Offense

An offense is a violation of dignity and personal or collective rights; insult by word or deed, or both; an injustice, perceived as a form of evil. It is always ugly. It may be real, or it may be imagined. The taking or giving of "offense" may be a pretext for generating conflict, and is often a hot topic in partisan politics. Frequently someone claims that another writer or speaker has said something "offensive", which was "wrong".

An offense that is deliberate is intended to produce at least one of two basic responses:

• Suffering or Fear
• Anger or Violence

Common offenses include specious reasoning, sacrilege, blasphemy, oppression, tyranny, slavery, contempt, ridicule, alienation, intimidation, treachery, treason, mutiny, prejudice, racism, hate-mongering, vandalism, fornication, adultery, child molestation, bullying, oppression, cruelty, kidnapping, imprisonment (especially false), taking hostages, mutilation, killing, manslaughter, gossip, slander, libel, character assassination, hypocrisy, false witness, envy, conspiracy, fraud, crimes, torts, misdemeanors, and negligence (either culpable or non-culpable).

See also

• Political correctness

• Rhetoric

• Polemic

• Prejudice

• Litigation

• Mediation

• Conflict resolution

• Human rights

• Hypocrites

• Outrage

• Sin

• Apology

• Reparation