What is/isn't offensive?

[Bloom]

You know I've been thinking about this lately too!

I recently took offence at a statement that was pretty much: I hate people who voted liberal because they hate gays. (Because while it is a secret ballot and I don't reveal who voted for, I do align myself with some of the liberal parties policies). Anyway, it got me thinking about the underlying thinking: it is okay to hate a group of people based on a trait, but only if they hate a group of people based on a trait...

(Let's not even go into whether or not Liberal voters actually do hate gay people)

but you have to own your own position and if some one choses to dislike you because of that... Then so be it.
and just because something is offensive does not mean you have to take offence.

[Bloom]

And then I got to thinking, that a lot of it boils down to opinons (which you choose) vs objective, non-chosen attributes (i.e. Race).

Discrimination is often based on non-chosen attributes.

And then we get into how societal pressure leads to change of opinons because it is no longer acceptable to hate someone based on a non-chosen attribute (generally, that is the direction society is heading, which is great).

But with this pluralistic society we live in, where everyone holds their own truth and values, it gets tricky when your values colide with mine...

[myturn]

And really.... How is it different to hate someone who votes liberal because of their perceived opinion about that group, or stating someone is a misogynist because of something you have seen or read (but you don't personally know that person) Versus.... Being sexist... Or racist..... Or stating that people who own guns are redneck racists.....

It's still making a judgment about a whole group based on a single opinion, or judging someone you don't actually know...by what you have seen or read.... As believe me .... i am actually of this opinion for everyone.... that means i think we cant judge criminals either....we don't know them.... totally okay to be angry at what people have done have done and not like it and totally disagree with their behaviour.... but to judge them as a whole and say they are disgusting or horrible.... I disagree with that...

Just saying....