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This kind of incident, though, just goes to show how much things you say can affect other people. A good testament to everyone here that we should be careful of how we say things, even in heated discussions, because it can leave lasting marks.
(Given, probably not suicide, but I'm sure you all get the point as rational individuals :D)
I don't think an absolute ultimatum is a fix for this. It'll stop the common guy from saying it, like when any normal human being just says "Wow, that was gay", in the sense that we say "Wow, that was lame". We don't look down on people for saying the latter, so the former shouldn't matter, either. If anything, we just need to bring up succeeding generations with the mindset that it depends on the focus point of it.
"Nigger" is a racially-offensive word, and most people nowadays won't say it in regular conversation slang. However, since it's been publicly deemed as a more offensive slander, now when someone wants a really offensive word to say, they'll say it.
What I'm saying is, while you could theoretically just tell society that it's a discriminating phrase, make it illegal, even, it's not going to prevent people from saying it in hostile situations.
I think it's really just the root issue, here. The bullies, themselves. What if they just called the kid a bitch or a whore all the time? Would he have still committed suicide? Probably. Since he wasn't actually able to determine if he was or was not gay, the word, itself, isn't what was the issue. It was the condescending, brutal spirit behind it, which was the result of the use of the word and its focus, and was the result of the bullies, not the word.
This kind of incident, though, just goes to show how much things you say can affect other people. A good testament to everyone here that we should be careful of how we say things, even in heated discussions, because it can leave lasting marks.
(Given, probably not suicide, but I'm sure you all get the point as rational individuals :D)
"Nigger" is a racially-offensive word, and most people nowadays won't say it in regular conversation slang. However, since it's been publicly deemed as a more offensive slander, now when someone wants a really offensive word to say, they'll say it.
What I'm saying is, while you could theoretically just tell society that it's a discriminating phrase, make it illegal, even, it's not going to prevent people from saying it in hostile situations.
I think it's really just the root issue, here. The bullies, themselves. What if they just called the kid a bitch or a whore all the time? Would he have still committed suicide? Probably. Since he wasn't actually able to determine if he was or was not gay, the word, itself, isn't what was the issue. It was the condescending, brutal spirit behind it, which was the result of the use of the word and its focus, and was the result of the bullies, not the word.
Or at least that's my opinion.