Jonah Hill, an actor of great girth and modest talent, has been in the headlines for his use of a "homophobic slur." A paparozzo spent a day baiting him in hopes of provoking something newsworthy, and Hill obliged, calling him a "faggot." Now Hill is turning his large buttocks upward to the nation in penance. "I played into exactly what he wanted and lost my cool and in that moment I said a disgusting word that does not at all reflect how I feel about any group of people."

Hill has been a vocal defender of gay rights, even risking the wrath of Putin by criticizing anti-gay laws in Russia. Unless he is considered truly cynical, few will suspect him of homophobic feelings.

Then why is he abasing himself? The oppressive tyranny of political correctness insists. Every remark has to be dissected for any trace of anything that might be construed as offensive (or was once offensive) to any group of people, even when people who are labeled feel they have nothing in common with each other. (I realize I have already insulted the avoirdupois-challenged.) 

How much do homosexuals–other than the media whores–really care about this? Homosexuals I know call each other faggots all the time. 

What Hill did was benign: he was angry, and reached for an insult. This one, which is much in vogue, was the first that came to mind. It had no meaning. He, like many people, probably started saying it before he knew what a faggot is. 

If the PC guardians insist on literal interpretation of epithets, they should get to work on, for example, asscan, chode, cuntosaurus, dipstick, douchebag, fucktard, jerk-off, tool, twit, and wanker. Consider all the people who might be thought to be violated by these terms! (Masturbators are especially vulnerable; shame prevents defenders rising to their cause.) 

Or we could lighten up. People say shit all the time. Who cares?

(Courtesy of Numbers the roach.)