The word asshat or ass-hat, spelling would be your choice.
Would you think of this word as being offensive if you were describing how you felt about possible criminal charges being brought against N.C. D.A. Mike Nifong in a political blog comment when your comment was, ‘Couldn’t happen to a nicer asshat!’
Would you think that word worthy of a PUBLIC warning in the blog and would it warrant a threat from a moderator, NOT the blog owner, a Moderator, telling you that if you used that word again you WOULD be shown the door??
And I don’t mean on a ‘religious’ blog, I am talking about a hard hitting, no holds barred, political blog that attacks people on a regular basis.
Or am I just over-reacting to some ASSHAT that’s let a bit of power go to his head because he gets to play Mr. Big in a well known blog?
Would YOU ban someone or threaten someone for using that one word in YOUR blog??
1. ass-hat – A definition One whose head is so far up their rear end it could pass for a hat; used to describe a person who is stubborn, cruel, or otherwise unpleasant to be around.
And in MY opinion, that is the perfect definition for Mike Nifong.
His blog, his rules, and at least he warned you before banning you. Some people don’t like profanity on their sites. I’d say it’s just the same as being in someone’s house; the guests should abide by the terms of hospitality offered by their host.
It’s WAY too NICE of a word for Nifong in my opinion.
Whoever the asshat who thinks it’s offensive is is an asshat.
LOL!
He sounds like one ‘BIG’ ass-hat to me…
..and part gook with a last name like that.
I don’t see anything wrong with it.
I would like to know what blog your talking about.
What. I heard worse things than that about almost every political figure you can think of. I know people want to make thier blogs family friedly or clean, but asshat doesn;t even come close to being bad for a blog. I think that it is just someone that has too big of a head and gets glee with the power he wields from his blog. Hell, you can say just about anything on my blog and I won;t kick you off, just no links to gay porn or porn in genereal, especially gay porn.
Well, my mother used the word ‘ass’ and didn’t consider it a swear word, just a strong one. So that pretty much takes care of it for me, being that my mother is a saint. Some people are over-sensitive.
Al Sharpton is an asshat. Mike Nifong is an assclown. But I generally reserve “asshat” for jokers who stick a “reverand” in front of their name and then spew hatred, bigotry, and just general, well, asshattery. I reserve “assclown” for politicians.
I don’t know if I really have an unbiased opinion given that I have both “asshat” and “assclown” categories on my blog. LOL. But, no, I wouldn’t think that would warrant a warning for being offensive. Would be like being offended because someone called a criminal a criminal.
I never use ‘ass-hat’ I’m partial to the old tried and true ‘asshole’ and that word describes Mr. Nifong to a ‘T’.
I also agree with Ed, but IS IT A BAD WORD??
Is ASSHAT too strong a word for a HOT political blog??
Sounds to me like the moderator is an asshat himself, and got offended. I do not think you have done anything wrong. By the way, Nifong is an asshat.
This sounds like our Goverment to a T and BUSH
Wow…I never considered that word profane. I do edit my comments for the eff word, etc, but that’s my preference. However, as fuddy duddy as I can be, I use asshat all the time..kinda like jack-ass. It’s cussing, but not really. I can cuss..believe me…but I try not too.
That said…someone had a serious over reaction to the word. I would nominate that person for asshat of the day.
I think Captain Ed is correct. I prefer that profanity not be used on comments to my blog, but unless it is excessive, I let it go. I think my wife would probably delete anything that didn’t fit her personal sense of proper (she can be pretty uptight) on her blog. It’s up to the blog owner. I have thought about banning the words “Bill”, “Hillary”, and “Clinton” from my blog because they send my blood pressure through the roof, but they happen so rarely that I didn’t think it was necessary.
I don’t care for curse words at Right Truth, but I would not get riled up over this term, it seems so fitting.
Huh… got warned for asshat ‘eh. Must be something with a much larger vocabulary and a much more “politically correct” view on life than me.
I believe in calling a spade a spade… or in some cases an asshat a F*-ing asshat. Nifong is def an utter asshat.
However, have to agree with Capt. Ed… his blog, his rules. I just may not go back to the blog afterwards. Hard hitting political commentary is pretty easy to come by these days, any asshat (like me) can do it.
