@wingz @sigmajin @ats-david @son-of-satire
I'm not defending anyone here, because I don't know the whole situation and its clear I'm not going to without a whole lot of research that I'm not interested in doing - I'm not going to moderate. I have no stake of any kind in this argument. So, please do not misunderstand this as an attack against any of you - I just wanted to point out something.
Thanks to David, I was able to see what this offensive comment was (scroll down a bit to see the screen capture, which SOS has not called false). I read it with dispassionate interest and it seems to me that emotions are running high because the interpretation that he was being racist is incorrect. Having been in heated debates in the past, I know how easy it is for emotions to make us misunderstand things.
I'm not judging anyone, in case it's not clear.
David was called a cunt, that is true. Yes, it's offensive and if someone wanted to flag him, it would be understandable because it's an ad hominem attack, which I view as unnecessary (although I sometimes FEEL like some users here and elsewhere are deserving, I refrain). Personal attacks tend to produce lasting negative feelings and, except in the case of trolls and similar, are usually not deserved. All of us have our good and bad points.
Personally, I think it's best not to let negative words bother us - it gives others power over us. But, without proper mindfulness, most people can never do that, and the media certainly makes no effort to teach us about more mature ways of reacting to things. Of course, for some people having their image besmirched is a big deal, so they respond by flagging. That is their right.
David was NOT called a nigger, nor was his mother called a whore. The sentence in question is an exemplar of a much worse insult that could've been hurled by SOS, which is clear from his presentation of it ("I don't care if I had called you..."). To claim racism is blatantly incorrect, although I am sure that many people might easily make this mistake - both people for whom English is not their first language, as well as native English users who are not well-versed in grammar.
That is the reason I interjected - to clarify for all who are unaware that no racism is present in the referenced message.
Again, I am a neutral party - I have no idea about the larger issue here, or with @blacklist. Don't shoot the messenger. ;)
I hope you all can settle this matter amicably. Sorry if what I wrote seemed offensive - that was not my intention.