Why all the bad language?

Two well-meaning people have picked up the baton for feminism and are eager to show how bad the "anti-fems" are.

Michael Nugent attempts to document the "nasty pushback" at the "SlymePit" forum.

The list compiled orbits use of the "c-word" applied to specific "feminist" females.

Additionally Eric MacDonald, a friend of PZ, has added his own two cents about language.

The opening salvo:

I have been following — at a distance — the dispiriting farrago of abuse and obscenity aimed at feminist atheists and their supporters. All the completely contemptuous remarks and stultifyingly offensive use of scatological and twatological language to try to get women freethinkers and sceptics to shut the fuck up.

A pointed question:

Why do people think, just because you can throw insults at people from a distance, that it is an appropriate thing to do?

And then a tangent:

One thing that does concern me about all this is that Michael Shermer seems to have lost the plot. He said something stupid. Ophelia Benson called him on it. But instead of simply saying, “Sorry,” and left it at that, he just had to go into a long rigmarole– he couldn’t help it, I guess — a male tic, apparently – that has a tendency to defend what he said, suggest that it was simply said as a matter of routine, because that’s the way it was when, and then pillory Ophelia for calling him on it in the first place. It makes no sense to me. Let’s get this quite straight, shall we? Women play as important a role in the freethought movement as men. [...] In the wider society sexual harassment and assault are still the norm, so, of course, we expect the odd reactionary yahoo amongst nonbelievers too.

And then a comment on Eric's post from one "makagutu"

Any one who must resort to use of abusive language does not need to engage with the public.

Precisely! That’s why I have steered clear of this topic, thinking that this kind of idiocy would just fade away.

Now, this crowd is accustomed to thinking, just What Would PZ Myers Do?

The answer - put words in your mouth.

PZ tweets:

Degrade them as cunts & bitches, like your bunch do, instead? RT @16bitheretic: idea: not having #wiscfi women degrade other women as tokens

 Classy as always.


Questions for these "can't we use nicer language?" folks:

1. How do you feel about Ophelia Benson telling "them all" to "fuck off"?
2. How do you feel about Atheism+'s profane dismissal of other feminists?
3. How do you feel about Rebecca Watson calling a man an "angry virgin"?
4. How do you feel about PZ Myers having a category called "fuckbrained assholes"?
5. Do you share a favorite word with the Atheism+ forums?
6. Do you think you can just take it for granted your critics support using the c-word, imply they are racist, or imply they are serial killers?
7. Is calling someone a "sexist", "misogynist" an insult or do you get to just throw these accusations around?
8. Do you mean to suggest Michael Shermer actually thinks women are less important than men? Are you suggesting that he is a "reactionary yahoo"?