Kind of as a way of pointing out that context matters.

Breeding males are "toms", breeding females are "queens".

This is hardly his "most important thing ever," but it's important enough to be discussed once in a while.

Encouraging people to think about how they express their objections to the candidate is hardly using language policing as a cudgel. This language is a cudgel. Then you object to people objecting to being beaten over the head by your language.

No one has ever explained to me why they are so quick to say the B word but so reluctant to say the N word.

And I don't see where any of this has to do with identity politics. It is relatively unusual for the left to use language that is derogatory against entire groups of people, so we object here. Of course such language shouldn't be used on the right either, but good luck with getting through to them.

We ask for more inclusive respectful language and you think somehow that's going to divide us and make the movement a zero. Completely ignoring all those people turned off by derogatory language. I don't see the logic.

There was a study done that showed that group leaders who value dominance will sabotage the group in order to stay in power when they feel challenged, even if that makes them worse off in the end because the whole group is dragged down.

I think it may be the same with a lot of leftist groups, particularly those who never cared much about class to begin with and therefore have nothing to discuss or work on but identity politics; the people who are doing most of the accusing and policing would rather be rulers or peers in a giant toxic shitstorm than subordinate their need for control/attention/drama.

Maybe what we need is to redefine the terms and go back to saying that left = class; civil rights and social equality are worthy causes, but if you're not in the class fight, if you're not in favor of socialism or communism or wealth equality or something generally of that sort, you're not really left.

The only thing consistent about the morality of [progressives] is that all their values are subordinate to the feelings of [minorities, women, etc.].

Folding on the “value” or principle of free speech as an absolute — making it relative, subordinating it to policing language for possible offense to certain categories of persons — to what extent does that validate this criticism?

On the other hand, this is indeed the age of organized use of language aimed at evoking and manipulating feelings rather than conveying information — part of the standard arsenal of advertising, political propaganda, and psychological warfare. Couldn’t there be sufficiently solid ground for treating certain kinds of language as assault?

I appreciate the thoughtful aspects, where they exist, of policing monitoring speech. I agree that it puts up artificial barriers and ways the conversation away from what is ultimately the most important - quality of life issues that include health care, housing, a living wage, a job, food, peace, and someplace to grow old gracefully and die.

The internet is a place where accountable speech is nonexistant. Everyone wears a mask, and can't be identified, this allowing the ability to say anything and everything. And that bleeds into the real world to an extent.

Frankly, i'm fine with people saying whatever they want to say. It's their choice, after all. And it's other people's choices whether it not that person is worth listening to.

then it's the right thing to do to call that person like that. Especially if the person you call a war criminal lies the heck out of the mouth to be a peace loving person etc. etc. That is even not an issue. At least not in this essay/video. Of course you can say that.

politically incorrect "bad" words, one can always see that you are not a hater and that you have all the valid reasons in the world to be pissed and rant along. Anyone can see that you are neither sexist, nor racist and have a lot of humanity in you.

So, who and what language is it then people get "hot" about? I have often to google the "bad" slang words which are arousing furor, because I don't know them as ESL and a rather socially isolated person.

I think if you can feel the hate towards a person, if that hate seems unrelated to political issues, then it's getting a bit more difficult. I also think many different persons, dependent on their own life experiences, are sensitive to different kind of "hating". I know I am sensitive to other stuff than some feminist bloggers. The more factual discrimination there is towards a group of people, the harder it is to separate from unjustified over the top hateful speech and justified ranting on the basis of facts.

Some people can't stand more sophisticated expressed sarcasm. I can. Some people can't stand those writers who see in any subject the tribalism, sexism first before even considering the actual issue a writer tried to express. It's basically their reason d'etre to write just about those ethnic, gender issues. On the other hand, when it is really needed to point out crimes against humanity based on sexist or racist facts, those are not always the first to point them out factually. Robyn here is a rare example who consistantly writes about gender related factual crimes against humanity and can do so without hyperbolic language. Others foam quick and easily about minor sexist or racist "misdemeanors". May be I haven't suffered as much as many under such attacks and therefore am not that easily sensitized.

I think the more personal and private related the issues are some ranting writer is foanimg about, the worse.

Hecate has a very creative way to call out things without using the officially categorized "bad" words. And I think those expressions are very effective and fun.

And you know, online people are already so "conditioned" to take any language with an attitude of "oh, no, not that again" and just move on and ignore it than in real space. Being called bitch and getting the middle finger from a person in real space is a bit different as the same online.

So, now, don't bitch about what I said, cause I like you the way you are and express yourself.