political correctness is a good thing

Give me a real life example of this. Because I can't think of one time I've been prevented from saying something perfectly OK because of political correctness.

And what makes something 'genuinely offensive'? If you judge it so?

I can't see how people can have a problem with the idea that we should be careful and responsible with the way we use language.

This.

Actually, that's a perfect example of political correctness.

Genuinely offensive = a statement intended specifically and solely to offend.

Many jokes are "offensive", but only because they are taken in the wrong way.

stop aggyin man i ent ugly lyk a troll so stp sayin i am

do you really want to go back to the days where ethnic minorities were openly abused in the workplace, on the street and in the media....i think not

This.

Actually, that's a perfect example of political correctness.

Genuinely offensive = a statement intended specifically and solely to offend.

Many jokes are "offensive", but only because they are taken in the wrong way.

Offensive is, according to the dictionary,
'Causing anger, displeasure, resentment, or affront'. So nothing to do with intention.

So basically, you don't need to have the intention to offend. If I slag someone off behind their back and they accidentally hear, that's offensive, even if I didn't mean them to hear. If I use racist language to another white person, that doesn't make the language any less offensive just because I didn't mean to offend anyone.

I'll be honest if all political correctness disappeared tommorow I doubt it would have any influence on any of your lives. If someone wants to call someone a black **** then political correctness won't stop them. So essentially it does just try and make it look like the government is trying to at least mask the problem.

Give me a real life example of this. Because I can't think of one time I've been prevented from saying something perfectly OK because of political correctness.

And what makes something 'genuinely offensive'? If you judge it so?

do you really want to go back to the days where ethnic minorities were openly abused in the workplace, on the street and in the media....i think not

do you think its ok to call a black person the n word, or an indian a paki or a jew a yid???? believe me it isnt mate....sure political correctness may seem to go a bit far sometimes (ie gollywogs) but i think we must do everything to erase prejudice and create a level playing field...you need to accept this or emigrate to australia where open racism is welcomed

But what one might find offensive, one might.

E.g. a "blackboard". One person might find it offensive because it has the word the black in it and it's causing distress.e

That just steps over the line.

From your definition, the word "blackboard" has caused offence - which is just stupid. A word can't "cause" offence.

If something is caused to do something, they intend to do it.

E.g. if I intentionally cause to offend people, that is offensive. If I didn't intentionally cause to offend people, it's not offensive - why? Because I didn't mean it that way.

In other words, your "definition" is quite weird, as I interpret the word cause to mean "an act of intention".

For example, I get into debt and lost my house. I didn't intentionally cause to lose my house.

However, I get into debt purposely and therefore lost my house. I intentionally cause to lose my house.

See the difference?

OK, take this situation - your post is offending me as you are disagreeing me with. You can causing me anger and displeasure and I resent what you said.

By your very definition - what you said was offensive.

Therefore, your definition is pretty vague and pointless.

If I slag someone off behind their back and they accidentally hear, that's offensive, even if I didn't mean them to hear.

do you really want to go back to the days where ethnic minorities were openly abused in the workplace, on the street and in the media....i think not