I personally try to avoid using deragatory names, but restraint was used. Asshat isn’t that bad, I have obviously heard worse. If I have made it a Hard and Fast Rule of “No Cursing” maybe I would have had a private word with the author, but never a public admonishment. In addition, if the policy was abused, there would be no big loud display of banishing the person. Just simply dropping them, and moving on. No animosity is needed, and certainly no attention needs to be given to destroying their reputation.
On a personal note, Asshat is a pretty funny term, and probably doesn’t require much of a backlash. The admin should probably lighten up.
-Mike Regan
http://www.friendoffred08.blogspot.com/
People make the rules on their own blogs, absolutely but an ASSHAT censure?
Please.
SPEECH PC appears to be a creeping infectious BIPARTISAN illness.
I am “called” on my language every now and then on LGF (never by Charles) and people have actually suggested privately to me to “tone it down” on my own blog.
to which I replied:
Fuck that.
MOOHAHHAHHA
I am from the Bronx, where cursing is the native dialect, so take that into consideration when speaking to me!
For my part I proudly declare it is good to be wise and profane in the proper application and at the proper times, with literary finesse and evident writing skill, of course…
A stream of curses is retarded leftist KOSKrap, I do not mean that anything like this is acceptable at all to me, and never was ….
But an artfully applied well placed curse in a rant is always approriate in my book, LOL
and ASSHAT doesn’t even register as a profanity to me.
This is no time in history for every freaking Marquis of Queensbury Blogapuss to think they have a right to dictate my speech.
Part of why I am so consitently “incorrect” is in absolute protest to this creeping PC among people that are on “my side” as well as among the Commietose whores of Gramsci.
He who controls language controls thought.
Get yer mitts off my tongue, asshats.
Another part of why I refuse to revert to the “I’m soOOOooo smaart” school of posting blogging and writing” (because I certainly could do that) is that there is enough of that dull deriviative passionless crap everywhere as it is. Who needs more of it in these times?
We dont have time to waste being polite anymore, Judah the Hammer all the way for me.
The blog owner makes the rules, IMO.
I think “profanity” is in the eye of the beholder. The “f-bomb” in certain usages actually adds to the message while in other uses detracts from it. It really depends, and, at least in my opinion, actually added to the message.
The question here, at least as I see it, isn’t so much about the word ASSHAT being “offensive” but whether the blog owner would have banned someone else that referred to the Duke players/their attorneys or someone on the other side of the fence by using the same word.
If it’s a selective ban, I’d find that a bit irritating, but then again, their blog –their rules, even if they don’t make sense or are blatantly partisan.
Just my humble 2 cents.
If some hypersensitive pinhead gets his, her, hisher or its knickers in a knot over “asshat”, he, she, heshe or it needs to increase the voltage on those shock treatments.
If someone got in my face about “asshat”, I would bestow some Hambo class enlightenment on them: “Your sensitivities are not my responsibility or my problem, so get over it.”
I just don’t get these clowns who whine about the level of discourse on the Internet. The great thing about Al Gore’s information super highway is that it’s one of the few places in America where an individual can engage me – experience – unrestrained free speech.
Hambo’s Law of Free Speech: You do not have the Constitutional right NOT to be offended.
Is it a bad word? Well as has been explained above it is on that guy’s blog. However do not despair, use alternative descriptions. Stay with me on this.
I moderate Lonestartimes.com. My boss has laid out some very specific guidelines on what he will and will not allow. Now on my personal blog (when I bust out of the litigation on my blog name I’ll be back) anyone can get away with saying they are “p***ed off at bull s***t”. However, the boss of LST would rather not see that. OK, I respect that and moderate accordingly.
HOWEVER, this presents a great opportunity to baffle everyone with my brilliant and scathing humor. Just kidding on the lack of humilty there. Anyway, rather than saying the offensive words I change the same sentence above to this:
I have reached my max height of urination and am tired of the constant bovine processed hay.
The boss just shakes his head and I have made my point. Most of the time I use that technigue anywhere I comment. I usually get some chuckles. One caveat though, I have been banned from blogs after using that technique but the banning usually occurs after a warning of using the original offensive language. The best rule of thumb is follow the rules of the blog and be happy. One can be colorful without offense.
Interesting in that as has been said, “his blog, his rules.” I have used this term before, but as with most expletives I throw an asterisk in place of one of the letters, i.e. as*hat.
