What is offensive language?

[CRGreathouse]

Originally Posted by M29

I know Germans who tell me that "they like their coffee brown".

What does that mean? (Or should I ask?)

[Zeta-Flux]

Originally Posted by cheesehead

... but an earlier extension had been valid, so it'd be hard to go against that precedent.

From wikipedia: "In 1978, the Congress passed a controversial bill by simple majority (not a two-thirds supermajority) that extended the ratification deadline by 39 months.[citation needed] During this disputed extension, no new states ratified or rescinded." and again from wikipedia "In Idaho v. Freeman, the United States District Court for the District of Idaho ruled that the rescissions — all of which occurred before the original 1979 ratification deadline — were valid. According to research by Professor Jules B. Gerard, professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis, of the 35 legislatures that passed ratification resolutions, 24 explicitly referred to the 1979 deadline. The court also ruled that the extension of the ratification deadline was unconstitutional."

Also, I don't know what precedent you are talking about, in terms of extending a deadline on ratification.

"the preamble"? I've been referring to "the legislation accompanying the amendment". Is that what you mean?

I'm talking about the joint resolution proposing the amendment. The text is available here: http://www.house.gov/house/Amendnotrat.shtml

No, it wouldn't. Polls consistently showed then and show now that large majorities favor an equal-rights amendment, even if anti-ERA propaganda has managed to twist the meaning of the exact wording of the ERA in some minds.

You are confusing issues. It is one thing to want to pass the ERA. It is another thing to try and make it pass in a controversial manner. I think people are opposed to the 3 state strategy. But I could be wrong.

[davieddy]

Originally Posted by CRGreathouse

What does that mean? (Or should I ask?)

Just as long as you don't mention zee war.

[davieddy]

Originally Posted by M29

I know Germans who tell me that "they like their coffee brown".

It is going to hit the fan in Europe, maybe in my lifetime.

I think Brian will understand why this makes me chuckle.

"Solids engaging with the cooling arrangements" is about
my favourite metaphor. Along with "Pissing into the wind".

David

[davieddy]

We go to some lengths these days not to mock
the blind or the deaf. However, "dumb" is still used
universally(?) as meaning "stupid".

I'll dig it up eventually, but one of Basil Fawlty's innumerable
funny "asides" was:

Hmmm. Deaf, dumb and blind.

(Lady querying the advertised "Sea View")

David

Sorry. Can't stop laughing about the bit when she turned
up the volume on her earpiece, and Basil promply shouted into it.

[Brian-E]

Originally Posted by M29

"forced its way to the front of the political scene?" Forced? Really?

Using normal political means, of course. I was using my own rhetoric there.

Wilders is often quoted as saying he has a problem with Islam, not Muslims per se.

Yes, that's how he sanitizes his policies but unfortunately he still fails to make any distinction between the religion and the people in other things that he says. And what he says is designed to spread hatred of muslims (and some racial and national groups too such as Maroccans, Turks and Antillians). There is a site http://www.watwilwilders.nl/ which gives a truly horrific selection of quotations which Wilders, or occasionally other members of his party, have come out with. They are mostly in Dutch, so I'll translate a few "gems" below:

"I really think there should be fewer muslims in The Netherlands." Geert Wilders, Het Nieuwsblad, 9 february 2008.

"That's enough. We want the borders closed, no more Islamists allowed into The Netherlands, plenty of muslims out, denaturalisation of islamist criminals ...." Geert Wilders, interview in "De Pers", 13 february 2007.

"Send the muslims who cause problems out of the country, with their families and all." Geert Wilders, HP/De Tijd, 12 december 2007.

Those three were taken from the site under its subheading "Wilders discriminates against muslims". There are plenty of others under that heading, plus more than a hundred more under the other headings "Wilders discriminates against foreign nationals", "Wilders spreads hatred", "Wilders spreads fear", "Wilders wants racisme", "Wilders insults groups", "Wilders refuses to debate".

I'm north of you, in Sweden. The anti-immigration party, Sweden Democrats, took about 6% of the recent vote and won 20 parliamentary seats.

I know Germans who tell me that "they like their coffee brown".

It is going to hit the fan in Europe, maybe in my lifetime.

Yes. I find it very disturbing that so much of Europe is heading this way, even your country Sweden which has such a tolerant reputation.

As to the original topic of this thread "What is offensive language?" the answer is "anything that offends my mother."

Probably a very good definition. I'm sure she has excellent judgment.

[Brian-E]

Originally Posted by davieddy

I think Brian will understand why this makes me chuckle.

Yep. Basil would make a good case-study for this thread.

[Brian-E]

Originally Posted by Brian-E

There is a site http://www.watwilwilders.nl/ which gives a truly horrific selection of quotations which Wilders, or occasionally other members of his party, have come out with. They are mostly in Dutch, so I'll translate a few "gems" below:

Bah! After going to that trouble I've just noticed that that site has an English language section. Click on the little British flag for the Wilders quotations translated into English.

[M29]

Originally Posted by CRGreathouse

What does that mean? (Or should I ask?)

It is a reference to the Brown Shirts.

I've also heard "Why do we Germans always have to pay pay pay?", "Yes, they are guest workers, but a good guest knows when to go home.", and "What we need is a good Hitler".

I hear such things from ordinary white and blue collar people. And as I think about it, none are public servants or academics. I only know one public servant, but not very well.

[M29]

Originally Posted by Brian-E

"I really think there should be fewer muslims in The Netherlands." Geert Wilders

Horrific?

Originally Posted by Brian-E

"That's enough. We want the borders closed, no more Islamists allowed into The Netherlands, plenty of muslims out, denaturalisation of islamist criminals ...." .

Horrific?

Originally Posted by Brian-E

"Send the muslims who cause problems out of the country, with their families and all."

Horrific?

Does he also say to send away Bosnians who cause trouble?

Originally Posted by Brian-E

Yes. I find it very disturbing that so much of Europe is heading this way, even your country Sweden which has such a tolerant reputation.

Oops! You don't know me. I am a Yank who has been in Sweden for four years. Sorry.

I know plenty of Swedes who are fed up. One guy actually said to me "Maybe America will rescue us?" I was shocked. I've heard even more shocking things from (non-Muslim) Iranian and Syrian immigrants

[cheesehead]

Originally Posted by Zeta-Flux

<snip>

You've made it clear that you're opposed to an ERA.