Lord almighty.

And it started out as such a wonderful day.

Actually, I resolve to keep it a good day. But I'm good and pissed off right now.

If there can be said to be a theme for this blog, it's that people get offended waaaay too easily in this country.

For instance, yesterday's St. Paul Pioneer Press printed a letter to the editor in which a female reader expressed her offense about a story on female shoe sizes. "I'm offended that you would consider a size 12 to be overly-large," the writer stated. Way to take a stand, ma'am. Perhaps this will give you the confidence you need to finally fire off that letter to USA Weekend expressing your views on Emilio Estevez's directing prospects.

I would invite this letter-writer to watch the Holocaust documentary my wife and I viewed earlier in the week. I invite her to visit the Holocaust museum in Washington D.C. and witness firsthand the enormous pile of shoes that is said to be one of the most sobering reminders of the carnage characterizing the Holocaust that exists in the world.

And I won't limit it to the Holocaust, since there actually remain some folks on this planet that believe it never occurred. As you read this, you're two clicks away from graphic images of children being sexually abused. Somewhere in your city there are rapes occurring...murders...child and spouse abuse...cruelty to animals...horrific acts of physical aggression that are truly offensive.

The fact that mere words, be they on the printed page or via the expulsion of breath and manipulation by vocal cords, can cause people to be offended...well, this offends me. I'm a far right-wing conservative nut job who calls himself a Christian every other day, and when it comes to humor, political views, or anything comprised of mere words, I say the more "offensive" the better. Excuse me, the more fucking "offensive" the better.

Comedienne Sarah Silverman has a new movie out called "Jesus is Magic" which is said to contain something to suitably offend everyone. And I can't wait to see it. I hope she lambastes Republicans, Democrats, Conservatives, Liberals...everyone.

The reason I'm bringing up the subject of offense is that it reared its ugly head again today. My Public Speaking course has a website which contains a discussion board, and countless students have used it as a forum in which to develop the “community” that the instructor insisted from Day One would be sure to develop. We were skeptical but it turned out to be true, and we’ve enjoyed every moment.

I won’t lie, many of the discussions had little to do with Public Speaking. Things got crazy, but never offensive. No obscenities were used. In fact, I’d venture to say that many of the ideas espoused there were no more “offensive” than the typical half-hour sitcom.

And by the way, they weren’t all generated by me, in case you were wondering. Hard to believe, but I’m not the only warped person in this world, and oftentimes the only thing that keeps me alive another day is the comfort of that knowledge.

This morning the message board was shut down. No reason, no pomp, no circumstance. It’s simply gone, as if it never existed.

That thumping sound you hear is George Orwell turning over in his grave.

The students also take advantage of another forum called Facebook. Of course, today’s discussions center on whether the “offensive” content of the original website was the reason for its removal. One person clearly supported the removal, claiming that it had “gotten off track.” Her comment was followed up by a response/apology from a class member whose comments on the previous board were just as “offensive” as anyone else’s. “You’re right,” he whined, “I am so sorry if I offended anyone.”

Make…me…fucking…sick.

I’m not sorry. I’m fighting the urge to be angry, and I’m sure as fuck not sorry. I really wish I could articulate exactly how I feel about this, but my capability to express it is akin to the bout of political apathy I’ve been experiencing for nigh on three months: I’ve simply reached the point where I’m resigned to (but infuriated about) the fact that I’m not going to change people’s minds. Whether it’s converting people to conservatism or convincing them that something “offensive” might actually be enlightening, instructive, or amusing, there’s no point. None. The battle lines are drawn, the blinders are on, and constructive debate has effectively been severed. Literally.

I’ll have more to say on this in the future, I’m sure. Much as I once utilized this forum to wax philosophical while I pondered life’s greatest mysteries, I foresee using it in the near future as a venue in which to try to make sense of why people are capable and willing to turn a blind eye to genuine horrors—not words, but physical actions that hurt, maim, and kill living beings—but dare claim “offense” at the writing or utterance of certain words or concepts.

Your comments are welcome. I particularly look forward to the insight of my friends Leab, Jules, Faith, and TST. Oh, and Bill too. Okay, everyone. I respect you all greatly and you’re the ones that always seem to talk me off the ledge when I’m convinced the world has gone totally insane.