That of course could get one banned if the blog owner didn’t like the fact that everyone and his uncle’s monkey would know what it meant or the blog owner didn’t like poor spelling or typing to for that matter.
I usually don’t like to offend too much, so shy away from using terminology that may offend, though not for PC reasons or anything.
Is asshat a bad word? Hmmmmm, “as shat” that may be moving into the past tense of a fecal maneuver, hmmmmm, an ass can be anatomical and there is the fitting Democrat party mascot, which doesn’t seem to offend them.
Try using “phuck” sometime…is that an expletive? I guess it’s not our choice. Personally I never banned anyone for language, stupidity or any of that stuff. If they want to go off, go right ahead I just don’t care. But like I said, I just try to avoid it just in case they don’t care for that kind of stuff.
Hey, who cares what I have to say anyway, I’m just a phuckin’ asshat!
I certainly don’t have a problem with it–on my own blog, it’s pretty much a free for all as long as it contributes to substantive debate–if it’s a personal attack and it’s ongoing, I’ll not only ban ya, I’ll hunt you down and turn you over to the FBI–AFTER telling you to get off my blog and don’t come back (have to have that little legality there)–for harassment and cyber stalking. But that’s pretty rare.
Nifong warrants much stronger language IMO–as does the Crystal Gayle Magnum for starting the whole thing (anyone wonder why no one’s brought charges against her for false accusations?)
On the other hand, it is his blog–he just sounds like a power hungry egomaniac to me.
There is an unrecognized second portion to that law.
No one has the Constitutional right to be heard either.
I have email fights with people all the time that get angry with me when I censor there comments or ban them for “inappropriate” comments. I love the “You are stamping on my free speech rights” argument.
I believe the Constitution says that “Congress shall make no law”…it does not say that “blog owners shall make no law” etc etc etc.
Fully agree, but my bitch with this whole thing is this, yeah, it’s his job to Mod any way he sees fit and I fully agree with that, his blog, his rules, to make it a PUBLIC warning for something so minor as using the word ASSHAT, and not just do an edit or delete it?? But to make a big deal of it and threaten to ban someone for that one word, that one time??
A warning, in OPEN FORUM, was done in a deliberate attempt to embarrass the poster and is to me, at least on the 1st so called violation, just the ASSHAT being a prick and attempting to flaunt his so-called power…
And Mr. Egotistical told me, via email, that there are 60,000 words in the English language and there was NO NEED for anyone to use that kind of language, well, Mr. Egotistical isn’t nearly as smart as he thinks he is…
There are approximately 616,500Â in the English language, so, just WHO has the limited vocabulary Mr. Egotistical??
Well personally I’m not offended by that word at all. It’s even funny.
I do, however, when I post (on my blog or comments on others’) play close attention to my language. Not because I don’t talk that way, but because I don’t want to give people unjustified reasons to kick me off. In an argument, if I’m banned, I want it to be clear that it’s because we don’t agree and the person I’m arguing with can’t stand it anymore.
In all fairness, he’s exagerating, but it’s his blog, his rules. Different things are offensive to different people. You could use that word on my blog and I really wouldn’t mind. Write a love Haiku to Kofi Annan on my blog and see how fast you get banned.
Fred
After reading the exchange, I believe the moderator’s tact could use some adjustment.
A public warning is one thing but to be a prick about it is another thing. I learned early on how not to inflame situations. Hell when passions run high people are going to say things, the trick this prick needs to learn is not to inflame the situation.
My rule of thumb is to simply delete the offending word and move along. I know that I am going to be in a no win situation anyway but I will not be abusive or embarrass someone. I have found that if the commenter has a question about the deletion (that is how I gage the response) it is better if I explain the rules than get into a urinating contest. Usually I get my way and keep the commenter coming back. Except with liberals. They are another story because the do not recognize any authority, it is that gray area they like to live in.
My second rule is never make it personal and don’t take it personal.
Write a love Haiku to Kofi Annan on my blog and see how fast you get banned.
Ahhahhahhahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
THAT was funny!
Oh My Cloudy Monkey
Whore of the Caliphate’s Whores,
Come closer, you prick
/ in Hebrew, Kofi Annan means “my cloudy monkey”
Oy that was a SIX syllable first line wasn’t it?
