Gay, ****, Homo and similar words...

[nat pagle]

Those things most likely happened as damage control to keep members of the vocal minority (such as yourself) from flooding hate messages and incessant *****ing remarks. In our PC society, with the internet and all of its glory, the immature people who take everything as a personal insult (as if anyone cared enough to make a true personal insult like that) are given entirely too much control over these things. It is pathetic that Kobe got fined for that.

I see it as being respectful towards others and actually taking the initiative not to use words based off of gay slurs to describe something negative. Out of all the vocabulary in the English language, why do you think people chose to equate gay or ****** with a negative? Because back in the day, homophobia was rampant and it was acceptable to relate homosexuality with a description of something negative.

Kobe got fined for it because he said it on a huge platform where millions of people can see. And saying something that controversial in the NBA WILL get you fined. Just like cursing during a press conference or doing something out of line. If you want everyone to shut up and not show that they don't approve of using gay slurs, fine then. But people are still going to disagree with you, they have the right to free speech and telling you how they feel.



Edit: Here's a Reddit discussion about using ******. Lots for, against, and in the middle on the subject. http://www.reddit.com/r/lgbt/comments/e8vnx/******/

Probably one of the best opinions I saw there:

Well, people do use the term as a way to be offensive towards the LGBT community. And if you didn't think it could be offensive, then why is there a need to ask us if it is offensive? And if it is offensive, why use the term? I will agree that language is fluid and that ****** may not be what it used to be. But not everyone is on the same page.
Personally, I'm not offended and I probably wouldn't care if people used the term if not for something called closeted teenagers. There are people who are not comfortable with their sexuality yet. They do not yet have the ability to see that the term may not mean something offensive. What they hear is a critique of something they are still questioning and dreading about. And ****** isn't really followed by, "I don't mean it in that way." So, you have youth, who are already depressed about the situation, hearing their friends use a word that has been used as a derogatory word towards gay people on a constant basis. Not to mention the term gay gets thrown around as stupid.
Basically, I'm not worried about the gay community being offended by words. It is made up of out and proud people who mostly know how to put up with **** and discern real hatred. My concern is over those who don't have a voice, who possibly hate themselves for what they are, and only see a community of peers who are more than willing to justify homophobic language. And to suggest that a troubled teenager coming to terms with a sexuality that is openly debated against on television and in their classrooms should be able to determine that a peer using the word "******" is someone who is actually supportive is a sign of negligence towards the gay youth of our country.

 

[Tsuteto]

Haven't read much, just kind of the first and last post really, but thought I'd give my tl;dr $0.02.

The type of words one uses really depends on your position and the people around you. Another part being culture, but for argument's sake, I'll stick to just the USA "culture" of things.

I, myself, personally believe in letting people say what they want to say, and not taking offense to it because it's a "naughty word". I can tell typically when someone is being directly offensive at me or another, but if they're just using the word, then why chew them out for it? In a normal venue, so be it, that's how people get along. There may be a point where it is overly excessive and detrimental to new people, but for the most part here in Utah, I don't find that as a major problem nowadays.

However, that isn't to say that every situation allows for it. If you're being sponsored by companies, let's say, then obviously you'll have to speak in a more refined manner, as you're now representing others on your behalf. That can be quite problematic for some people. However, if you already speak in such a refined manner, then potential sponsors would be willing to pick you up more than a slightly more skilled individually who cusses like a sailor.

The biggest point, I think though, is how your manner of speech is accepted. On a broader scale, if I'm using words that are of a "higher level" one could say (e.g. - "conundrum" compared to "confusing", "manifest" compared to "create", you get the picture), and it's with a bunch of middle school students who typically wouldn't know that, I might be ostracized a bit more, but also would probably have a bit more respect since I can hold a conversation and encourage people to broaden their own vocabulary, essentially.

I digress a little though, I apologize. On the issue of more "vulgar" words, I stand by the fact that one can use the words and offend only a few people. However, I will most likely not offend a single person if I avoid using such words and instead convey myself in a more refined manner. Euphemisms, though are still essentially saying the same thing, still "soften the blow" than the actual word.

So, essentially, you can read the paragraph right above this one for the main point, or the whole thing for a broader scale.

 

[nat pagle]

I digress a little though, I apologize. On the issue of more "vulgar" words, I stand by the fact that one can use the words and offend only a few people. However, I will most likely not offend a single person if I avoid using such words and instead convey myself in a more refined manner. Euphemisms, though are still essentially saying the same thing, still "soften the blow" than the actual word.

