I’ve mentioned the corruption of language before. And I’m not simply referring to my own typos.
A pet peeve being the use of the word ‘inappropriate’.
Instead of referring to an action or whatever that was unfitting or indecorous; ‘inappropriate’ is wheeled out by people who simply want to say no to you; but dishonestly want to make it sound as if you are saying or doing something that is inertly wrong. The truth is, they just disagree. But the want you to feel as if you seriously got something wrong.
My campaign against the twisting and corruption of that word is certainly working in the limited realms of my own life.
I was describing to pal a fictious scenario whereby a person was caught having sexual relations with a packet of Jaffa Cakes on a boardroom table, when the pal chipped in, ‘which of course was inappropriate on several levels…’
Banter is a another one. And the most sinister yet.
The actual definition of banter as a noun is ‘the playful and friendly exchange of teasing remarks -“there was much good-natured banter” – synonyms: repartee, raillery, ripostes, sallies, swordplay, quips, wisecracks, crosstalk, wordplay.’
The corruption of that word however, is such that banter means you can say the most appalling, unchecked and hateful things; but it’s all good – you see …it was only banter.
Banter has become a ‘Get Out Of Jail Free’ card for bullies and and all manner of other associated subhuman scum.
The odious toad (pictured) achieved a moment of social media infamy yesterday as his casual hate speech was spotted by someone quite sane – who quite rightly failed to see the funny side.
It isn’t political correctness gone mad, to find someone referring to The Lane as ‘the gas chambers’. This is fundamental distinction between right and wrong.
The barrack room lawyers will be out I’m sure. ‘Calm down, he wasn’t directly saying gassing people was a good thing, was he?’
These are the same apologists who wouldn’t cringe if (in front of both other male and female coworkers) a male colleague said to another male colleague ‘You up to any surprise sex this weekend then mate?’
Rape, genocide. They’re both much of muchness when it comes to being topics best left untouched by the comedy stylings your average bigoted anus.
Within the realms of football, holocaust ‘funnies’ are pretty close to what has become the acceptable face of hate crime.
Football and in particular English football stadiums shouldn’t be sanitised places. I
t’s imperative for the good of the game that industrial language and vicious, unforgiving humour are indulged for at least 90 minutes.
English football’s proud and noble traditions are noticeably paler without the odd chorus of ‘you’re going home in a fakin ambulance’.
Nobody would suggest a return to the time where you took your life in your hands when you went to football match. Nobody at all. But if it isn’t an edgy and downright tribal experience, I don’t want know.
Pro LBGT flags etc are not welcome, not because nobody has a particular hate on for how some consenting adults opt to hide their salami. Rather it is a case that whilst Stewards who continue to impound banners suggesting the chairman has sexual relations with Jaffa cakes, then make the ban unilateral or make their no ban at all.
The madness is the unfairness of the situation.
We have to check to see if there are any particularly busy looking coppers nearby, before joyously shouting ‘Yid Army!’, yet caveman as our comedic chum above are still a common sight online and in real life whenever we play West Ham or Chelsea.
EDIT
In a surreal twist this tale, it emerges that Wayne’s idea of banter proves my point.
Banter is only funny, if YOU’RE the one doing the bullying!
