"Republicunt": why use terms like this?

[FFaith]

I don't have a moral issue with someone calling people cunts all day long, but like was said before, I do consider it childish, in the sense that it reminds me of when kids first learn about swear words and spam them way too much. It's just overkill to hear Republicans being called cunts every single day pretty much, multiple times a day sometimes. Is it childish for me to ever use the insults gay, fag, cunt, or retard? Maybe it is, but if someone calls a white supremacist a retard, then that's who they're insulting and not anyone else. They're insulting the person they're insulting. Not mentally disabled people. If anyone else takes offense when none is intended, that's on them as far as I'm concerned. I think I made the right decision to not completely give up insults like gay and retard, because time has shown that once you start going down that path, the ones complaining about words are never satisfied. Now look at the mess we find ourselves in. Every other word is a microagression these days and it's only going to get worse. I respect you and what you do, and you're entitled to feel however you feel when you see or hear those words, but when it comes down to it, I can't control how other people feel. I don't think I lack empathy. I just don't think the answer is self censorship, because like I said, once you go down that path... and I'm not talking slippery slope either, because we're already there. We're living in the Onion.

I sort of get what you are saying here about a slippery slope - the same goes for a lot of politically correct things these days, and it can get inhibiting. Personally, though, if I am aware that a word bothers someone I won't use it around them, just because I don't think it's worth the fight. What skin is it off my back? Sort of the same principle of this thread: if it will offend someone and therefore make it harder for me to achieve something with them, and there is zero benefit, why say it?

At the very least, get creative, especially with resources like this at your fingertips! http://www.nk-news.net/extras/insult_generator.php

Well, on a public forum offensive words are going to be used and that is just a fact of life. Nobody is being forced to read anyone's posts, right? We all have the ability to block people if we are fed up with the words they use or endorse not completely doing away with, not that I would want to be blocked by anyone because I think I'm usually pretty respectful to people with differing views (although respectful comes down to interpretation I guess). If I knew Joods in person and was their friend, I would respect their wishes and not use the word retard around them, but this is a public forum. I certainly agree though that it's counterproductive to just go around calling everyone that disagrees with you names, and I don't do that. If I call someone in the KKK a retard though, I don't see what the big deal is. I don't see it as my job to try to prevent anyone from ever being offended, because I just don't think that can be done, and I'm not going to try. If some other group of people get offended by me insulting a KKK member, that's life and I can accept that they think I'm a jerk.