[BigwigRabbit]

This is a Nazi.

[whatever]

I understand your frustration--really I do. I even admire your tenacity to fight over this term. However, as was pointed out in the last several battles you have fought over this, times change.

Now the term "Nazi" is used very often to denote someone in a position of authority who abuses their power with a superior attitude.

I wish you luck in your campaign. But I think you are fighting a losing battle.

When I was a child, one of the most offensive terms to my grandfather was "brown-noser." I never understood back then because I was measuring it by the current definition of someone who is suer nice or helpful only because of hopes of getting favors returned--usually from someone in authority. Apparently it meant a very different thing for my grandpa. So I see where you are coming from.

I just hate to see you get stressed out every time this comes up.

[reddlox]

THANK YOU! I spent some time in Germany this summer and toured a concentration camp. Just visiting was traumatic. I don't care how the term 'Nazi' has changed to some people, what happened at the hands of the Nazi's does not deserve to be minimised. There are still holocaust survivors among us, how would they feel at hearing this term? I commend you for saying something, and stand right there beside you.

[Opal]

to be honest-Nazi is an emotionally laden term that should not be tossed about-way to much pain attached. How about dictator? Of course you might not like that one if you lived in Chile during Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship..hmm..maybe we need to find other words to describe a control freak other then someone who was responsible for so many others' deaths. I know-how about ...control freak!

[nicksgirl]

I applaud your mature response to that.

[MissESL]

I don't like or use the word.
I also think we overly compensate for the sake of being 'politically correct'

People learn and practice differently and it's often hard to accept (and this is not excusing anyone, it is simply a fact). I applaud your response to that and hope that poster understands your feelings on the matter.

[MandyTeaches]

I agree with the others, I think we should not use this word to mean a control freak or what have you. It's like how kids say "that's gay" to mean something is stupid or dumb. Even though meanings may change in some ways for certain people, it is still inappropriate in many cases. Especially since there are still many people who share Nazi ideals! Imagine if people in 50 years started using the N word to mean something completely everyday. No thanks.

But I will always be a fan of The Soup Nazi from Seinfeld.

[teach2read10]

I understand how you feel when a word loses its true meaning. I hate the word pimp being used the way it is used now, almost as a positive thing. I cringe when someone talks about "pimping" a car and or a comedian bases his act on being a pimp. When I hear "pimp" I automatically think of girls and women being beaten and abused while their bodies are sold daily.

[Alicia G]

Another word that bugs me is crusade, especially when religious TV shows (no, I don't watch them, but we all encounter them as we "channel surf") have some sort of crusade.

However, it's hard to stop language from evolving.