In sublime indifference to English usage, advertisers have taken up the word ‘outrageous’ to describe commercial products whose merits are perhaps not apparent, and therefore any huzzahs hoped to issue from the buying public must be artificially induced.
It is pleasant, however, to think of people who enjoy frequent outrage **, and how they have finally got their comeuppance from certain brands of breakfast cereal.
** “a feeling of anger or violent resentment” — M-W Unabridged
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A display ad in the Washington Post, 18 September 09, read only: “Honor Crime Victims www.crimevictims.gov“
Restitution? if possible. Criminals punished? of course. But “honor”? There is no honor in being the victim of a crime. A friend of mine whose house was burglarized said she felt like she’d been raped. I’m sure most victims of crime feel similarly. Crime degrades the victim emotionally, in addition to any physical or financial harm done. As direct personal revenge is not legally possible in this country, the feeling of degradation may never go away; victims can only try to “get over it.”
The crimevictims.gov web site itself is interesting and useful — and does not contain that ill-conceived phrase “honor crime victims” (Google search, 18 September 2009).
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