So, essentially, you can read the paragraph right above this one for the main point, or the whole thing for a broader scale.

This is a very accurate statement on the whole thing IMO.

 

[Jockmaster]

I mean this is obviously an agree to disagree point of discussion.

I don't feel that it is worth my time to change the way I speak to cater to people who are "offended" by things when there is no logical reason in my mind why they would react that way. It's not that I am some super-privileged person who is incapable of even somewhat being subjected to "offensive" language simply from my stance in society. It's just that when I look at a situation and the way people speak to me and speak about things I am part of, I don't sit there and misconstrue things they say to the worst possible definition. I have this (apparently rare) ability to use the filter of context to not only understand what they are saying in that instance, but to be able to separate that meaning from the INFINITE other possible meanings they could have. I am mature enough to respect other peoples' views on things and respect the way they think about it. The problem with people who want to censor this sort of stuff is that they want to just be a victim and say "you are ignorant of ME, you should change the way you speak because of ME", whereas I just say be your own ****ing man and stop trying to shove your issues and victim complexes down other peoples' throats.

Also, quoting Reddit ain't gonna do much for me man. That site has forever established itself as a libtard circle-jerk to me, not that I would consider myself conservative whatsoever, but that site along with tumblr has to be some of the stupidest **** on the internet when it wants to be (stupid in the stupid way, not the funny way). I can't take it seriously.

 

[nat pagle]

Also, quoting Reddit ain't gonna do much for me man. That site has forever established itself as a libtard circle-jerk to me, not that I would consider myself conservative whatsoever, but that site along with tumblr has to be some of the stupidest **** on the internet when it wants to be (stupid in the stupid way, not the funny way). I can't take it seriously.

It's really died down on the Obama worshiping after the NSA incident and the removal of r/atheism and r/politics as default subreddits. Not to mention most of the other subreddits don't have nearly as large of a liberal following anymore. If anything it's more Libertarian. And I only quoted a post from r/LGBT that really didn't have much politic charge to it.

 

[The Good Doctor]

Political correctness is stupid IMO.
Basically bc it never stops, and you will offend someone eventually.

 

[Jockmaster]

@ pagle: That's a good thing I guess

@doctor: That's kind of the whole problem: there is no objective quality for something to be offensive (because the inherent nature of something being offensive is simply someone personally finding offense in something). So ANY person can technically go about making ANY word/phrase/sound/image/smell/whatever "offensive" if they can come up with some sort of story as to why they find it so. Then they can make you out to be a bad person if you don't change the way you express yourself to cater to whatever illogical "offense" they find in...whatever it is they are claiming is offensive.

 

[Chiroz]

I haven't read much of what has been said in the thread but I'll give my thoughts on the matter.

In my family we are all very open or a better term is indifferent towards sexual orientation. Me and my siblings have always been taught to be respectful for other people's choices and not to be discriminate for stupid reasons such as sexuality or color or w/e.

As such we all are sometimes offended when people use terms in a specific way, but me, having played online video games since I was 6 (I am now 23) have been exposed to these usage of said words and I use them all the time too.

My siblings have all gotten used to the fact that I do because I have always sort of explained that the definition of how I use it is a completely new one. Basically its just like it was a new word with the same spelling and pronounciation in my eyes. Gay for me just means lame and thats it, I never mean it to offend anyone.

Even so, I would like to bring light that this is not in any way only en english problem. I have met many gamer communities who say "Que violada te dieron" which roughly translates to "He ***** you". What I mean is that somehow, somewhere these words were given a new or changed meaning, I am curious as to how it came to be, but at least in my opinion most of these things shouldn't be seen as offensive. Someone seeing them as such might infer them having a low understanding of the gaming culture, just like someone who is offended by homosexuals or black people also infer that they have low understanding of their cultures.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Jockmaster]

The words gain new meaning through desensitization primarily, which is a perfectly normal and OK way for a word to evolve. Initially, the words "gay" or "****" were probably only used in tight-knit social circles as part of a vulgar-esque vernacular, comparing (insert competition) domination to "******"/sexually dominating someone for example. But somehow they caught on, and with extensive usage lost the strictly vulgar meaning in the presence of new independant usages. The word had lost the original connotation of its "primal" form.

 

[Deathconsciousness]

This thread is gay af.

 

[N`4]

While i agree that it's something that could use changing, I don't exactly think its something you can stop people from saying. Best you're going to be able to do is lead by example and come up with less offensive terms and hope they catch on.

