Posted by Vincent at bg-tc-ppp454.monmouth.com on June 15, 2000 at 01:44:03:
In Reply to: "Fag" reference in "Clerks" posted by AnimalJ on June 14, 2000 at 23:04:19:
:And the context does not matter: if the word was used, it's a slur, plain and simple, and for that reason alone the show deserved to die an inglorious death.
The term fag is a slur? Tell that to the gay community- they call themselves fags all the time.
And context doesn't matter? So then, an Englishman would be a homophobe in your book if he asked for a fag (i.e., a cigarette)?
Words like "hate" and "homophobia" are thrown around carelessly a lot these days. This is just another sad example of that- one of the mighty offended sounding his horn. Here's a suggestion, Animal- a joke is a joke. There is a WORLD of difference between a joke using the term "fag" and the word "fag" being used in a hateful manner. If you're too ignorant to be able to distinguish between the various meanings a word can possess based on how it's used, that's your problem. Take some English courses and learn the complexities of the language, or better yet, just grow some thicker skin. You're gonna need it if you're ever going to survive in the real world.
: But then, if Smith is indeed the devout Catholic he claims to be, small wonder he has no problem in using homophobic slurs in his "art" -- after all, it's his own Pope who calls lesbian and gay people "intrinsically morally evil".
As I understand it, the Catholic Catchism (spelling?) states that homosexuality is inborn, but homosexual acts are a sin. It also says that masturbation is a sin- does this mean that the Pope said that all 13-year old (or in my case, 8) boys are "intrinsically morally evil" as well?
: Maybe "fag" is just Kevin's clever way of distilling the words of his Holy Father into language he and his friends can understand.
I'm thinking Kevin learned the word from one of his MANY gay friends, or maybe his gay brother. The fact is, you're not likely to find a more gay-friendly person than Kevin Smith, and this little tirade of yours was way off base.
Vincent