War of Words
By urbanhoustonian at May 24, 2011 | 2:36 PM | Print
Once again, there is a story about an NBA player yelling the word “faggot” at someone in the heat of the moment.
The last time this happened, Kobe Bryant screamed the word at referee during a game in April. At the time, I really didn’t get all that upset about the matter.
However, to see it happen again, and to see the same rote, “It was the heat of the moment, I didn’t mean to offend anyone,” defenses, I’m very bothered by it.
At the end of the day, faggot is an accepted word to be used as an insult to another person.
Shut up, faggot!
Stop being such a faggot!
Etc . . . *sigh*
I’ll admit I use the word myself from time to time. It’s not right, but I take the same freedom that African American’s do when using the word nigger. Which brings me to the point of this post.
If I was “in the heat of the moment”, and called Kobe Bryant a nigger, I would like to ask him and any other person who finds that word reprehensible their opinion on the matter.
Would you forgive me if I said I let my emotions get the better of me?
Would you think me a racist?
Would you still respect me?
To be fair, faggot does not carry the same gravitas as nigger. However, it does stand as its gay equivalent, and resides with chink, spic, kike, dike, gook, etc. on the long, sad list of ethnic slurs that are unacceptable, regardless of provocation.
