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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/27070
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

I am writing a first person narrative with a character that is very similar to myself. As such I feel like the narrator should speak and think in language that I, personally, would use. Unfortunately, I feel like it may detract from the message I am trying to convey to the reader if I write such things verbatim. For example, a conversation similar to that which I had with a friend once:

> **Me:** I have realized that I am a terrible person.   
> **Friend:** what? I don't think so.   
> **Me:** Well, I mean, not in the way that I would rape a kitten or anything, but I could see throwing shit at the old guy in front of me that won't move aside or walk faster.

I have used the "rape a kitten" or something similar to it in my regular speech as well as my thoughts and my writing to describe something unusually bad. My question is: Should such things be avoided in my writing? (I have gotten better in my speech, so that is not an issue.)

Edit: I am perfectly fine with "Yes, freedom of speech" or "no, it's morally corrupt" answers, but there needs to be a reason, e.g. writing style or ruining suspension of disbelief.

Edit 2: I am not attempting to legitimize or trivialize or defend anything (maybe my example comes off that way, and if so I apologize but if I change it I feel like I would chameleon the question). I will definitely bear in mind the context.

Original score: 8