Offensive Expression

“Hey Kaf, how are you? Why do you look upset?” she asked.  Kaf looked at her, his eyes were red with rage, said “When freedom of speech became an excuse for slander, I wonder.” She smiled and said “Ouch, slander, Err well slander is something you don’t do, not because it is illegal but just out of decency. There is no law that prevents from slander. So well who said what about your mother?” she chuckled when she said mother. That is the easiest way to get someone as agitated as Kaf is now.  Somehow, mocking not the person (or his sexuality), but his mother’s sexuality makes men so mad, she never understood why.  Kaf paused, “No, it is not my mother, it is my people. They are calling them names and I don’t understand why they do it.”

She looked surprised, “Never heard you say that Kaffy boy, what is that you mean by my people? How are you dividing the world as in your people and the rest?” Kaf inhaled slowly now, trying to relax “I meant people like me as in who did certain things like me or people who think like me. These fellas have published offensive stuff in a book and selling many copies of it.”  She raised an eyebrow and said “That’s it? Kaf, no one is forcing you to buy the book or read it. People have a choice of buying it if they want. It is their freedom.” Kaf shot back “What about my freedom then? I feel that book is a wrong influence on people and I why don’t you think about my freedom too”

She gently touched his hand and said “Your freedom is important too. Maybe you should write a book saying how offensive that book is. Let people see your side of the story too and then decide. No point in telling - what to write and sell, just like they cannot tell you the same”. Kaf scoffed. She continued “Who knows, someone could find what you write - offensive. I don’t know if anyone could ever write a book that is not offensive to anyone. Think practically Kaf, someone might get offended with anything anyone says or writes, who knows. Well for that matter, any form of expression could be offensive to someone.”

Kaf closed his eyes “Yeah I guess I have to live with it. You are right; someone will get offended no matter what. I can only respond to some writing by writing. No point in trying to make them shut up.” She gently rubbed his back, “Okay now Kaf, you can tell me what was so bad in that book that made you so upset. You can let it go, you just have to share. Was it a joke in a bad taste?”

Shrugging Kaf replied “I hope it is a joke. I don’t know what to make of it. The book says people like me are some kind of sub-humans. People like me will burn in hell. My actions are so bad that me and people like me are some kind of untouchable. Some of my people even deserve to be stoned to death. Imagine the wrath in that book. People believe the book too.”  He paused and sat down “I am no longer angry. I just feel sad now.”