Well, if you really want to know...

The extremely scrupulous subscribe to a way of thinking that dates back at
least to the Pharisees, although I suspect this would surprise many in the
South who are similarly scrupulous. If x is forbidden, to ensure that I do
not violate x, I set a fence around it, so I cannot even come close. Of
course, if you really want to avoid violating the new, derived standard, you
can build another fence around that fence... So, for instance, there are
those who will not eat in a restaurant that serves alcohol, or drink root
beer, as acts that flirt with bad behavior.

In the South, several such interjections are called "minced oaths" or "mixed
oaths" and are regarded as ways of swearing without swearing, or taking the
"Lord's name in vain". As such, they are thought to violate the spirit of
the law, even when they are not at all intended to. More than one child has
had his mouth washed out for using terms like gosh, golly, or jeepers.

On balance, I do have to agree with Yosef. This is not the odd utterance, or
the occasional joke that someone finds offensive. It is an entire class of
jokes. I doubt someone didn't realize that they had told a "lawyer joke"
until someone pointed out to them that they had. And if we know up front
that someone will be offended by a joke, to continue to tell more such jokes
is to choose to continue to offend.

And, on balance, I agree with Yosef:
> at times even believe that people are terribly over-sensitive
> about silly things like occupations.
We can also learn to be a little less easily offended, and gracious in our
complaints.

So, have you hear the one about the long-winded, paunchy, middle-aged white
male computer geek?

Greg Stigers
http://www.cgiusa.com

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mark Boyd [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Monday, March 18, 2002 4:07 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: OT: Lawyer bashing/ was Friday Humor
>
>
> When did "Darn it" become sacrilegious or offensive?
> According to that line
> of thinking, my nine year old swears like a drunken sailor.
> Now, had you
> said "piffle", she would have been within her rights to have
> you stoned; but
> "Darn it"...that's just pain stupid.

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