[Pturner]

Originally Posted by ssmith

Ok, so I agree that the term "Drinking the....."is used in common language. I have heard it often here in Northern Indiana not referring to the T.V. However, if someone is open enough to tell me that they take offense at that term, then out of consideration I don't use it. Sorry for any offense Red. Sorry that other people have little consideration for someone else . No one cannot legislate it, but Red is being open and honest with something that is hurtful to her and others. It was one situation before you knew about the degree of hurt it caused it is another when you know about it.

Reminds me of the speech "All I ever needed to know I learned in Kindergarten". Part of that speech is about being kind.

Yep, I too have hurtful things in my life and we all need to learn how we will handle them. I personally take offense at taking the name of the Lord in Vain but I am afraid that is another topic.

Few things are as important in life as kindness and thoughtfullness. A review of the issue in question might be helpful...

Originally Posted by redwitch

Y'all are honestly missing the point. It isn't so much about the phrase itself but about the attitude of at least one person and, from reading this thread, the attitude of several others.

The thread to which I was originally referring seems to be missing some parts, so here's a quick rundown of what occurred:

1. Newbie posted about being thrilled that they've purchased and are moving here soon. The last line was a reference to drinking the Kool Aid.

2. The next post started with a comment that there have been previous posts about not using the phrase re Kool Aid and then went on to welcome the newbie.

3. Post #3 gave an account of how the phrase was actually a positive reminder to him of his childhood.

4. Post #4 was downright rude and obnoxious. It truly was in the "neener neener" category. That is, it basically said, "I don't care if you don't like something or if something hurts, if I want to say it, I'm going to say it and you can't stop me." No, those were not the exact words but it was certainly the message conveyed. (And, yes, that poster has responded in this thread a few times; and, no, I won't say who any of the posters were since the original post appears to have been edited and these replies removed.)

My issues were (1) this phrase is hurtful to some (one member of this forum her lost her mother and sister in Guyana -- that's a pain that will never go away); (2) some basic consideration for the feelings of others costs you nothing. I would never do a post asking someone to not use a phrase because it brings up personal issues to me -- that's my problem, not theirs. My issue was and is with the poster who blatantly let it be known that the feelings of others was irrelevant and s/he would say whatever s/he wanted.

So, I created this thread for two reasons: (1) as a way to let those who didn't know or had forgotten the modern-day connotation of the phrase; (2) to hopefully get people to not deliberately say something hurtful and hateful just because they can as was done by poster #4 in the newbie thread. It was not even meant that people should not use the phrase -- that is up to each individual.

I did not intend that people take this as it is politically incorrect to say they drank the Kool Aid. I intended it as a reminder that the phrase can be truly painful to some and, more importantly, there really is no excuse for someone to deliberately and obnoxiously say something they know is hurtful just to prove they can.

And, hopefully, this is now the end of this.