Recently, many people have decided that we as a society are offended too often. They claim that our feelings are hurt too easily and we care too much about "things that don't matter."

See article, by my fellow North Georgia Odyssey writer: " Stop Being Offended by Everything ."

You cannot claim that something is offensive only if one person finds it offensive. By assuming you can determine what does and does not matter, you are using your personal experience to dictate the feelings of others.

There is the idea that we as a society are too "politically correct." There are those (the Donald Trumps) who argue that we should be blunt and straightforward. But if your "brutal honesty" humiliates and degrades other people, you have overstepped your rights and are now violating the rights of others. These jokes, slurs, words and ideologies infringe on the rights of the individuals in the oppressed groups they affect.

We do not always allow ourselves to recognize how our words and actions may be dehumanizing to other individuals. It is difficult and uncomfortable to do so. But it is imperative that we strive to acknowledge that what we say and do affects others.

Using the word "retard" as an insult is offensive.

It's offensive because 5.3 million Americans are currently living with mental disabilities resulting from TBIs. (The Brain Trauma Foundation) It's offensive because 1 in every 68 children in America fall somewhere on the Autism Spectrum. (CDC) To you, the word "retard" is a casual joke. To them and to their families, it's a harsh reality. When you carelessly use the word "retard," you are trivializing the crippling struggles of these individuals. When you use a word, like "retard," that describes someone's medical condition is in a mocking or scornful manner, you are insinuating that they, as a person, matter less. That offends me.

Homophobic slurs and jokes made at the expense of the LGBT community are offensive.

They are offensive because LGBT students in America are attempting suicide twice as much as their heterosexual peers. They are being bullied by the same "harmless" jokes you are so carelessly repeating at a bar with your buddies. 28 percent of LGBT children have been threatened or injured with a weapon on school property. (CDC) It doesn't matter what religion you practice or what belief system you hold, innocent children are being harmed. They are dying. Because this kind of language teaches these children that they are not important. It slowly and steadily dehumanizes them until they truly believe their lives are worthless. Last week was Suicide Prevention Week. You might have shared a post on Facebook or listened to a speech on your campus, but did you stop to consider that the words you use on a daily basis could contribute to someone's suicidal thoughts? It's uncomfortable to think about. If you tell these callous jokes or repeat these degrading slurs, you are part of the problem. That offends me.

Trophy wife t-shirts and jokes about women making sandwiches are offensive.

They are offensive because the objectification of women makes it just a little easier for abusers to commit horrible acts of violence toward them. They aren't just t-shirts and jokes. They represent damaging ideologies that pervade our society and have real-life implications. They are offensive because somewhere, right now, a woman's husband just got drunk for the third night in a row. He's beating her face with his fists while her children cower in a corner and watch. But she thinks can't leave. Her entire life, people told her that her place is in the home, in the kitchen, on the arm of her husband, raising kids, cooking, and cleaning. Now she has no degree, no job, and no money of her own. She doesn't feel like she has the resources to leave. She feels trapped in a violent, hostile situation. She can't see a way out. So when you say a woman's place is making a sandwich, it offends me. When you call a woman a trophy, it offends me.

The previously mentioned article by a student at my school asks, "Why are we offended by beautiful women?" The social implications behind this question are offensive.

It is asked in reference to the controversial Alpha Phi recruitment video posted by The University of Alabama's chapter of the sorority. I can't be sure, because I don't have the "pleasure" of knowing the writer of this article in person, but I'm fairly certain he doesn't know the all the women in this video. I'm assuming he doesn't think they are beautiful because he knows their personalities and how they treat other people. So his assertion that they are beautiful must be based on the fact they all have the physical attributes our society typically equates with beauty.

The dangerous and deluded idea that your physical qualities determine how beautiful you are is damaging both young men and women in our country. According to the National Association of Anorexia and Associated Disorders, 86 percent of women surveyed on college campuses reported they had an eating disorder by the age of 20. Forty-seven percent of girls ranging from 5th-12th grade said they wanted to lose wait because of media portrayals of women. (ANAD) There are ten-year-old kids in our country who don't eat sometimes because they are taught that the words thin and beautiful are synonymous. We are teaching girls that they are only valuable if they fit into the physical mold our society tells them is beautiful. So they starve themselves and hate the way they look. They are in constant emotional pain. When you perpetuate these distorted ideas of what beauty is, you are encouraging young men and women to continue these behaviors. That offends me.

On the surface, these words, phrases, and ideas may seem innocent or harmless, but they contribute to serious and dangerous social issues. Many argue that words cannot cause harm and can simply be ignored. There is a famous quote that helps show why this is not the case:

"Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become your character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny."

I will strive to eliminate offensive thoughts so they don't become offensive words.

I will keep on rejecting offensive words so they don't become offensive actions.

I will fight against offensive actions so they do not become offensive social habits.

I will rebel against offensive habits so they do not define the character of our nation.

I will keep on being offended because I believe in the ideal America. I believe in the America where "equal rights for all" and "united we stand" aren't just catchy phrases we throw around. I believe in the America where all people, regardless of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, or handicaps are told they deserve to take up space in this world. I believe in the America where we do not degrade one another. I believe in the America where we embrace diversity. I believe in the America where we care about our fellow human beings. I believe in the America where we do not step on other people and expect them to remain silent. So I'm going to keep on being offended until this ideal America becomes a reality.