 

[nat pagle]

While i agree that it's something that could use changing, I don't exactly think its something you can stop people from saying. Best you're going to be able to do is lead by example and come up with less offensive terms and hope they catch on.

1.) This thread came back....

2.) People won't stop, because they're stubborn. But luckily the competitive community has started pulling their heads out of their @sses and stopped screaming the N word and the other F word on commentary. And the last thing we need is to look more misogynistic or homophobic than we already due since we live in the stereotype of a bunch of dudes gaming hard together.

 

[rjgbadger]

just a fun tidbit of info that i noticed.

Norcal is a large driving factor in the sense that they as a community are using **** a whole lot less, as a sign of maturity and as a sign of respect to bystanders.

DBR, perhaps one of the most famous smash crews ever known, stands for

Death
By
****

 

[nat pagle]

just a fun tidbit of info that i noticed.

Norcal is a large driving factor in the sense that they as a community are using **** a whole lot less, as a sign of maturity and as a sign of respect to bystanders.

DBR, perhaps one of the most famous smash crews ever known, stands for

Death
By
****

Which is exactly why Smash is having trouble getting sponsors. At least in LoL if you do something stupid like that they pull your money.

 

[Vkrm]

Which is exactly why Smash is having trouble getting sponsors. At least in LoL if you do something stupid like that they pull your money.

Are we that bad when compared with the sexism found in the FGC or the racist/homophobic people in shooters? Melee is old, and brawl is boring. I think these are the reasons competitive smash never really exploded like sf4.

 

[nat pagle]

Are we that bad when compared with the sexism found in the FGC or the racist/homophobic people in shooters? Melee is old, and brawl is boring. I think these are the reasons competitive smash never really exploded like sf4.

FGC at least has a cult following that has money. They've been going since before Smash existed. It's just in today's market, no one wants to be associated with a bunch of homophobes that not only yell offensive statements, but are playing a game that Nintendo is now confirmed to have a tendency to shut down.

 

[デュラエース(放浪者)]

I used to say gay and **** ALL the time, but I've stopped saying gay completely (mainly replacing it with lame), and I only occasionally say **** so it's really not that hard. You just have to keep it in mind. Even now after a year+ of doing it, I still occasionally have to consciously restrain myself from saying those words and pick a different word. Coming up with new words for this stuff is fun anyway. "Get eclipsed, bro!" lol

Bruh, "Get Mooned!" Lmao

 

[Souls]

Words are only as powerful as you make them. Personally it's impossible for people I don't know or care about to offend me with words, sure if my best friend suddenly said he hated me and I'm a massive fagot, my feelings would get hurt. But if John from down the street called me every word under the sun with no limits, I wouldn't feel the slightest bit. Not trying to be tough or edgy, but it's just how it is for me, and if it was like that for most people it'd save everyone a lot of trouble and stress.

Also people who are offended by "******" or "that's gay" have to realize at this point it has literally nothing to do with actual homosexuals and 9 out of 10 times it is the furthest thing on someone's mind when they say that sort of stuff.

 

[nat pagle]

Words are only as powerful as you make them. Personally it's impossible for people I don't know or care about to offend me with words, sure if my best friend suddenly said he hated me and I'm a massive ***ot, my feelings would get hurt. But if John from down the street called me every word under the sun with no limits, I wouldn't feel the slightest bit. Not trying to be tough or edgy, but it's just how it is for me, and if it was like that for most people it'd save everyone a lot of trouble and stress.

Not everyone is just like you though. Everyone would say the world would be better if everyone was like them.

Also people who are offended by "******" or "that's gay" have to realize at this point it has literally nothing to do with actual homosexuals and 9 out of 10 times it is the furthest thing on someone's mind when they say that sort of stuff.

Regardless, it's basically equating gay with bad. Notice how straight is good, gay is bad, ****** is bad, c**ksucker is bad, etc.? It doesn't seem rational to say it doesn't have anything to do with homosexuality when it's almost universally getting placed as a negative.

 

[choknater]

i have a friend that was *****, she is really sensitive :\

jockmaster i know that people could be 'offended' by just about anything

but if there is someone i love and care about, i would go at great lengths not to hurt them

 

[Souls]

Not everyone is just like you though. Everyone would say the world would be better if everyone was like them.

and in the end who is the one being negatively affected by it? People can cry as much as they want online about it, offensive words will always exist and will always be used. You can continue to complain about it and get nothing done or toughen up and deal with it.

