Can we please stop using "guitard"?

[Matthew_84]

The album was 2005 and he lost the leg in 2011.

And that's why I don't use the term guitard.

 

[BlueTalon]

I used to say "context is everything." I still do, but I'm thinking of adding "proportion."

 

[JimmyM]

Didn't some people from universities try it stop Bill Maher and Seinfeld from speaking at said universities, because their jokes were offensive?

where does it stop.

Seinfeld has told offensive jokes? When?

 

[48thStreetCustom]

Okay. We're clearly different. I've never liked controversial art solely because it is controversial. I always felt that the artist needed that edge to stand out because their art wasn't good enough to do it on its own. It seems you feel differently.

Regardless, my point was that an author doesn't need to use offensive terminology in their writing to tell their story, unless of course they need to in order to portray a character as a bigot, or whatever.

I'm all for villains in movies, otherwise there'd be no story...

I'm just stating that you can still keep your individuality without using offensive terminology.

There's another thing to keep in mind here. Sure, some things that were acceptable 50 years ago are offensive today, but the opposite is also true. James Joyce's Ulysses, Allen Ginsberg's Howl, Mark Twain's Huck Finn, and just about everything Henry Miller ever wrote were banned in their day and deemed offensive. Now they're all considered our greatest works of art.

 

[chicago_mike]

Seinfeld has told offensive jokes? When?

Ask the offended college kids...

 

[Hopkins]

Ugh.

Do facts make you angry? I am confused

 

[Matthew_84]

There's another thing to keep in mind here. Sure, some things that were acceptable 50 years ago are offensive today, but the opposite is also true. James Joyce's Ulysses, Allen Ginsberg's Howl, Mark Twain's Huck Finn, and just about everything Henry Miller ever wrote were banned in their day. Now they're all considered our greatest works of art.

Good point.

 

[Febs]

Some 18 wheel trucks use a device called a brake retarder, why is that not considered offensive?

Because that's a non-pejorative use of the word, in a completely different context. When the noun "dufus" is directed to someone with an intellectual disability, it is being used pejoratively. And when it is being directed to someone who does not have an intellectual disability, but the intent is a negative comparison to someone who does, it is also being used pejoratively.

And this is not some type of new, "PC" interpretation of the word. It's been used as a pejorative term for a long time.

 

[Ragoo]

The one argument I have against many PC folks is their insistence on banning words. People have free will to do whatever they please and should be given free reign to do so. Whether or not a person uses that gift for offensive words should be and is up to them. While I vehemently oppose all slurs, whether it's the N word or guitard or whatever, I do not have the authority to make people stop saying them. That doesn't mean we should accept it. It's through social progress that we have made these terms not acceptable in everyday conversation, and I think that's for the better. There are many instances I see where that political correctness has gone too far. An excellent example is 4001's post about the "weird" dad. Words like "weird", "stupid", "unathletic", "boring", and so on are perfectly valid subjective opinions, and people should be willing to accept critiques like that, as long as it doesn't go into the realm of purposeful harm like *etard. But punishing a person for exercising free will, even if it's distasteful, is simply not right.

OP, however, has made a very very simple request. Stop using the word. You don't have to listen. Him asking you to stop doesn't affect you in any way, and if you perceive that it does, you have more problems than your vocabulary. Don't get all uppity about "My America is being ruined" just because someone asked you to stop saying a word. Would you have a similar reaction if you dropped an F-bomb in front of a child? I understand the frustration when someone tells you to stop saying a word, but this is not the case.

TL,DR: Deal with it.

 

[jasonrp]

I'm don't really care. It's a term that started kind of amusingly and then got beaten to death. On Star Wars boards it's, "George Luca$" instead of Lucas

Not that I ever go on those boards....

edit: I save my hatred for drummers anyways

 

[Bass'd on a true story]

I am generally against the whole political correctness movement, but I find anything to do with the word "r*tarded" or any version of that to be very hurtful.

Growing up with or raising a severely challenged individual is very difficult and you have to constantly be on the lookout to protect them from the surprising number of people who hurt them as if it's nothing and just move on with their life, easily forgetting the words that eventually form lifelong wounds on the hearts of their victims.

Freedom of speech is wonderful, and its existence means that the words we choose to say are truly our own. So let's choose to tell jokes that are funny to everyone.

 

[Chris 'Wighat' Jordan]

Do facts make you angry? I am confused

OF COURSE the word "r*tard" has use and meaning that is not hurtful. Calling a person one is not among them.

 

[GretschWretch]

There's another thing to keep in mind here. Sure, some things that were acceptable 50 years ago are offensive today, but the opposite is also true. James Joyce's Ulysses, Allen Ginsberg's Howl, Mark Twain's Huck Finn, and just about everything Henry Miller ever wrote were banned in their day and deemed offensive. Now they're all considered our greatest works of art.

Huck Finn is continuously under attack for its use of one particular racial term, which was part of the vernacular in the time and place in which the book is set. It is a perpetual trigger warning in classrooms.

 

[Humbled]

...Some 18 wheel trucks use a device called a brake retarder, why is that not considered offensive?...

Compression release / "Jake Brake" ? Is that what you're talking about?

 

[BigBobbyBass]

The fact that this thread has gone 15 pages is ********.. Get over it..

 

[Chris 'Wighat' Jordan]

OP, however, has made a very very simple request. Stop using the word. You don't have to listen. Him asking you to stop doesn't affect you in any way.

Yep. I don't think "guitard" should be banned. I certainly don't expect everyone to honor my request. I just wanted to bring some attention to the potential hurtfulness of it. I'm not really even offended. Again, more like embarrassed. I'm a member of Talkbass and, as such, I feel the use of the word "guitard" reflects on me.

 

[BigBobbyBass]

Yep. I don't think "guitard" should be banned. I certainly don't expect everyone to honor my request. I just wanted to bring some attention to the potential hurtfulness of it. I'm not really even offended. Again, more like embarrassed. I'm a member of Talkbass and, as such, I feel the use of the word "guitard" reflects on me.

Right?? When I think of TalkBass, I think of you.. Gimme a break..

 

[obimark]

It ain't YOUR country. It's as much MY country as it is yours. And I think being a jerk just because you have freedom of speech is what's ruining the country.

I only say my country because of the many people here who are not from the USA.

 

[VWbug]

First of all, if you refer to a person of "diminished mental capacity" as "********". It's NOT an insult. They ARE. Again, it's not an accepted term anymore, but that's a different subject. It's when you call someone that's NOT disabled "********" that is hurtful. You are saying "you and/or your behavior is as undesirable as an intellectually disabled person".

I think political correctness goes too far at times too but I think what you're saying is not in that league. Anyone with any experience with anyone with diminished mental capacity knows the sting. Part of it is just basic decency, you treat your Mom with respect etc.

People do get too sensitive at times about topics but if the best you can do is be offensive and hurtful purposely to the folks on the lowest wrung on the ladder in the worlds eyes that does pretty much make you a someone to feel bad for. It's not that deep to be civil with just a bit of respect. None of us is perfect in all we do and say but it's pretty lame and weak to disrespect the weakest people among us.

If you have to prove you're tough with snark, why not do it to people that can hand you your face?

* By the way...
I don't think everyone who uses these kinds of terms means them like they can be understood but once you know how it's received...

 

[Chris 'Wighat' Jordan]

Right?? When I think of TalkBass, I think of you.. Gimme a break..

What I mean is, I am a member of Talkbass and this word appears on Talkbass often. So I feel like I share some responsibility for that.