The "F" Word

Those who know me, know I have been a fan of South Park since the very beginning. Those who know me better, know my dream in life is to either meet- "meet" meaning voluntarily, and not a forced "hey, i'm such a big fan"-Trey Parker, and Matt Stone. In the last 12 years, I have yet to meet anyone else with, or hear a common shared view point that I can listen to with such an authoritative nature without feeling i'm being preached to, or talked down to. That said, on wednesday, they have finally made an episode that touched upon a subject I have been battling with for quite sometime. The casual use of the word "faggot," or "fag."

The episode (clip above) makes it's statement pretty quickly: Kids today are not using the F Word (from here on out) as a gay bashing epithet... they are using it to describe something annoying, or obnoxious. Now, whether or not you feel that means they are likening it to homosexuals being annoying, or obnoxious, is irrelevant, because they spend a great deal of time informing us that the F word has meant MANY things through the years... one of those being a slander of Old People, Women, and even a bundle of sticks.

So Trey and Matt's message ultimately unfolds to a simple "Let's make it mean something else" and the something else they make it mean, is "An extremely annoying, inconsiderate person most commonly associated with Harley riders. or A person who owns or frequently rides a Harley"

I'm writing this on the way to work, because i've been thinking about it all night. I wish I had someone around to actively debate this with, because i'm leaning towards their side, but I can't help but feel that it isn't that simple. I have recently reprimanded TWO of my good friends for using the word so casually... not because I think they are bashing homosexuals, but because I feel they are above the word. Trey and Matt have been open about their use of it, and they aren't homophobes, clearly. But is "taking the word back" really the answer?

I don't know. Just some food for thought. Despite my frustrations, I'm happy that I have something to internally debate. Makes me realize I can never be too comfortable with my disposition on any hot button topic.