Were you offended?

The semantics discussion was initiated by the rejection of a word, not by those who thought that it was a perfectly good term to describe a swarm of people trying to get over or throgh barriers.

It is possible, you know, to think about semantics AND the humanitarian crisis. They are not mutually exclusive.

There was a time we turned Jews away yet we profess to be to the fore on human rights, we are only concerned with self

It's time we changed the law again to stop people being able to get redress because they say they have been offended by someone/somehting.
I'm not denying that some people have reason to be offended, but there are an awful lot more who have joined the bandwagon to build a whole range of mountains out of a speck of dust!!
Life is about being ecstatic, sad, disappointed,envious, angry , pleased, and sometimes offended. So what?

Swarm, as someone said, is an innocuous word that describes a large number, and even if not innocuous are we going to reduce the English language to plain, unvarnished dry facts? We should glory in our language which allows us to paint pictures with words, metaphors, similes, alliteration, omanatopeia etc!

I'M offended by people being offended over absolutely nothing! What are they going to do about that??

As for the comment about the prostitute being murdered..well what is wrong with that? For a start, a prostitute can be of either sex, and secondly it's apposite to the story in that it's possible that the job puts someone at greater risk. Seems to me the writer is the one making the inference. Would they object to a report saying that a steeplejack had fallen off a building?
And finally, please don't bring up the next generation of children with the view that if they don't like what someoen says thay have a right to seek reparation for the fact that they have been offended. What a sorry world we would soon live in.

helmacd I agree.

Where's the 'like' button when you need one?

You're a bit late with the lasyt sentence helmacd. We've already brought our "next generation" up.

late

not that strange word that appeared by magic

Oh God. I've got that wrong!

work it out

I still don't think you should use "swarmed" about people. It's for insects. (a swarm of locusts)

AB..... ' only concerned with self', really? that must be why so many people enjoy living here, and why others flock here then.
good post Helmacd by the way.

Why would I be offended? The meaning of the noun includes this:

(a swarm/swarms of)
a large number of people or things:
"a swarm of journalists"
synonyms: crowd · multitude · horde · host · mob · gang · throng ·

I especially like the example of a swarm of journalists. Seems fitting!

We understand that some people don't think the word swarm should be used of people. Have you got that? We understand that you don't like it. Fine. Don't use it in that way then.

But leave the rest of us with the same choice: to use words we like and think apposite and not to use words we don't like for whatever reason.

That's all there is to it.

I don't need permission from anyone else to use a word.

Censorship is essentially what some of you are after. Well, tough, you can't have it.

petra. No. I just mean that a larger population, from whereever it comes, is not all doom and gloom, from a jobs perspective.
Any increase in population will result in more jobs or part jobs for others.

No you dont need permission thatbags. But is that not where the empathy discussion comes in?

Nothing to do with sympathy or compassion. Empathy.

There are quite a few people on Gransnet, jings, who think you should not use all the words you do in the context you do, but you don't let it stop you.

Pointing out hypocrisy is however a valid comment considering it was her comment that set the 'crazy ball' rolling.

It certainly is valid to comment on hypocrisy POGS, however, you do not seem to have shown, in any way whatsoever, that HH was being hypocritical. You may not like what she said or agree but you have no proof that her views are other than what she was saying while I would suggest that her politics are well enough known to suggest that it is more than likely she did believe what she was saying. Simply by saying it cannot make it hypocritical; you would have to show her words were a pretence, for instance, that she had said one thing and done another.

There is a difference between opinion and fact again with "that set the 'crazy ball' rolling". It may be you opinion that discussing this is a "crazy ball rolling" but it is equally mine that this was a very suitable subject for discussion.

You have not, in any way, shown her to be being hypocritical. All you have only shown that her views are not yours.

But........ we're not talking about you Bags, or any other Gransnetters, or the population in general. We are talking about the Prime Minister.

You, of course, can use whatever words you want.

Oh! For fuck's sake Elegran! That comment is, at best, lame. Why make it personal?

Why have I got back into this silly thread? Too many small minded nit-pickers methinks.

I reckon the Vikings came in swarms too, in their elegant boats. I think I have some Viking blood.

Picture them, swarming over the sides of their boats to invade...

Swarms, I tell you, positively swarms!

And as for the Germanic hordes....

That's right, Jings, words like that one. As far as I am concerned, you can use it if you feel you must, but there are many people who say they are offended by it - even more than the swarms of people who are offended by being referred to as a swarm.

Freedom of speech works all ways.

I really don't know why the word 'swarm' is considered offensive; having been part of a swarm of people rushing on to the Tube after a big event in Hyde Park I can think of no better way to describe it: many people all rushing together with one objective - to try to get through carriage doors and into a small space. Very frightening it was too, particularly trying to protect two small children in the mist of the swarm.

As for the whole migrant problem, that is another matter altogether from the squabbling over semantics.

A letter from a German in Saturday's i summed up my sense of outrage and disgust when he said he was shocked by British racism
What I do find is offensive is a German man calling the British racist in the light of present-day racist and anti-Muslim rallies in that country.