There is no right to never be offended. No one has the ability to demand that they never get their feelings hurt. Sure, we can and probably should all try to be as respectful as possible, but the fact of the matter is what you consider offensive is based on your own personal standards, which are quite distinct from my own and anyone else's.
For instance, Ktrek, I find your post slightly offensive as written, implying that you know better than those who find it "necessary" to speak down to other members. (For the record: no one finds it necessary. Posting here isn't necessary in any form. We find it interesting, diverting, or worth saying. But moving on.) Obviously your post was not intended in an insulting way, and I ascribe no malice to you. But the phrase "holier than thou" is hardly uncommon, and I regret to inform you that you are coming off that way a bit.
Now, I'm not intending this to be a personal attack - I have nothing against you, I swear. It just happens to be a really good example of why "can't we all just get along?" doesn't work. People are different, people have different ideas of what lines should be crossed, and compounding those differences on messageboards we have the bonus of frequent misinterpretations due to the ambiguity of written text.
This board is about as good as it gets, really. And honestly? If everyone tried to be as politically correct as you, I think I'd find it a much less interesting place.
To a certain extent, I'm glad your voice is present; it's always good to hear the other side of things. But debating "some people might be offended" in the abstract, I think, is ultimately counterproductive. If you personally are offended, there are mods and PMs, etc, for you to say so. Expressing this kind of generic, mild, undirected rebuke seems condescending and unnecessary to me.
I apologize if you find this post offensive, genuinely. You have shown great honesty, so I am trying to do the same in return.
I'll make fun of you guys if you really want that...
