(OK, it’s only tangentially related to the post, but I love this scene from “Ben-Hur,” the greatest horse scene in all of motion pictures.)

As I wrote in an earlier post, I’m backed up in excellent comments, so I’m going to try a new feature, using Saturday, when EA is seeing its streets more occupied with tumbleweeds than readers to honor the comments of the past week that I didn’t get up as Comments of the Day. These will usually come in reverse order, because it’s easier for me to track them down that way.

First up: CD-VAPatriot on “Ethics Quiz: A Horse By Any Other Name…”:

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I don’t think there’s any obligation to change the name. The intention behind the horse’s name is clear, and intention is crucial.

I disagree with your assessment of the little girl. She said that if her horse’s name meant something bad, she wanted it to mean something good. I think that shows an intelligent child who is aware of the discord in the world around her, and instead of capitulating to the negative pressure, she wants to use her tiny platform to turn something ugly into something positive..

Professor Turley frequently says that instead of censorship, we should strive to “combat bad speech with better speech”, and I agree. Part of that is letting go of the notion that every word that might be construed as a slur IS a slur. It means the concept that schools named after historic figures (people once revered who are now torn apart for simply being a man/woman of their era) or sports teams whose names reflect something once acceptable that’s now taboo, etc.,,need to immediately change their name/logo/mascot and repent.

If we yield to every criticism by every person who claims offense to a name, an expression, a job, an idea, etc., half the world won’t be able to say/write a single word, out of fear of retribution, and when people cannot communicate freely they cannot communicate effectively, and everything from education to workplace relations to social /intimate relationships break down completely.

Where would that leave us all?

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(I’m sorry: WordPress was being weird, and I had to re-post this, losing the comments already made.)