gay slur. It never used to be a gay slur till recently, and now it's losing that meaning. I like the South Park definition of fag, that they are annoying asshole.

Either way, I think $100,000 is a ridiculous fine. Yes, he is probably making much more than that a week, but so what? It's completely over the top. Kind of reminds me of the WAyne Rooney incident that happened a couple of weeks back.

 

[Viking Incognito]

The people saying it is no big deal are right. No one under the age of 20 thinks it has anything to do with gay people anymore. These days it is inter-changeable with douchebag or asshole.

 

[Azulito]

I think it's stupid and LGBT groups going after him for it aren't helping their image, much like PETA; needlessly blowing things out of proportion. The word wasn't used in a homophobic manner, just a swear uttered out of frustration.

A $100,000 fine is just insane. His actions do warrant an apology though.

He was obviously frustrated when using the word. Hell, I called my desk a ****** when I hit my elbow on it.

Under these circumstances, the use of the word shouldn't warrant such attention.
If he intentionally used it (Not through frustration) to insult, then yeah, he'd be more deserving of the fine.

Just an FYI, I don't care about basketball or this guy. I also have great respect for, and support, LGBT groups ¬_¬

 

[Udyrfrykte]

People need to stop worrying about being politically correct. If a simple word offends you, you either need to grow some thicker skin or go live in a cave somewhere. People who jump when someone uses a word like ******, retard or what have you make me sick.

Exactly. Some of the people I interract with on a daily basis have such thin skin that I have to be very careful with what I say, or their frail emotions will be thrown on a rollercoaster.