As Ricky Gervais said, ‘Just because you are offended, it doesn’t mean you are right’.
Nobody has the right to not be offended. We have the right to reply to a post that offends us, and a right to explain why we found it offensive, but the right to offend is part of our culture. There are those who find women disagreeing with them offensive. Those who believe that only one religion has all the answers, and are offended by anyone who says otherwise. Many people find lots of things offensive, but that doesn’t mean they have a right to silence the rest of us.
It’s not often I agree with Ann Widdicombe, but I absolutely do on this matter - she said ‘ Nobody has the right to live their lives being protected from offense, or from insult, or from hurt feelings. It is an occupational hazard of living in society ’
What sort of world would it be if nobody could say anything that might offend anyone else?
The point of a discussion board is that we discuss - make our case and defend it if someone disagrees. If they are offended we explain further, and if there is no middle ground we can agree to disagree.
