@Matt

Before I read your post, I would have probably said I disagree with your reasoning. So, you changed my views on that somewhat, in fact if I were to be honest with myself I'd say I completely agree.

That being said, I think people take what Drumwiz is trying to say entirely too literally sometimes. I still agree with him, but not in a completely literal sense. The reason that being offended is a choice is not because people should be expected to not be offended by clearly offensive things, it's because no matter how much some people would like to believe they can, no one is going to change anyone else. So, if someone offends you, is it better to hold onto it and let it fester for the rest of your life, or to just choose not to let it bother you, tell them how you feel about what they said and move on? That would be my version of choosing not to be offended. It's not really that you're not offended, but more that it's not the end of the world as you know it if you are. Instead of going on the offensive and making yourself no better than whoever offended you, you can choose to be an adult about it. It's obviously unrealistic to think that nothing that is said to you is ever going to offend you in any way by your own volition. I think it's how it affects you after the fact to which Drum was referring. Like I said, you're not going to change the person that offended you. The most you can do is tell them how you feel (and they'll probably laugh at you and ignore it) and move on. That, to me, is choosing not to be offended.