 

[cemo]

Also people who are offended by "******" or "that's gay" have to realize at this point it has literally nothing to do with actual homosexuals and 9 out of 10 times it is the furthest thing on someone's mind when they say that sort of stuff.

Well, okay. The problem here is the negative connotation of the word gay. Using "gay" meaning something negative, not wanted, unliked, lame, etc. Negative things people don't want to associate with. What if it was say, your name? People start using "Souls" to mean a bad person, someone who isn't wanted, someone without any friends. How would you feel? Sure you can say you won't care, but these things affect people regardless of what they present.

 

[Souls]

Well, okay. The problem here is the negative connotation of the word gay. Using "gay" meaning something negative, not wanted, unliked, lame, etc. Negative things people don't want to associate with. What if it was say, your name? People start using "Souls" to mean a bad person, someone who isn't wanted, someone without any friends. How would you feel? Sure you can say you won't care, but these things affect people regardless of what they present.

Then we need to stop using Jackass as an insult as well, since it's not nice to the donkeys. Also **** needs to stop being used since it originally implied sexual assault on a woman.
Also ****, since that is someone's name.

You know what? People just shouldn't talk, if no one talked no one could be offended right? Problem solved.

Or we could start teaching kids "Sticks and Stones" and maybe the next generation will be a little less sensitive to bull****.

 

[nat pagle]

and in the end who is the one being negatively affected by it? People can cry as much as they want online about it, offensive words will always exist and will always be used. You can continue to complain about it and get nothing done or toughen up and deal with it.

Deal with it? How is complaining about your sexuality being equated with horrible insults and derision considered getting nothing done rather than sitting back and letting people get hated on?

Not everyone's a trained soldier that is emotionally impenetrable. Just because offensive words exist doesn't mean they shouldn't be used.

Then we need to stop using ******* as an insult as well, since it's not nice to the donkeys. Also **** needs to stop being used since it originally implied sexual assault on a woman.
Also ****, since that is someone's name.

You know what? People just shouldn't talk, if no one talked no one could be offended right? Problem solved.

Or we could start teaching kids "Sticks and Stones" and maybe the next generation will be a little less sensitive to bull****.

Well, **** is included in the title and is an extremely sensitive issue....but unfortunately this just becomes a huge strawman shaming anyone who gets offended by words. Which actually does happen. If a parent tells a child they don't love them and wishes they were never born, it's pretty low to say they should just take it and deal with it.

Words have always have had meaning behind them, otherwise no one would talk. It's surprising that everyone should stop getting offended rather than teaching the next generation to be nice.

 

[Souls]

Which do you think is a more realistic concept?

Trying and or expecting the world to become a giant hug box for everyone, or just getting some thicker skin and realizing that words are words, they're not sticks and stones, they're words.

No one is saying you have to be a "trained solider that is emotionally impenetrable" but you shouldn't be offended over what some guy down the street said to you.

You'll get a lot further by just growing up instead of complaining about it, the world will always have people who use whatever words they want and there is literally nothing you can do about it.

 

[cemo]

If you take your attitude, you are telling people it's okay for people to keep doing what they're doing, and giving them a free pass to continue to push sexist/racist/prejudice things. Things that "everyone" would say become politically incorrect and less used over time all the time. The n-bomb, chink, indian (in reference to native americans) and all of their hateful and ignorant connotations, used to be commonplace. So just like that, stopping using gay in that manner, ****, etc, is part of the natural trend for social progress.

Of course it is unreasonable to expect a ton of change really quickly, but if you refuse to push for it then it won't overcome the inertia.

 

[Souls]

If you take your attitude, you are telling people it's okay for people to keep doing what they're doing, and giving them a free pass to continue to push sexist/racist/prejudice things. Things that "everyone" would say become politically incorrect and less used over time all the time. The n-bomb, chink, indian (in reference to native americans) and all of their hateful and ignorant connotations, used to be commonplace. So just like that, stopping using gay in that manner, ****, etc, is part of the natural trend for social progress.

Of course it is unreasonable to expect a ton of change really quickly, but if you refuse to push for it then it won't overcome the inertia.

******, chink, and Indian are still used commonly, maybe not on a political level (Neither is the stuff you're complaining about) but it's still used plenty.

In fact they still use Indian when referencing Native Americans in schools commonly.

