Ear Gauging Rant

[Skully]

In all fairness for those that have not seen it or been around it very much, the word "retard" or "retarded" is in the same category as any other racist word. Not being "Politically Correct" either. Same context to those that are developmentally or intellectually disabled. Now me being white and you call me the "N" word I would just laugh, calling someone that you feel has done something stupid a "retard" is the same thing.

It is ingrained in our culture as prime example the picture Ray posted, I am just advising that if you choose to use that word be warned that if in the company of those that are intellectually or developmental disable this very offensive.



Now on to the subject at hand. Tats cool, too much though, not very attractive. weird other alterations to ones body, well it is their body, they have to deal with it. Anyone ever met a "triple Xer"? Worked with a guy that was, he told me once he had 48 pearcings, I could only count 15 on his face, didn't want to go there trying to think of the other 38 pearcings.

[ray1970]

I doubt there are many of use here who would call someone with a real mental handicap a "retard". (Well, maybe Jim would. )


But there are probably many people here who would call you or me a "retard", Skully.

[sneakerd]

I guess they can "choose" to be offended even if the word is used with absolutely no intent or reference towards them. "As any other racist word"? Fail imho.

[Skully]

I doubt there are many of use here who would call someone with a real mental handicap a "retard". (Well, maybe Jim would. )


But there are probably many people here who would call you or me a "retard", Skully.

so.....are you calling me retarded Ray? I am offended, no Xmas present for you either.

[ray1970]

so.....are you calling me retarded Ray? I am offended, no Xmas present for you either.

Not calling anyone anything. Just pointing out that the context in which a word is used is what makes it wrong or right. Not the word itself.

[Skully]

Not calling anyone anything. Just pointing out that the context in which a word is used is what makes it wrong or right. Not the word itself.

Oh........... I guess I will get you a Xmas present after all.

[brutal]

Not calling anyone anything. Just pointing out that the context in which a word is used is what makes it wrong or right. Not the word itself.

This.

[sniper7]

Back on topic.... What do you guys think about the gauged ears on Amber Acia?

I think the birthday cake tattoo should be somewhere else

[rondog]

I understand the sensitivity a lot of people have regarding the "R" word, and I personally try to not use it anymore. Not always successfully, but I would never use it in reference to someone who actually WAS mentally handicapped. That's just crude, and I really don't want to intentionally offend ANYONE. Just ain't my style and I like to think I was raised with a little class anyway. I tend to be a smartass sometimes in search of a laugh, but knowingly hurting peoples' feelings ain't my thing. But I admit that sometimes, someone is just acting so stupid that I'll slip.

But the ear gauging - that, I just dont get! I mean, I have some tattoos, but t-shirt sleeves will cover them. People who get tattoos on their hands, and especially their faces....man, that just looks like a horrible mistake to me. And the big holes in the ears, tongue splitting, branding, having shit implanted under your skin, that kind of stuff just strikes me as plain nuts. I went to a big tattoo convention once probably 25 years ago, and the films I saw about things people were doing to their genitals blew my mind! And that was 25 years ago!

Guess I'm just an old fuddy-duddy, but I just don't get it. My first thought is always about how hard it is to get and keep a job to begin with, and "you can only make one first impression", or however that saying goes. And bizarre, highly visible tattoos, piercings, and mutilations just doesn't seem like the brightest idea to me. Former Nugget player Chris Anderson is a good example, all that ink on his neck and face will ALWAYS be there, and someday it's gonna look like hell, and he'll probably wonder "WTF was I thinking???".

If a person wants any chance of having any kind of decent career and income, making yourself look like someone that potential employers are gonna look at and think "whoa!", just doesn't seem like a good move to me. Not to mention the whole thing about "what's that gonna look like when you're 60?" concept. I certainly understand the desire to be cool and accepted by your peers, but deliberately sabotaging your future.....I just don't get it.

But anyway, it's a free country, and there's certainly been plenty of men and women sacrifice everything so our citizens can do what they want. I just don't think that if someone makes themselves so freaky looking that they can't support themselves, that it should be up to the rest of society to support them, and people should think about that first.

And that's all I have to say about that! But I am glad to hear that the ear lobe holes can close back up, that makes me feel better!

[alxone]

• "Are there any ******s here tonight? Could you turn on the house lights, please, and could the waiters and waitresses just stop serving, just for a second? And turn off this spot. Now what did he say? "Are there any ******s here tonight?" I know there's one ******, because I see him back there working. Let's see, there's two ******s. And between those two ******s sits a kyke. And there's another kyke— that's two kykes and three ******s. And there's a spic. Right? Hmm? There's another spic. Ooh, there's a wop; there's a polack; and, oh, a couple of greaseballs. And there's three lace-curtain Irish micks. And there's one, hip, thick, hunky, funky, boogie. Boogie boogie. Mm-hmm...I got three kykes here, do I hear five kykes? I got five kykes, do I hear six spics, I got six spics, do I hear seven ******s? I got seven ******s. Sold American. I pass with seven ******s, six spics, five micks, four kykes, three guineas, and one wop. Well, I was just trying to make a point, and that is that it's the suppression of the word that gives it the power, the violence, the viciousness. Dig: if president kennedy would just go on television, and say, "I would like to introduce you to all the ******s in my cabinet," and if he'd just say "****** ****** ****** ****** ******" to every ****** he saw, "boogie boogie boogie boogie boogie," "****** ****** ****** ****** ******" 'til ****** didn't mean anything anymore, then you could never make some six-year-old black kid cry because somebody called him a ****** at school."

- From Julian Barry's screenplay for "Lenny"