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Unless your talking about a cigarette. In our society, unfortunately the word "Fag" has been given a negative connotation. It is attached in it's current meaning, to something that is negative, and wrong. To imply that you could take something that has routinely been used to insult someone, and make it positive, is ludicrous at this point. Until we as a society, remove the negativity from the word, it will remain as is. An insult.

In it's current state, "Fag" is as offensive as using the "N" word. You just don't say it, unless of course you are trying to insult someone. As an African American, I don't think that there could ever be a situation in which, I would be o.k. with someone calling me the "N" word.

I have had members of my own race, say it, and mean it in "a good way". There is no "good way", when the receiver is wounded by your words. As I was. Rapper's spew it over the airway's, and I find it offensive hearing it then. With all our hopes for political correctness, we fail to realize that not all things are appropriate. Because we have the right of free speech, doesn't mean that we should loose the right to exercise common sense.

The word "Fag", should be shelved, along with all the other negative words, that society has taken and turned into insulting rhetoric, and be removed from the lips of it's members. If simply to keep the peace, show respect, and denounce any and all attempts to cover up blatant discrimination and hatred, we should think. Before we speak.

The hardest decision sometimes, is to be the one to say; That was uncalled for. Do we keep silent, when a friend or loved one uses it? Do we pretend that we did not hear? For each of us, it's a personal choice, but it needs to be made. We have to stop the cycle that we have started. We must realize, that what we say today, will be said by our children later.

The idea that someday, my son will be exposed to people who do not; think when they speak. Is frightening. But as a parent, I know, and am prepared for the fact, that I will have to practice a great deal of "Damage Control". It's a sad fact, but it is the world that we live in today.

The only way, we as a people can do better, is to start by admitting our mistakes, and taking responsibility for our faults. Turning words into missiles of destruction, insult and hidden bigotry, is dangerously counter productive, in a society that is in serious need of unification.

If a word offends one, it should offend us all.

Learn more about this author, Paula Upshaw.
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