Free speech vs offensive language...

[kentuck]

Many DUers had problems with criticizing Gerald Ford after his death. Many have problems with certain words. I think we can agree that DU is much more "conservative" than some other well-known and well-read web sites. Go to www.huffingtonpost.com for example. Of course, just because they do it does not mean that we should do or that we would want to do it. However, it does say a lot about the present rules and restrictions that apply here. Please do not argue that it is a left-wing web site. It is moderate at best. Too many people are offended by one thing or another at the expense of free speech.

[BattyDem]

1. I saw the thread title of your post that got deleted.

I'll be honest ... I'm not crazy about that word, but I didn't freak out and alert the mods. I was curious and I wanted to read the post to see if there was a reason you chose that particular word. To me, it's all about context. Using a controversial and/or offensive word for the sole purpose of getting people riled up is childish ... but using that same word to make people think or to make a particular point is an entirely different matter all together. By the time I clicked on the thread, it was gone, so I have no idea what it was about, why you chose that word or how it was used.

What I'm trying to say is that I don't get offended or hit "alert" because of a single word. I would look at the context it was used in and the intent of the message. I would hope that most DUers feel the same way. :-)

I've been on forums that are RIDICULOUSLY sensitive to language and certain phrases. It's no fun at all. People constantly report you and you spend most of your time reviewing your posts before submitting them because you're afraid you'll unintentionally offend someone and get banned! Believe me, DU is very liberal in that respect. We get away with a lot.

I've also been on forums that have almost no rules about language and some people abuse the privilege. It often gets nasty and offensive - you feel like you need to take a shower after visiting the site, LOL!

Overall, I think DU does a good job at deciding what it and is not appropriate. I may not always agree with the decisions, but for the most part, I think the rules are fair and relatively lenient around here. JMHO

[acmavm]

2. I think we have a lot of conservative republicans here that were

run out of the party by george dubya. That's part of the reason.

Some of the criticism was rather harsh. But Ford was cover for (up to now) the most criminal regime ever to sit in the White House (at least it was elected). That was the price to get his name on the list of president's. If anyone would have had any inkling that he wouldn't pardon Nixon, he wouldn't be lying in state in the rotunda.

But hell. What's the big deal? Bill Clinton covered all kinds of shit up for Poopy. All kinds of crap. I believe they all do it. It's not right. But what the fuck do they care?