Oh well.
Leave it to me to break yet another literary rule.
I think Asshat is fine..but then I posted an award for the NY times that had a hat with poop on it– so I give commeters a bit more ladtitude.
With that said..I have to agree that we all get to control the content of our own blogs. so if he doesn’t want that word in his comments section its his choice.
I do think if someone comments and gives his real email and you don’t want to post it, a public rebuke is not necessary, especially if its a first offense.
And of course none of the above changes the fact that Nifong IS an “effing” Asshat
My opinion really won’t matter on this one as I consistently use much worse profanity than asshat on my site but that won’t stop me from sharing it with everyone
Methinks someone (the moderator) just got their panties in a wad over a non-issue and I certainly think that I have seen, heard and muttered much worse than that.
If I were moderating a forum where ANY foul language were not welcome I would delete it and then send you a PM asking you to refrain from any further profanity. That would be the end of it.
Sammy
Be real and I mean extremly real careful about contacting folks via email especially when rebuking them. That email can come back to haunt you in a court of law real quick.
I have not said this yet…..Nifong is an asshat. Now I feel better.
Two more things
Babbazee: In Israel, there is a place in the Golan Heights that used to be Israeli Army bunkers…now it is a tourist site- called Ahnon. There is a coffee place next to the bunker site…coffee in Hebrew is pronouced Kowfee. So yes the place is called Kowfee Ahnon..some things you just cant make up.
The other thing is Kofi Annan is not hebrew, They are the Yiddish world for Asshat
Fred, I wouldn’t have issued a warning in “Asshatâ€. It’s not a term used in my neck of the Carolina swamps. But judging from the familiarity with it, in these comments, I must be under-exposed, these days, to the influence of you folks on dry land. The frustration of the local ‘gators is usually a strong guttural hiss, or even a roar, but that is about as profane as they get. At least vocally!
As an old Army Vet, myself, I am, “AHEMâ€, unaccustomed to profanity. However, I suspect I have used words as strong, or stronger, on IoF … so I certainly haven’t a leg to stand on… in so far as criticizing you is concerned. So, I won’t.
All things being said however, the old dictum: “His Blog… His Rulesâ€, I think, is valid.
Best regards to all!
Longstreet
“I’d say it’s just the same as being in someone’s house; the guests should abide by the terms of hospitality offered by their host.”
I like that comment and it applies to all our good, ole undocumented Americans as well. Our house, our rules.
Actually, “asshat” is kinda cute. If Garner can use “asses” in a cartoon, well… I try to avoid name calling but sometimes nothing else works. I see the Liberals now want to be called “progressives” – NOT ON MY WATCH! progressive liberals maybe…
I think asshat works better with the hyphen – everybody’s got one these days, a hyphen that is, why should ass-hats be excluded? It could be defined as “a brainless blob that covers one’s arse” because that is exactly what Nifong’s brain seemed to be as it spilled out of his skull in his witless pursuit of assassinating those La Crosse players at Duke – silly putty in the hot sun.
His blog, his rules. Sometimes though we need a bit of humor and sometimes humor is all we’ve got in the face of today’s lunacy.
In the term, ass-hat, I just see a blob of slime like the blob that ate NY just covering Nifong’s arse. Or when we use the term, cover your ass – for paperwork, that could now be called an “ass-hat” report that covers your ass.
But on my blog, it is my rules; so it’s fair for others to have the same approach. No matter how politically motivated we are, it is still “his blog, his rules.”
I don’t consider that an offenive word, but I agree with Captain Ed, it’s his or her blog. If the moderter is consistent, not a problem.
I don’t really like the word, but Nifong is plenty more than an asshat. He is a crook.
Sure it’s his blog and his rules, but that fact doesn’t insulate him from criticism. Some blogs and moderators suck and that’s okay to say, just as it is fine to criticize the New York Times editorial staff.
These sort of policies CAN be related to google ranking and advertisers, but at least he should explain it if that is the case. I banned “fascist” in my comments for that reason. I am such a libertarian control frreak!
I fully agree Spook, and he’d better be consistent, if he’s not, I will blast the blog itself, BY NAME and owner, and I know they are a much bigger blog than me, but I never let SIZE keep me out of a fight…
I have no problem with what he did, I have a serious problem with the way he did it…
And I HATE hypocrisy…
sammy Benoit Says:
Thanks Sammy
haha
The truth is always stranger than fiction!
