Clinton--I don't pretend to always practice what I preach--but I disagree with you.

MMario--It is about both. I may be forgiven for not realizing that my action or words are offensive to some one from a totally different culture or experience, but on this forum, and at least 75% of the time as we go about our daily lives in this country, most of us have a pretty good idea of what might be 'perceived' as offensive by most people or by well-known minority populations.

ex. Tarheel may not have meant to be highly insulting and offensive when he posted his racist joke. But issues of racism are well enough known in this country that there is no good excuse for his being ignorant enough to think he could make that joke in a public forum, even though it is nearly entirely a 'white' forum and not have many of usperceive it as highly offensive.

Janie