Were you offended?

as and when

We are discussing life though.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33716501

Oh please! What a lot of fuss about nothing. It's just a word for heavens sake. And yes, they were swarming, so what's the problem.

Who was he criticised by in the first place? The leader of the Opposition, Harriet Harman.

Regards the use of the word"swarm" These bloody bleeding heart liberals, should swarm off to another country. Preferably one with restrictions on free speech.

I hadn't realised it was a contest. Yes, most people think use of the word "swarm" was OK - a few of us didn't. Why that invokes such nastiness I really don't know.

More offended by David Cameron's assertion that the overturning of the pesticide ban was supported by scientific opinion. That was a direct lie. His own scientific advisors advised against it!

All debates, discussions, disputes, controversies are contests of a sort. Assertions and opinions are contested. Not a big deal; I was just interested to know if there was a majority one way or the other. Democracy and all that, you know.

There has been very, very little nastiness.

As has been said before, Harriet Harman had a first class education at a top public school for girls and continued at a first rate university where she read Law. As such she has an excellent grasp of the english language and knows perfectly well that the word swarm is an acceptable word when describing a large gathering of people. To try and make political capital about this is both absurd and hypocritical - and she knows it !! It's very sad that this is all this talented lady can come up with, in order to oppose the government!

I agree. Her comments were pure below the belt political point scoring. She has lost points from me for doing it though.

Give me strength !!!!!!!!!!!! When was a Football Commentator last taken to task for saying "the fans swarmed onto the field"? One dictionary definition of swarm is "a large crowd of people". When will these politically correct po-faces get a life ?!

I was wondering about the 'nastiness' too. Apart from a rather unpleasant post at 17.01 I can't find any evidence of it, but I suppose that's subjective, too...

I consider these comments to be nasty:

These bloody bleeding heart liberals, should swarm off to another country.

When will these politically correct po-faces get a life ?!

I am not offended by his use of words. I think it was not said in error I think it was calculated to appeal to those who want to hear the 'hard line' language of send 'em back where they come from' section of society. Swarm is a word, usually used to describe insects. By using that kind of language it helps to dehumanise these unhappy people and make it more palatable to take a tough stance.

If he had said this 'mass of desperate people' rather than 'swarm of migrants' it would have sent a different message. Language is very powerful.

That was the post I referred to Eloethan. I agree that it was unnecessarily unpleasant.

He didn't say 'a swarm of migrants' Penstemmon. He said 'a swam of people'. There is a difference, as I'm sure you'll agree.

'swarm', not 'swam'!

So do I, eloethan. One out of two hundred and forty odd is very, very little, as I said. Brush it aside.

It is still a dehumanising term and I believe thoughtfully chosen.

Those who think language is powerless and 'it's just a word' are being duped.

I am confident in my 'bleeding heart liberal' convictions and am not offended by those who try to use it to undermine me and my opinions. Those who use the term 'politically correct' when they hear a view they are opposed to are also trying to belittle. They appear to feel unnerved by the idea that some members of society care about people's feelings and think about others, different to themselves, as human beings capable of the same feelings and emotions.

I don't believe the word was thoughtfully chosen, but we'll have to disagree on that.

It seems rather unfair, though, to associate all those of us who think that the word 'swarm' in the context it was used was acceptable with the one discordant post on this thread.

As this is a country of free speech then anyone is free to say they consider the use of swarm does dehumanise the asylum seekers , those who spout that those who condemn the use of the word should leave for another country obviously doesn't believe in free speech and should move to a country which does not hold with freedom of speech

Ana I didn't. I just expressed my thoughts on DCs choice of words.

So the third paragraph of your post was all about DC's choice of words, Penstemmon? I thought you were referring to the view expressed by Balini.

Sorry I had not read previous comments as I had just come to a long thread and so was commenting on the OP only. I did not have time or inclination to read 10 pages.

Still, you used the phrase 'bleeding heart liberal' which is a direct quote from Balini's post and was certainly not used in the OP.