Thursday, July 05, 2012

Well, I'm Offended That You're Offended. Get Back to Work!

Hmmm.  Well, I do tell my students flat out that at one point or another in my class, they are going to be offended, so they should just get over it and get over themselves.  People are always offended when I say this - which is exactly my point.  They're always stunned by the idea that they could be exposed to things they personally don't happen to like and that I don't care.  This related bit has a fabulous anecdote about those annoying, sanctimonious, brittle, humorless people who presume to speak for a group of which they happen to be part:
About thirty years ago one of my cousins, a novice within a religious order, brought some of his confreres to a family summer party. One of the friars chose to take offense at some trivial chatter, and presumed to stand there and do it “as a Religious of the Roman Catholic church!” 
To which my cousin, walking by, responded, “oh, lah-di-fecking-dah, so am I” and shoved him into the pool.
PERFECT.

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