by Ernest Smartt

Created on: June 24, 2008   Last Updated: June 11, 2011

The freedom to offend others does not fall under the umbrella or our rights. At the same time, to not be offended is also not under the umbrella of our rights. The whole issue is a mine field. we must watch our step as we seek to express out potentially offensive opinions.

No one likes to be offended. We are all the victims of offensive speech from time to time, and we all offend others as we walk through our daily lives. While apologies are often difficult, we must swallow our pride from time to time and say "I am sorry."

The question is, are we intentionally offensive? Do we make it a point to bother the emotions of others in a negative way? Is there another way to express our thoughts so that it is not offensive? Why do we say the things we say?

Political correctness often gets in the way of our freedom to express our opinions. Saying "Merry Christmas" is often prohibited because some say it offends people who don't celebrate Christmas. For a teacher to wear religious jewelry is sometimes considered offensive, and thus prohibited. Is a person an African American or a black man? Do we say Hispanic or Mexican American? Is it really wrong when the one carrying the football into the end zone makes some kind of celebrating gestures? Is that offensive?

Who decided if something is offensive, the recipient or the one who speaks or acts in a particular way? Are we guilty if we did not know we offended someone?

I worked for the Government for many years, and I seemed to be entangled in issues of political correctness all the time. Once, while holding a Unit meeting, I responded to a question with "I didn't stutter." I was not being mean, nor was I trying to offend. There happened to be a person who stutters in the meeting, and he was offended. I understand that to some degree, but he never told me he was offended. I did not know. I was disciplined for that comment. Of course I apologized, but it was not accepted, should I be offended? I know I could have chosen other words, but since I had no negative intentions I saw nothing wrong in it. From then on I was very careful.

Once I had a meeting with a client and one of my staff members I was supervising, for the purpose of addressing the client's failure to follow her requirements. The client and my staff member began speaking in Spanish, so I told them they needed to speak in English since I cannot understand Spanish. I was not told for seven months that I ffended the staff member. She member filed a report because

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