I could give a rats arse about:

[Michlo]

Hmm, well I have to admit, I had never even opened that other thread. Now that I've read this one perhaps I'm not alone in my belief of how much power words can have.

 

At the risk of boring you all perhaps I can relate a recent event.

 

Hmm, I suppose a little back-story is in order first. I'm the eldest of five and was born and raised in England. I came over to the US in '93. My siblings all have children but since I'm gay, I do not. My Sister Karen has a son, Karl. He is the only one of my nephews or nieces to have visited me over here in Los Angeles when Karen brought them both out in '99. Of course I saw him as he was growing up whenever I visited over there and I've been the Uncle who sends the good gifts. heh. I spent a fair bit of time with Karl on my last trip over two years ago as he was now 17 and there had been a big gap in my trips back home so I was getting to know the young man he is turning into.

 

So, I thought I had a good relationship with Karl who is quite a gentle soul.

 

A couple of weeks ago, much to my delight and surprise I got an invite to add Karl to my Facebook. The surprise factor was due to me not knowing he had used the internet at all yet because I've been trying for years to get him to e-mail me and I had set him up with his own e-mail address from my domain. Anyway, I immediately added him and started to check out his profile.

 

I then got a request from a girl I had never heard of. It turns out that she is Karl's girlfriend. Well I don't usually add people I don't know and so decided to finish reading Karl's profile and then hers before doing so.

 

OK, if you're still awake now we get to the pertinent part. On most of Karl's pictures, his girlfriend and her sister had posted comments.

 

These comments were "Karl looks so gay here" "gay" "gayer", etc. etc.

 

I'm not the sort of person who can let things like that slide but I also don't throw a fit. I just sent a polite message saying "Umm, you might want to talk to Karl about his Uncle before throwing that word around".

 

Then it all went to hell.

 

My gentle soul of a nephew apparently did not appreciate that and basically told me that if I didn't like it I needn't go to his page.

 

My next response was to try to explain to them the power that words can have. When that also wasn't received well I told them to "grow up".

 

It ended with Karl telling me that I've never been there for him anyway and so as far as he is concerned he only has two Uncles now, my Brothers.

 

I was quite upset as you can imagine.

 

Karen, his mother, was also very surprised as he doesn't usually lash out like that. I told her it was probably just because it involved his girlfriend and his emotions got the better of him.

 

When the story reached my Mother, however, she said "Well all the kids use that word now". I had "the discussion" with her about the power of words and that if we just let it slide it becomes commonplace. She hadn't realized it was being used in a negative way until she related that my Niece had recently used it when they were out shopping and my Mother had picked up an item of clothing to which my Niece said "Ooh no, Nan, that looks so gay!". heh

 

Still with me? I can't believe all of this is pouring out of me and I hope I'm not boring you.

 

In the days since, I've had this conversation with a couple of friends, even a gay girl. She was of the opinion that she doesn't give a damn. She couldn't see where I was coming from. I told her that if black people had just given in to the derogatory N word being used at them then that too would now be commonplace. I know they use it between themselves but that's another story.

 

Phew. Done.

 

So am I just crazy here. My thinking was that I didn't let strangers in my online games such as WoW or people I've run into in real life just throw that word around so I could hardly let it slide from a family member without at least trying to explain.

 

Cheers.

[MalachiDelacot]

Hmm, well I have to admit, I had never even opened that other thread. Now that I've read this one perhaps I'm not alone in my belief of how much power words can have.

 

At the risk of boring you all perhaps I can relate a recent event.

<SNIP to save space>

 

Fair warning: never use the phrase "risk of boring you" or anything similar here, or some smartarse....and I won't mention my...um...his name...yeah...his name, might use it as a straight line.

Anyway, welcome to the forums, and I for one, hope you have an enjoyable time here, either as a frequent pest--um...poster or one that justs pops in from time to time.

<serious> (Jeez, do I have to ?)

Too many people don't realize the power of words, especially from a loved one. I feel your pain, having been on both sides of word usage. Hope he soon realizes his error and you all can work things out.

I have a nephew that's gay; matters not; since when I talk about my nephew, the word used most often before the word "nephew" is "favourite".

</serious>

woo hoo ...glad that part is over.

And I could give a rat's arse you didn't say "I could give a rat's arse."

[dezdimona]

oh chesto, you make me laugh so much and now I forgot what I was going to say!

 

...heh...like we really give a rat's arse about what you were going to say....

we???, you and the mouse in your pocket?, and I could give a rats arse that you could give a rats arse about what I had to say, because it may have been about you or maybe a rats arse, see?? One or the other would have proven to be a great piece of conversationalism, pertaining to you or the rats backside, either of which could be similar or not(poor rat)

Anyway when it comes to the subject of you or a rats arse, (again my condolences to the rat), I have to admit that my knowledge of either leaves a lot to be desired.