I don't believe in the "Your rights end where my feelings begin"

We're going from an extreme of racism/sexism/intolerance (And I mean actual racism/sexism, like the KKK and how women couldn't vote and such) to an extreme of "No you can't say that, that hurts my feelings!" and other hugbox related ****.

 

[KayB]

I'd say that if you're hanging out with a group of people who are fine with that kind of terminology with the point that they would use it themselves, then there really isn't a problem. Saying it publicly probably shouldn't be done, because there's bound to be someone who would be offended by that, and none of us generally have a right to speak for someone we don't know.

This is a bit of a touchy subject for me mainly because I, for my whole life, have never personally known a gay person or **** victim nor am I any of the above, and I've always been in a community that to most extents have been fine with it. I have almost no experience when it comes to scenarios like these, and I highly doubt I'm the only one here that is in this situation.

 

[Ussi]

People who use indian to refer to native americans confuse me. Cause I'm indian and if indian is native american then what do I call myself?? -.-;

 

[Souls]

People who use indian to refer to native americans confuse me. Cause I'm indian and if indian is native american then what do I call myself?? -.-;

Indian

 

[cemo]

******, chink, and Indian are still used commonly, maybe not on a political level (Neither is the stuff you're complaining about) but it's still used plenty.

In fact they still use Indian when referencing Native Americans in schools commonly.

I don't believe in the "Your rights end where my feelings begin"

We're going from an extreme of racism/sexism/intolerance (And I mean actual racism/sexism, like the KKK and how women couldn't vote and such) to an extreme of "No you can't say that, that hurts my feelings!" and other hugbox related ****.

What I'm saying is that these things are used less, and it should be pushed for so that people don't say them at all. Because otherwise you are sending the message that it's okay to be prejudiced. In terms of using gay/**** as an insult, doing so makes people feel unsafe, not just "hurt their feelings" Slurs will end up making people uncomfortable and creating toxic situations. You're free to hate whatever you want in your basement, whatever. Don't bring that attitude out into public where you're encroaching on other people's safety and fun.

 

[nat pagle]

Which do you think is a more realistic concept?

Trying and or expecting the world to become a giant hug box for everyone, or just getting some thicker skin and realizing that words are words, they're not sticks and stones, they're words.

Probably the concept of people becoming better, rather than shutting down saying, "well, looks like we just can't get them to stop spewing hate." And words DO hurt, and people's mental and emotional reactions are different in that regard. It's completely arbitrary to force everyone to have thick skinned or just write them off as insufficient for not reacting the way you want them to.

No one is saying you have to be a "trained solider that is emotionally impenetrable" but you shouldn't be offended over what some guy down the street said to you.

You'll get a lot further by just growing up instead of complaining about it, the world will always have people who use whatever words they want and there is literally nothing you can do about it.

Why is just ignoring it and letting people say whatever hateful things they want considered "growing up"? Why isn't challenging them for promoting hate championed as a grown up concept? Because I'm pretty sure most adults will rail a child or anyone else for that matter for saying something offensive. As opposed to ignoring it.

And you ARE saying they have to be emotionally impenetrable soldiers, they can't be offended by ANYTHING anyone says. Even if it is some guy, they shouldn't be shamed for their emotional reactions that they probably can't help. It's a sad day when people spewing out hatred get to be protected, and anyone who is hurt should be looked down on for it.

 

[Souls]

In terms of using gay/**** as an insult, doing so makes people feel unsafe, not just "hurt their feelings" Slurs will end up making people uncomfortable and creating toxic situations. You're free to hate whatever you want in your basement, whatever. Don't bring that attitude out into public where you're encroaching on other people's safety and fun.

I feel unsafe and uncomfortable when people impeach on my freedom of speech. Do my feelings not matter?

It's a sad day when people spewing out hatred get to be protected, and anyone who is hurt should be looked down on for it.

That's the whole point of the first amendment, you're free to say anything you like even if a minority or majority disagree or dislike what you're saying unless it puts people in danger. (No saying "that's gay" or "that guy got *****" is not considered putting people in danger, regardless of how you feel).

I'm not defending people who "attack people" (verbally), I'm defending their right to do it. Just because I disagree or dislike something doesn't mean they shouldn't be able to say it.

 

[cemo]

I feel unsafe and uncomfortable when people impeach on my freedom of speech. Do my feelings not matter?

You are the one attacking people. Not a victim here.

That's the whole point of the first amendment, you're free to say anything you like even if a minority or majority disagree or dislike what you're saying unless it puts people in danger. (No saying "that's gay" or "that guy got *****" is not considered putting people in danger, regardless of how you feel).

