NP? "the formerly colonised coming back to haunt us"

[David Gentle]

> --- David Gentle <Gentle_Family at btinternet.com> wrote:
> > > --- Dave Monroe <davidmmonroe at yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > > I suspect Tolkien's racism was the inherited
> > >
> > > This statement is offensive.
> > Everything is offensive to someone.
>
> Are you implying that calling someone racist is a small matter?
>
> DM
No. I'm making a comment about offensivness.
Personaly I believe that being offended is an intelectual weakness. That is how I've managed to lurk
for so long on this list. The process of taking offense polarises and diminishes a debate. In this
case your statement that Monroe's statement is offensive, rather than demonstrating it to be untrue
(an issue that I am not in a position to discuss) simply shifts the debate to a question of what
can be or is offensive. Better to ignore offensiveness (which, as I imply, is subjective) and
concentrate on more concrete matters.

DG