Well, Kit, this lady has plenty of filters, and I know how to use them. I regard reading here at FR the same as reading my hometown newspaper (well, ok, I haven't subscribed in 6+ yers). The paper is written and published by NIMBY libbers from downstate who want to freeze us at 1950...after they get all their special projects done, of course.
My point is that this is a free-speech zone. While abiding to the posting rules here at FR, it is still just too easy to offend some readers. Well, tough cookies I say! (Floyd L. Turbow reference)
We have enough censorship, I don't think we need to self-censor because "so and so doesn't like it when we talk about ThisOrThatTopic". I have seen things posted here, both the whole article/picture and by links, that literally make me want to puke. But, none of you knew that, did you? Why not? Because I don't regard this as my own private sandbox, guided by my rules and values. Oh, and you would be quite surprised by the names of the posters who posted such sickening stuff! But, as I said, not my sandbox. I have this wonderful scroll button. I also have some loose rules about what I say and when I say it.
So, in short, a nasty, icky time may be upon us. Nasty icky things may be spoken of, or pictured. So what? It's real. Reality I can deal with. Virtue signaling makes me want to throw mudballs.
Oh, and speaking of icky and gross stuff...when I was 16 my cousin made me learn how to skin and field dress a rabbit. He said if I didn't do it, he would tell the whole huge family that I was a sissy. Even at 16, my anti-sissy sensibilities were well known. So yah, there's that for nasty and icky.
So enough of this "Let the ladies go to the drawing room and speak of Michelangelo, while the menfolk smoke and talk real world stuff in the library." I found that by making myself very small and keeping my opinions to myself that I learned a lot more in the library with the menfolk than gossiping in the drawing room!
Hi, Blu!
Well said.