I recently was accused of making a sexist remark on another thread. I reflexively defended my position in ways that were probably not even necessary, as Ed eventually pointed out.

The problem is with the word "sexist." It ends in "ist." Words with this suffix are almost always associated with bad things, and cause a defensive reaction. Think about it:

Racist
Sexist
Communist
Fascist
Bigamist
Cellist
Lobbyist
Renquist

There's something about each of these words, that were they attributed most people, would cause a defensive reaction right away. All the words have in common is their suffix.

You almost never hear good words with that suffix. There's no "loveist," " fuzzybunnyist," or "peaceist."

How about, in the interest of peace, we all strive to eliminate this suffix from our daily lives. Except, that is, for the physicists, biologists, and novelists among us.

The suffix "ism" should also be banned, for the same reasons.