Rats arses don't excite me in any way shape or form and my politeness makes me refrain from passing judgement on someone I know not.

So... all in all mos, your cool, the rats arse is cooler! And whether or not that makes sense, I could give a rats arse about! :biggrin:

[MalachiDelacot]

oh chesto, you make me laugh so much and now I forgot what I was going to say!

 

...heh...like we really give a rat's arse about what you were going to say....

we???, you and the mouse in your pocket?, and I could give a rats arse that you could give a rats arse about what I had to say, because it may have been about you or maybe a rats arse, see?? One or the other would have proven to be a great piece of conversationalism, pertaining to you or the rats backside, either of which could be similar or not(poor rat)

Anyway when it comes to the subject of you or a rats arse, (again my condolences to the rat), I have to admit that my knowledge of either leaves a lot to be desired.

Rats arses don't excite me in any way shape or form and my politeness makes me refrain from passing judgement on someone I know not.

So... all in all mos, your cool, the rats arse is cooler! And whether or not that makes sense, I could give a rats arse about! :biggrin:

 

....heh...ask me if I give a rat's arse....

[Timihendrix91]

I am doing this, not out of some moralistic reason, atall..on the contray it has nothing to do with that..

 

Like so many of us, find the I hate thread to strong, since we talk about it amoungst ourselves and no-one has attempted to rectify it with an altrenative..

I thought this bold Irish Corkian Rebel lass, would..give it my best go.I hope you will stand by me all you that agree as I stick my neck out here for us all..that feel the same..

I hope the moderators hear me out and understand why and leave it..

 

I hate.. for some of us, is obviously to harsh a word..needless to say..I really in my heart feel sick each time I needed to vent and left that thread with that feeling..of betraying my own integrity when I left..and can do it no more..

I can no longer comfortably nor in integrity post in the I hate thread, when I need to vent, as we all do now and again..and should be allowed as others to have an alternate place to do so..

I can and will refuse to perpetuate by using the other thread a word I see causes so much damage to others, and brings back such horrible memories ..its a matter of principle..

 

When you have been a victum of a hate crime, that's left physical and emotional scars, and it all focused on people concentrating on that word..that word takes on a whole new meaning..That even causal usage makes me shiver..I refuse to abide by the usage of a word that has also taken the lives of those I cared about.. although I have learned to heal that, I cannot abide by the rule usage of I hate. When hate crimes are still so prevalent in this world and all begin with the word I hate..

 

The adults know better, here Aye thats true la..

 

Like is it not also our reponsibility, to protect the young people here, that do not need to be getting use to I hate as an acceptble catagory..to become comfortable with it, that they may take it to heart and bring it that step further..

 

I ask that moderators and all me freinds who have talked about this, to stand by this new thread. for those of us for valid personal reasons, who need to vent, like I do at times, not to be forced to use a thread that rules are using the word hate..

 

Pesonally everytime I see that hate word, I remember that hate crime perpetrated aganst me, and others, I have known, and the scars it has left..

I think it only fair that there be such a place to vent with veringy degrees of dislike open to the person to display without it being hate..

I say the only rule here would be, if you hate use the other thread..

Like Thats all I have to say la..I hope its undertood, supported and accepted,and allowed as a valid alternative place to vent than I hate..

Okay..you say that you can't do it based on a matter of principle. So..why don't you just not do it? Because really, all I get from this post is "I don't like it, and what I want goes". Hate is as valid of an emotion as is happiness. So you think that you were victimized by hatred? I'm sorry. However, hatred never affects anyone in a positive way. Everyone who is affected by it (and everyone is) is a victim of it. But I personally won't shut myself off to it, because I want to live my life to the fullest. This means taking the good and the bad.

[buddah]

Thanks to all who have posted in this thread, quite an entertaining read; like any of you give a rats arse anyway.

[nosisab]

I don't know what "give a rat's arse" means but i give a rat's arse to it, so...

[buddah]

It means, I couldn't care less.

[Aeryn333]

deleted..............

[Michlo]

It means, I couldn't care less.

 

Actually, I believe it is always misquoted by Americans. *ducks*

 

Most will say "I could care less" "I could give a (insert animal)'s arse" when really they should be saying "I COULDN'T care less" or "I wouldn't / couldn't give a (insert animals)'s arse".

 

If you are saying you could care less or you could give a rat's arse (though how you would even get one is a question I probably don't want answered) then that implies you do care somewhat when the whole point of the comments is to convey that you care as little as is possible. :)

 

Cheers.