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When is it appropriate to compare to

Posted by laurencefosgate • 9 days ago • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: Holocaust, nazism

Recently someone in the discussions took offense to the use of the word Nazi in the context of someone obsessed with rigidly and inflexibly following the rules of grammar. When is it appropriate to use the word out of its original context? Someone pointed out the use of "Soup Nazi" in Seinfeld and I have to admit not ever hearing of someone being offended by its humorous use in that venue. Would it be appropriate for descendants of the Carthaginians to be offended by the use of the term "vandalism" to descibe graffiti when their descendants were so ruthlessly slaughtered by these Germans(is there a subtheme here?) that it would be trivializing the injustice inflicted on their ancestors? How about the use of the word "Hun?"
Please understand that I am a student of the holocaust, have met numerous of its survivors and consider the lessons that can be learned from it to be one of the most dramatic teaching points in all of human history. I certainly don't think we should trivialize its importance. I just wonder if the correspondant was being a little over-sensitive.

User Comments

9 days ago

HollytheHousewife

I think so. Not to mention the word really wasn't taken out of context. I mean lm the first one in line to tell ya,I have been raked over the coals by some of those grammar nazis and if they coulda they woulda burned me at the stake for my use of the CAPS LOCK

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9 days ago

aspotofblog

Somebody used the word 'Nazi' to describe a grammatically obsessed person? What? WHAAAAAAAAAT? Surely the world is going to end now? Perhaps this is the start of World War III?

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9 days ago

morgantj

"Grammar Nazi" is a known, accepted, and understood term. From my experience, people here especially on BC are easily offended and it is often simply because of their own dispositions.

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9 days ago

Agit8r

I once heard Mel Brooks speaking about his use of hitler's name in "The Producers," that he used it in order to mock it--that he didn't want hitler's name to inspire awe, either good or bad--but that he wanted to make his very name a joke and a point of mockery to be laughed at. I think it does much the same when when we use it to point out petty superiority issues that people feel the need to indulge.

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9 days ago

sjtavo

I'm sorry, I am way to easy going to get worked up over someone's use of a phrase. Give me a break. Grammar nazi, working like a slave, hairy as a Guido, queer as a three dollar bill.... jesus - i'm an italian/redneck woman who loves everyone - someone's terminology is not going to offend me. Could we please stop taking phrases/discussions to heart and getting so personally offended and just have some good conversations?!?!?

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9 days ago

morgantj

Apparently some people have nothing better to do than to be offended.

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1. 9 days ago
  
  sjtavo
  
  well then they just need to get off their high-horses and come back down to the ground. I can't stand it when people fly off the handle or get offended at stupid crap.
9 days ago

nothingprofound

I wouldn't say he was being "oversensitive." He had an opinion and he expressed it. Others are free to-and did-disagree with it.

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