General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWould it be considered offensive to refer to Rick Santorum as "Scrotorum?"
Because anyone who's Googled "Santorum" knows how gross it is, I figured that a new term might be helpful.
yurbud
(39,405 posts)virtualobserver
(8,760 posts)....at least mine is.
clydefrand
(4,325 posts)Santorum
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026917918
winter is coming
(11,785 posts)Orrex
(63,224 posts)GoneOffShore
(17,340 posts)jberryhill
(62,444 posts)GoneOffShore
(17,340 posts)Or we could go with Scrotorotorum.
RKP5637
(67,112 posts)Orrex
(63,224 posts)IMO you should have gone with "every dang hanging thang."
YMMV!
RKP5637
(67,112 posts)pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)Orrex
(63,224 posts)LWolf
(46,179 posts)to express dislike or disagreement by name-calling and put-downs rather than reasons, "Scrotorum" works. I guess you'd have to have an issue with scrotums?
My middle school students aren't allowed to get away with it, but it's more prevalent in the adult world.
Orrex
(63,224 posts)But somehow adult writers are allowed to do so, and have done so for ages.
Not many people know this, but jokes about genitals and excrement have been used for centuries as ways to deride objectionable persons. I know that this is disappointing, but it's the truth.
For instance, in Arden of Faversham, with which I'm sure you're familar, there's a character by the name of Shakebag, widely understood to be a mocking reference to The Bard and also to a scrotum. See... "spear" is used as a naughty euphemism for "penis," so "bag" becomes an equally saucy euphemism for "scrotum."
Shocking, I know! What are we to make of this long-standing tradition of human expression?
LWolf
(46,179 posts)"jokes about genitals and excrement have been used for centuries as ways to deride objectionable persons."
I just have a different point of view about how to deal with "objectionable persons." It probably stems from my unceasing efforts to encourage empathy and tolerance among my students, and to teach them to express themselves with civility. I don't do that through "do as I say, not as I do," which you probably know does NOT resonate well with young people. What DOES make a difference, in the long term, are adults modeling the behaviors we wish to see.
I'm thinking about my classroom, and some of the young people with truly "objectionable" behaviors. Even if I thought it was the right thing to do, I wouldn't keep my job long if I addressed those behaviors by shaming, belittling, or verbal bullying.
It's true that those are, not just "juvenile" behaviors, but human behaviors. I'd like to see us evolve beyond them.
I don't presume to be a better writer than Shakespeare nor a wittier satirist than Swift, both of whom made use of bawdy imagery to great effect.
Comparing an appropriate interaction with your students to an appropriate interaction with former US Senator and an influential figure in one of the nation's two leading political parties is simply foolish.
LWolf
(46,179 posts)And to make unfounded assumptions/accusations.
I'm sorry about that.
I'll try to explain the point one more time, giving you the doubt, even though I don't think you want it:
The point is that, if we want a civil society, we behave with civility. If we don't want to mirror the worst in our society, we don't. If we don't like verbal bullying, we don't engage in it. If there are reasoned, legitimate reasons to object to something, we should offer up those reasons, rather than rushing to the lowest common denominator.
I'd love to talk about the power of words, and how we play with them and enjoy them in the classroom, and how a powerful use of words achieve goals more powerfully, including satire. Name calling isn't satire. It's just name calling.
Orrex
(63,224 posts)The "or else," of course, is the none-too-subtle intimation that I am less sophisticated than you are.
I can live with that, because your brand of sophistication goes hand-in-hand with smug self-righteousness, and I'm very happy to leave that to you. I find your kind of passive/aggressive name-calling to be far more offensive than the derision of a public figure who's earned millions fighting against my system of values.
But it's important for you to stake a meaningless moralistic posture while wagging your prim finger at me, so be it.
I'm not asking you to adopt any set of values, or to do anything but follow your own path.
I just wanted you to acknowledge my point. That's all.
I'm sorry that you can't, and that your best response is to engage in more of the same.
Orrex
(63,224 posts)And your posts are dripping with passive aggressiveness, exactly as I've described, nor am I the only one who's noticed it.
I accept that you won't believe this, but that's frankly immaterial.
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)Orrex
(63,224 posts)But no...
HockeyMom
(14,337 posts)Former Catholic, 12 years Catholic school, and 4 years of Latin. Second? Richardus the Younger. Possibilities are endless.
Orrex
(63,224 posts)According to this thread, I'm just a fifth grader or a middle schooler!
ladjf
(17,320 posts)Orrex
(63,224 posts)I've already explained the reasoning and its roots in literary tradition above, but if you don't care for the word then you're under no obligation, of course.
ladjf
(17,320 posts)However, I feel that any nickname for a person should have an easily understood connection. I don't see that in the
word "Scrotorum". The "scrot" is clear enough. But, it's the "orum" that doesn't quite fit anything that I know of.
However, if it strikes you as funny, then by all means, go with it. I'm just an old curmudgeon.
Rex
(65,616 posts)"Please children, do NOT touch Mr. Ballsack...he looks like he might be enjoying it...who can tell!?"
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)Meet Mr. Balls, Brazils Disturbing New Testicular Cancer Mascot
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023921229
Rex
(65,616 posts)ann---
(1,933 posts)KT2000
(20,587 posts)that would open the door to women candidates being called horrible names. Let's just not go there.
El Supremo
(20,365 posts)Agnosticsherbet
(11,619 posts)JEB
(4,748 posts)Snobblevitch
(1,958 posts)genitalia and modify it into a pejorative?
Go ahead, I dare you.
Orrex
(63,224 posts)By all means, feel free to start your own thread.
Snobblevitch
(1,958 posts)if they got your question and my question confused. I'm sorry for the confusion. It's ok if you choose not to consider my question.
aint_no_life_nowhere
(21,925 posts)That was some time ago.
herding cats
(19,567 posts)dumbcat
(2,120 posts)isn't it?
herding cats
(19,567 posts)I say, call him what your heart desires. At some point in his nasty little life he's done something to someone to earn it. What he hasn't earned is a modicum of respect from me.