Banning The Words Racist, Homophobic and Heretic . . . Yeah Man!

Reverend Mike at Rev. Mikes Homiletic Home Page has a post up on words that need to be banned in political discourse. The money grafs:

"In the same manner in which the "N-word" has become unacceptable to use under any circumstances whatsoever, regardless of context, I'd like to propose a couple of others -- "racist" and "homophobic." I might add "heretic" to the list as well. Not because the words in themselves are not appropriate when used in their proper context. Not at all.

I'd like to suggest that these words come to us far too easily outside of their proper context. They're showstoppers. When they enter into the conversation, they end the conversation. It's not that there are no such things as racism or homophobia or heresy. It's that they are incendiary. Because racism, homophobia and heresy are so morally repugnant, the latter more so for its inquisitional past, these words immediately put the person against whom the accusation is directed on the defensive, and they render the conversation untenable. They are the sine qua non of ad hominem attacks."

Read the whole thing.