Offense: Build a Bridge II

I realize just by posting this the words on the screen may be saved as a PDF, printed, and then dutifully taken to the speech police to report me.  I know that all you have to do is utter something that vaguely offends someone and there is no limit to the things they will do to stand in the way of your goals and try to prevent you from earning a living.  I also know that 99.99% of people find this kind of oversensitivity distasteful and the supposedly aggrieved party actually hurts herself more socially than she does her target professionally.  Finally, I know that no matter how careful I am, even if I only use some prescribed list of terms and phrases and even if I was never facetious, I would still inadvertently offend some poor, over sensitive person that would need an authority figure to vindicate their pain and suffering at the aural offense of my spoken words.  With that said, I wonder what is the point of worrying so much about offense.  I know what I lose by being concerned with this.  I lose the ability to express opinions.  I lose the ability to introduce controversial texts, authors, and ideas to my students.  I lose the ability to turn a critical eye on some sacred cows of society in order to teach the critical thinking skills I believe one is supposed to get from a liberal arts education.  So, I can’t watch every little word I say and only reference non-controversial texts.  I can’t fall over myself apologizing every time someone gets the vapors over the realization that we live in a pluralist society, which includes some things you might not like.  I can’t reduce my sense of humor to a G-rated Disney cartoon and I can’t reduce my brainwaves to the low dull droning ache required to view the world in non-offensive black and white morality.  I simply lack the ability to accommodate your level of sensitivity.  Considering the ethics of my chosen field and the utility of philosophy, it is a very good thing I cannot devolve to your level of hysteria.