Reggie, not too effing happy about the "f-bomb": > Freedom of speech is the freedom to express any idea you want to express. > Is there any idea that requires you to drop the f-bomb in order to express > it? If anyone out there can think of one, I'd really like to hear it.
How about the idea that social repression of certain words is actually suppression of ideas and attitudes the authorities disapprove of? For example, let's leave the f-word alone for a moment and go on to the (now) equally infamous n-word, since it's idea-content is even more obvious. Suppression of the use of that word is intended to suppress and discourage racist expression. We may all agree that racist expression is deplorable, but we'd all agree that racism is an important ideology. By making the n-word socially unacceptable, the absolute, conscious intent is to make it harder for racists to freely express themselves. Now, you can say, but good! I'm all for racists getting suppressed. That's not the point. The point is, it's an idea getting suppressed by the means of suppressing a particular word. I'm too tired to go into a long discussion of the political and social ideas that are directly encouraged and discouraged by the suppression or expression of the f-word. Read Susie Bright or dozens of other so-called "sex positive" writers for that (I'm not saying I agree with most them, but you can't seriously claim that they don't make an arguable case.) One last thought: suppression of the f-word conveys the idea that it is important to legally suppress certain words. That in itself is a pretty fucking dangerous idea. Mike Lee _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
