Appearing Tonight: Big Fat Dick

Questioning The True Extent Of Our Liberty

by Roland Kriewaldt

Let's say I have a tall, overweight friend named Richard, a singer with whom I want to form a new band. Considering the value we place upon our freedom of speech in a democratic society, would I have the freedom to name that band "Big Fat Dick"?

"Dick," is slang for both "Richard" and "penis." You can see the confusion that may arise...(sorry, I couldn't resist!) Is there, in fact, a ceiling on our free speech when no actual harm is done except in terms of how others react emotionally to our words? Subsequently, few words are left to safely utter that won't potentially offend others. "Love" may be offensive to the hateful. You see the problem?

When the mood strikes me, I say "fuck" a lot—an old habit I'm not trying to quit. I'm the same (wonderful?) person no matter what words I use to express myself, yet some are offended when I hit their "word tolerance" threshhold. For some it's the word "spiritual," for others it's "equality." And then they stop listening. And the flow of ideas stops, and so does their learning.

Currently no white person can say the word "nigger" without social repercussions, and only gays and lesbians can call themselves "fags" and "queers." I understand that they are exorcising the pain of those words from within their group psyche, yet there is also something very oppressive about this phenomenon. Does it make people any less racist or hateful if they don't express themselves as they wish? No. It only buries the problem deeper.

The only true transformation of society is from within, when we each choose for ourselves to no longer be racist or hateful. That outcome is the product of wisdom gained through our understanding, not by censorship under threat of social isolation and suffering at the hands of those offended.

As for me, I'm not going to pretend that I never say "fuck" or have an impure thought in my head, unlike those hypocrites who try to censor profanity and whatever other forces of individual expression they're pretending to imprison for the common good. Fuck that.

It's something to think about when next you're being directed on how to speak and it's not how you want to say it. Now imagine what it must be like for a president's press secretary...(bleep!).