Sunday, April 13, 2014

Perplexed, and a Question

By Keith N Fisher

You should know. In my youth, I spent a lot of time in Boy Scouts. I also spent a lot of time drinking beer in Boy Scouts. As a scout leader, I never drank beer, but I could’ve in my private time.

As some of you know, I work nights at a convenience store. The other night I had two customers. They bought two 30 packs of beer and I checked their ID. One of them wore a T-shirt that said something about the BSA (Boy Scouts). I made a snide remark about Boy Scouts and drinking beer. One of the guys chuckled and they both left.

A few moments later one of them (not the T-shirt wearer) came back and told me they didn’t appreciate my comment about Boy Scouts and drinking beer. I was perplexed. If it’d happened twenty years ago I would’ve argued, but I immediately apologized.

I apologized four times in fact. When the guy with the T-shirt came in, I said please accept my apology. The other guy just kept on beating a dead horse. Finally, they left.

Now, if this had been twenty years ago, I would’ve said look, I’ve apologized four times now leave it alone. I would’ve taken it to another level and I would’ve regretted doing that. As it was, I shook my head and went back to business.

Now, I ask you, What was so offensive about my comment? I don’t get it. As I said, I’m perplexed. Have we really come to a place where humanity can’t speak to each other for fear of offending? Being politically correct is one thing, and using correct pronouns is a personal thing, but was my comment offensive?

2 comments:

Unknown said...


I can not understand what you say, but at least I can give my opinion:
you have mentioned is not a place where people can share, talk to each other for fear of violating, That's the worst thing that I've never thought, must have very strict laws, people like to live in hell loss of freedom in all aspects of fear. I do not like it.hopy

Hemant Gahlot said...

There was nothing wrong in the comment. That things have changed and the parameters of offensive and inoffensive also undergo change as per the circumstances. An apology should have been peacefully accepted by them. It seems like the linguistic norms have also changed as can be seen in the language used on cellphones for communications. hence the total impact of simple apology doesn't reach the psyche of the modern man and they continue to show their disappointment. may be its time that the linguistic parameters are a-changing globally. I wouldn't call it lack of patience or restlessness among the youth. Just that they are like that only because of their exposure to electronic devices right from their childhood.