Oh Noes!

I am, in fact, not a black person. And I've just used the word nigger in a post. I expect the earth to stop turning and the seas to spin away into space any moment now.


Hasn't happened yet?

Odd.

Well, anyway, my liberal guilt (And I was raised Catholic so, trust me, I know from guilt.) compels me to apologize. Except, you know, I'm not going to. Instead, like a lot of things, I'm going to explain.

I've heard it said it's a lot easier to beg for forgiveness than for permission. But I've always thought it was easier to explain what you've already done than what you're planning to do.

And there's been no plan here except to say whatever I feel about whatever I want. And while I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel a momentary twinge of fear as soon as I finished typing, well, the n-word I'm not exactly into self-censorship. Nor, for that matter, am I really into any form of censorship. I'm more a fan of personal expression, really. And that means that people get to use whatever they want to express themselves however they want.

Just as long as they're prepared to deal with the consequences.

So, I believe that anyone should be free to use whatever words they want to make a point. Any point, really, and it's up to them to decide what that point is and how they're going to make it. Not me or anyone else. But, then, I also believe people should be free to stab each other to death. And that the police should be free to arrest them. And the prosecutor free to try them and send them to jail to rot for the rest of their miserable lives.

Consequences.

That seems to be another dirty word. So you'll excuse me if I mention it from time to time.