Sundie, I've definitely enjoyed discussing this with you. Good argument keeps a person sharp. Intelligent people keep an open mind. As impassioned as this discussion may be, I take no offense to a well-phrased challenge.
Since I have never been harmed by words, try as people may, I suppose I don't understand the need to silence the vicious, venomous, sad little people that need to use them. Talk all one likes, I am invulnerable because I know who I am and am completely comfortable with it. I can't be offended or hurt by someone's opinion, regardless of its delivery.
I would think that the anonymous nature of the internet would go both ways. Why take something an unknown person writes so personally, when they don't know you?
Yes, people should be able to say anything they like. People also should be strong and confident enough in themselves to ignore unfounded jibes. That isn't to say I'm naive enough to confuse should with are, but that is and always will be my position. The right to absolute personal freedom, as long as it doesn't cause physical harm to others, will always be my position.
Does that mean that I think the average person is capable of handling that kind of freedom? Hell no. I'm not stupid. But the ideal has to be remembered and defended, regardless of its unlikely feasibility.
I realize that some controls within any community are inevitably necessary. But they are a necessary evil. All laws, all constraints on personal freedom, are unjust, a step down the road of fascist collectivism.
By the way, your example made me chuckle. I can't imagine why anyone would be offended by that. I've been called far worse on practically a daily basis.
I kiss John's ass... now THAT is FUNNY!!!
Finally, as this is Travis' site, I respect his authority to do with it exactly as he chooses. If he asked me to back off, I may not depending how strongly I felt about the subject at hand, but I also understand that he has the right to silence me if that was the case.