It does put people in danger. You are creating an atmosphere that rather than fights hatred, tolerates and supports it. Like how bacteria will only grow under certain conditions, you are allowing intolerance and violence to grow by either A) Directly Supporting it or B) Indirectly supporting it by doing nothing.

 

[Souls]

You are the one attacking people. Not a victim here.



It does put people in danger. You are creating an atmosphere that rather than fights hatred, tolerates and supports it. Like how bacteria will only grow under certain conditions, you are allowing intolerance and violence to grow by either A) Directly Supporting it or B) Indirectly supporting it by doing nothing.

You're attacking people's freedom of speech.
Also how does words translate into actual violence? Do you think it's impossible to have one without the other?
Sounds like a slippery slope to me.

 

[SOLAR]

Here's my take on the matter, and I suggest you all read this.

Smashers that spend time around children will understand the importance of providing a good example. If we want our community to be open to more people, we must show some verbal restraint when put in a position where children and other impressionable people will be listening intently. Livestream, commentary, national tournaments... These are places where we need to show that we're not children ourselves, but we are a community of talented people looking to develop our game/community.

No different from athletes.

Also, hypersensitivity and censorship is obnoxious. When you're around your buddies, feel free to get it all out, and when we're on the big screen, we can man up.

 

[cemo]

You're attacking people's freedom of speech.
Also how does words translate into actual violence? Do you think it's impossible to have one without the other?
Sounds like a slippery slope to me.

No one is attacking anyone's freedom of speech. Nobody said that you couldn't say what you wanted. Sounds like a straw man to me.
You can say whatever you want. You can preach hatred, that's okay. But as a community it is our job to reject that rhetoric. You are all for the community being full of racists and being a safe place for racists to be racist, but I am not. It creates a toxic atmosphere.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_violence
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-LGBT_slogans
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_bashing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incitement_to_ethnic_or_racial_hatred
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hate_speech

You are saying these things have nothing to do with violence right? I think that's what you were getting at.

 

[Souls]

No one is attacking anyone's freedom of speech. Nobody said that you couldn't say what you wanted. Sounds like a straw man to me.
You can say whatever you want. You can preach hatred, that's okay. But as a community it is our job to reject that rhetoric. You are all for the community being full of racists and being a safe place for racists to be racist, but I am not. It creates a toxic atmosphere.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_violence
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-LGBT_slogans
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_bashing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incitement_to_ethnic_or_racial_hatred
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hate_speech

You are saying these things have nothing to do with violence right? I think that's what you were getting at.

I'm not going to read those wikis, if they're doing nothing but chanting in some street then that's their right to do, and are you seriously comparing a mob getting together to intentionally verbally attack a group of people to some random guy who goes "Wow that show is gay" ? Not to mention neither is inherently violent. I am not all for the community being full of racist/sexist but it's a person's right to be so so long as they are not actually hurting people, physically hurting people. Emotional/Mental aspects of that are far too subjective for me to care about.

 

[cemo]

I'm not going to read those wikis, if they're doing nothing but chanting in some street then that's their right to do, and are you seriously comparing a mob getting together to intentionally verbally attack a group of people to some random guy who goes "Wow that show is gay" ? Not to mention neither is inherently violent. I am not all for the community being full of racist/sexist but it's a person's right to be so so long as they are not actually hurting people, physically hurting people. Emotional/Mental aspects of that are far too subjective for me to care about.

If you aren't against it you are supporting it indirectly, by telling people it's okay to be racist. In that way, you are for creating a safe place for racists to be racist, and sexists to be sexists, and hateful people to be hateful. You can't stop people from saying what they want, that's their right. But it is your right (and I would say duty) to be outraged back, and all I am seeing from you is apathy. "Well whatever they aren't really hurting anybody"

There are lots of links between mental health and physical health, regardless if you decide to acknowledge them.
http://ontario.cmha.ca/mental-health/connection-between-mental-and-physical-health/
http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/8882842/reload=0;jsessionid=ai4ejnpJKikM5pEH5A7y.42
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM197912063012302

 

[Souls]

"Well whatever they aren't really hurting anybody"

Exactly, and I know there are links between mental and physical health, but physical health is much closer to a universal thing than mental health is.
You break an arm, for the overwhelming majority of people that **** hurts.
When it comes to insults and such, it's not nearly as black and white and often becomes straight up unreasonable.