Reply #59: Not to dismiss it,

[rucky]

but it is a generational thing.

I'm of the position that offensive language is all in the context. If someone says something that offends them, they should politely correct them. If the response to that correction isn't respectful, then you know what the subtext was disrespectful in the first place.

But if you're offended, your chances of getting a disrespectful reaction to your response also depends on how you express yourself. Even though our civility has really broken down in our culture (if it was ever there), the best chance we have at a civilized society is to give people the benefit of the doubt when you confront them.