Thinking is overrated.

I have friends from a variety of social milieus.  A strong percentage of my friends are huge gamers.  So, unfortunately, a lot of my time when I'm with them is spent watching them game, or listening to them talk about gaming.  Usually, I'm okay with this.  Though I am much too busy and not nearly coordinated enough to be interested in video games, I'm usually all right with this.  I have become fairly well versed in game speak, and I'm sometimes even entertained by it.

However, a while ago, the enjoyment I found in this simple activity began to dwindle.  My normally sensitive friend sniped some guy in the head from a building.  "I just raped this guy!" he shouted to us all, laughing.

I was shocked.  I looked around the room.  Nobody else seemed to be affected the same way I was. Apparently, this was normal behaviour.  Referencing one of the most disgusting indictable crimes in a casual way?  No big d.  Everyday occurance.

At first, I just rolled with this kind of behaviour.  But then I started hearing it more and more.  And not just the word "rape" being thrown around like a casual activity.  I hear "gay," "retarded," "faggot," "jew," "pimp," even the "n" word, every day.  Realistically, the chances are that almost every person around you either has been raped, is gay or a minority, or knows someone who is.  One in three girls, for example, has been sexually assaulted by her senior year.  And yet a majority of people use these words, and nobody does anybody about it.  Why?

I don't have an answer.  All I know is, using these words is simply stupid and inconsiderate.  It's not okay.  And I'm going to start doing all I can to stop the use of these words.