I was told it was from the Hebrew, the cloudy monkey thing, and Grandma is no longer with me to verify Yiddish for me…so thanks again
Considering that the word ASSHAT would probably get yer weenie spanked by the “not nice” word police Nazis over at FreeRepublic.com, I’d say “ASSHAT” is too soft a term when describing someone who, for the sake of political advantage, chose to ignore so many facts in a case which was so transparently reverse racism and wreaking of class envy.
Here’s a much more accurate label that immediately comes to mind: FUCKTARD!!!
I think some people get freaky about curses because they think what people say in the comments could effect them with nanny-blockers and such. This is not the case as far as I can tell. My blog rates a ‘G’ and I have some pretty profane commenters –I personally don’t curse because I don’t want to be blocked by schools, military, etc but from my experience what people say in the comments isn’t included in scanning of the context of your site.
*I* don’t consider “asshat” a “bad” word, but I’m also not a good person to ask because people that are bothered by words are much more offensive to me than the words themselves…
They have “not nice” police nazis at free republic?
Jeez.
LGF must seem like the freaking wild west to those people then, LOL!
And even at LGF I have been noticing that many people are getting more “sensitive” and PC every day.
People used to get me over there right away and now I find I have to explain myself to the nuanced polite and chronically insulted more and more often. And these are not leftists.
Feh.
Phuck the Professionally Affronted.
In Perpetuity.
Thrice.
Asshats.
Goodnight Fred, don’t worry about it, you have an open invitation to come to my blog and say Asshat MFer all might long LOL
except not as many people will see it.
It was the Freepers? Wow, that surprises me. I’ve seena lot worse than asshat said there…
I consider ‘asshat’ on the extreme “Mild” end of The Blog Scale of Offensive Language. I personally, would not care if someone left a comment (especially about Nifong) on my blog. If the owner of the blog in question booted you for ‘asshat’ but not someone else for something stronger, then that person is probably just being difficult in order to promote some freaky agenda.
But you are correct about Nifong. On his best day, he holds a position of honor on the Supreme Council of Earth AssHats.
PAY ATTENTION FOLKS:
IT WAS NOT FREE REPUBLIC, I HAVE NOT POSTED THE NAME OF THE SITE AND UNTIL I DO, WELL, IT’S NOT FREE REPUBLIC…
I don’t have a problem with that word. I think it is entirely appropriate of the individual involved and is not something to be booted for if used.
Add me to your list of “yeas” for the word.
Fred speaks his mind and has the freedom, as I understood the concept of free speech in blogs, to say what he wants. I have seen blogs that are extremely offensive and avoid them, his verbiage is appropriate for the subject.
‘Nuff said
This is the comment, no warning, just the edit, which I have NO problem with, and here’s the THREAT, for which I think he is a 1st class PRICK!!
On June 22nd, 2007 at 11:17 am, TexasFred said:
Couldn’t happen to a more deserving a**hat…
C’Mon Fred! You know better than that.
Next time, it’s the door.
RM
Michelle Malkin » Breaking: Criminal contempt motion against Nifong to be filed
And to add, Michelle did NOT issue this warning, it was issued by Rick Moran… One of her Moderators… And if you go to the comments you’ll see an almost identical comment under it, I tried to stop the comment, I actually thought better of the asshat comment and was going to change it but they don’t have an edit function…
I’m with ya Fred, all the way. I normally try to refrain from profanity on my blog, but I make no claims of perfection. I ask only that my readers do the same. I have used the word asshat before, and I most likely will again, so no, I do not feel that the action of the moderator (and as you said, NOT THE OWNER) are waranted.
I agree with others here. The blog owner makes the rules.
I almost never use profanity in my posts, even what I consider to be slightly vulgar words.
That’s just a choice I’ve made. I also choose to let comments stand as they are, unless they are really over the top offensive and scream to be deleted.
Personally, I would not have reacted to “asshat” the way the moderator did.
Something that I would find troubling is if a blog’s rules weren’t applied to all participants fairly.
If an overzealous moderator pulls out the “rules” to harass someone and overlooks the similar behavior of others, I would be ticked off.
I personally like using the word assmonkey. I think I use it effectively here.