Were you offended?

This thread has some interesting comments and the consensus seems to be that the use of the word swarm was contextually correct. I wasn't offended by what he said but I'm struggling with what to do about those people in Calais, the pressure on French/British services of so many vulnerable people. Kent children's services has no vacancies in its foster/children's homes. This must have huge knock on effect on children from Kent who may now be shipped anywhere else in the country if they can't be safely kept at home or within their families. I'm "offended" by that, but suspect I am using the word incorrectly.

Soon - I may be wrong about this, but having just read through (quickly) the comments on this thread, what occurs to me is that you are trying to make it all about you

That was re soon. I didn't refresh

Deja vu

words as weapons

soon, this is for you. Way back in the thread you said that you thought my sentence about offence-taking being evidence of intolerance could be racist. If I had spoken in a different context, for example, where someone was actually complaining about a racist slur, I would have agreed with you that what I said could be interpreted as containing racism. However, that was not the context in question, not by a very long chalk, therefore, logically, what I said could only be regarded as racist by someone contorting its meaning. That is what you seem to be doing on this thread with more of my comments.

So here's back at you, politely of course: if I stretch and twist the meaning of some of your comments in the same way as you stretched and contorted mine, a certain word pops up in my head. The word is trolling. So, yes, your 'zipping it' might be a good idea.

However, I do look forward to your next over-simplistic interpretation of something someone has said because it's quite funny to observe such shaky towers and to knock them down. Yes, I'm playing my inner child.

petra but it also doesn't reflect well on others, does it?

Anya. Your post at 07.47. Exactly what I wanted to say but mine was put in a way that I thought would be easily understood. But it appears I'm wrong.

river, I might well use the word swarm in those contexts you suggest (Chatsworth, child's party), but I would say it lightheartedly and with a smile on my face, making it perfectly obvious that nobody and nothing need feel slighted in any way whatsoever. If someone were to "be offended" by such a use I would regard their offence-taking as very silly.

I agree, Riverwalk.

x post.

Words again. I will zip my mouth.

In the main, swarm is used to describe a group of people in a derogatory or negative sense. You wouldn't say a swarm of children attended your grandchild's party or older people were swarming the grounds of Chatsworth would you?

But you would say a swarm of gatecrashers turned up, or protesters swarmed the grounds.

I thought it an unkind use of words aimed at desperate people, many of them genuine war refugees from Syria.

What weight?

Who are thatbags and her friends Anya? The mafia?

Intolerance of actual racism or bullying is fine

Good. And there needs to be a lot of intolerance of other stuff too.

You did not speak figuratively before. You either meant your original words, or didnt think them through properly, or something else.

Hopefully we can leave it at that now.

I dont propose to get drawn into words used by people on gransnet for whatever reason they can get used on here for.

S2B you are fighting above your weight, I'd back off if I were you.

Which sentence?

You dont have to fully and easily explain of course.

But I cant think of any examples that fit the sentence that you said.

Which bit do you want me to explain again?

Poetry is part of the subject. Poetry speaks in metaphor and simile, which you don't seem to understand. I suggest you try to begin to understand it.

Even the divide between tolerance and intolerance is not like a line between black and white. Intolerance of actual racism or bullying is fine. Intolerance of figurative speech (such as the thread is about) is not fine.

I dont like poetry much.

Are you going to keep to the subject?

Then please explain a lot better what you did mean.
In words that are easily understandable.

And some people use many words to poke out what isn't there in other people's words.

Are you fond of poetry, soon?

Blast! I've broken lily's brilliant rule already! No hope for me then