Reply #59: I don't call women bitches.

[Guaranteed]

If I did, I would understand if someone came to me and said, "You know what, I really wish you wouldn't use that word. It's a hurtful, crude word, and there's no reason for you to be so nasty." That actually hits home with me, because, believe it or not, I don't like hurting people. It makes me feel extremely guilty. I still remember hurting people in the past. It stays with me, and it makes me feel like shit to think about it.

But that's not what I'm seeing here. I'm not seeing any of these people who are "offended" being HURT, at all. This is BULLYING, pure and simple. It's PC thuggery on par with religious fundamentalism. When someone uses the term "bitch," we don't see people getting hurt, or crying, we see people sounding war-cries and name-calling. We see people trying to beat others into submission.

I'm sorry, but I don't put up with that shit unless there is a REAL good reason. If you're gonna start a witchhunt or a pecking-party, someone had BETTER have called someone a "fuckin' nigger" or a "piece of shit faggot," or called for the extermination of all Jews. All of this manufactured rage gives us liberals a REALLY bad name. It destroys our credibility, and loses us elections.

I have yet to see any kind of serious sexism or racism here at DU that wasn't perpetrated by a disruptor (at least that I can recall). I think that this is a healthy, open-minded environment. So, let's start picking REAL hills to die on, and dealing with REAL problems, instead of CREATING things to rage against and demonizing others.

That being said, yes, you're right. "Bitch" is an insulting, crude term, and I don't use it. But I always err on the side of free speech, and, more than that, I'm not going to let anybody push me around and tell me what I can and can't say because it makes them feel good.

For the first couple of days, I had been trying to let this go. I didn't want to be reactive and create an issue even though everyone basically agrees. But, the PC-ers kept pushing and bullying, because they really wanted their witchhunt. So, eventually, I had to jump in.

I'm not going to let people do this. When they stop, I'll stop.