Political Correctness

[RJ HEDLEY]

Political Correctness
by Philip Atkinson
 
The Inevitable Result Of Political Correctness
By using the excuse of not upsetting anyone, the politically correct are demanding that people behave like the fool who would please everyone; that everyone must become such a fool! All must accept the notions of the Politically Correct as truth, or else! This is the same mentality that inspired the Inquisition and forced Galileo to recant; the same mentality that inspired the Nazis and obtained the Holocaust. Once expression gets placed in a straitjacket of official truth, then the madness that occurs in all totalitarian states is obtained. Life, in private and public, becomes a meaningless charade where delusion thrives and terror rules.

[Gramps]

Ain't that the truth! This is the standard the present Liberals live by. We need to watch ourselves so we don't attempt or do the same. It would make us no better than the Liberals.

Gramps

[dfsutton]

Actually,  I was under the impression that Political correctness was just using less offensive terms for certain occupations, medical conditions, minority status, religious beliefs etc. that are commonly looked down upon, as not to offend those persons.

It is based in respect, because even though you may be so superior and self righteous as to look down on "garbage men" or "retards" or "wetbacks", there is actually nothing wrong with them at all.  They are not a "lesser" people as you were raised to believe, but valuable members of the community that serve a god given role and purpose that is 100% neccessary.

So instead, the Politically correct person calls them the "Sanitation Engineer", or "mentally challenged", or "Mexican American" because we realize that we are not superior. We realize that all religions are to respected, not just the one that worships a man on the cross. We realize that for a society to function that there need to be "sanitation engineers", fast food workers, and migrant workers, and that these people are just as valuable as white republican doctors and lawyers as our society would not function without any of them.  We realize that people of diverse cultural backgrounds are all valuable, not just those that have a strong Aryan jaw and flaxen gold hair.  

All in all, Political respectness is just the respect given to all people when you realize that we all have a role to play, a niche to fill in this world society.

[theirishguard]

David, good to see your post. I hope you had a fair to good Thanksgiving in the sand box. I hope you are well. How is your wife and family in the NOLA area?
Tom

[Newt]

One man-One vote = majority rules. I don't have a problem with respectful titles for certain jobs if it makes those people feel better. I do have a problem with bowing and scraping to a small minority wrecking our traditional holidays and holding up deviant lifestyles as being normally acceptable.

[RJ HEDLEY]

 
That's just common courtesy in my book,  If a person grows up, constantly bombarded by this thing called ''PC'', they don't notice it as much.  That's the way Gun Control will over take this Country, little by little, so as not to upset anyone.
 It's the EXPANDING use of PC that's killing this Country.

Look at "Christmas Holidays" being referred to as , just "Holidays" in the stores..   Don't want to offend who ?  It's A National Holiday and it's called the *Christmas Holidays*

I will spare every one my feeling on GITMO, Torture, Profiling, etc.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

[DDGator]

I do find that there is some overlap between what I would call respect or courtesy and what some call "political correctness."

My parents, who are good people, used a lot of terms for people that I wouldn't use myself.  Nor do they use them anymore.  Society has demanded a bit more respect for people than the denigrating, sterotypical names that were once commonly used even in "polite" society -- so long as you were among "your own kind."  Now I think people see that as disrespectful, whether other people hear it or not.

Moreover, it is not about the use of particular words or terms.  Its about an attitude toward people, and whether certain expressions or actions demonstrate that the speaker holds another person in contempt merely because of his or her race, sex, religion or sexual orientation.

If "political correctness" is about giving people the benefit of the doubt, without classifying them based upon one of these categories -- I guess I am guilty.

I don't hesitate to speak my mind, but I try to direct my criticism toward ideas and behaviors as opposed to status.  I don't think that refraining from disrespecting other groups will undermine our Second Amendment rights.  I do think that projecting an appearance of being "haters" will undermine any group's public perception.

Most of the people in this County are Christians, and I don't have trouble with anyone talking about Christmas.  But -- I don't think its unreasonable for people who have no belief in Christ to have no desire to characterize their own holidays as Christmas.  Do I think they should be offended at the mere mention of Christmas?  No.  Get real.  Do I think that Jews and Muslims and others have a right to banish all mention of Christmas so they don't have to be subjected to it?   No.  Get over it.  But, if they choose to drop the word "Christ" from describing their holiday, I can't quibble with that.

As for retailers, they will do anything to avoid offending people.  If "Christmas" turns off 5% of the population, they will avoid it.  If non-Christians would prefer to shop at a store the recognizes that not everyone is Christain -- can you blame them?

PC is taken to an extreme by some.  No doubt.  That is true with just about everything.

If someone asks you to stop saying "Merry Christmas," I would suggest you will tell them to shove it and that is your right.   On the other hand, if the government tells you that you can't say "Merry Christmas," we will start getting the militia together...

[RJ HEDLEY]

PC is taken to an extreme by some.  No doubt.  That is true with just about everything  Gator



I guess it's the *extreme* that bothers me so much.  So many people walk around with their chin stuck out, looking for something to be offended about.   And all the "Tap Dancing" that comes when we call to inquire as to the New Store Policy of declaring  it "Winter Holiday Season" instead of 'Christmas Holiday' as its been for hundreds of years ... I guess thats me, with my chin stuck out ??  

Walgreens and Lowe's says it will be changed next year.  Tapdancing ?  Come on down [bring your money !]

[R9SCarry]

An aspect of PC that particularly yanks my chain is the way a minority gets ''protection'' - mustn't be called this that or other derogatory ''name''.  Then said minority however seems all but immune from use of derogatory terms back at the majority!!  Oh and, don't start me off on ''hate crimes'' !!!

PC seems to lend itself to empowering of minorities and thus almost subjugation of majorities - all for supposed ''fairness''.  I am all for respect between folks but it needs balance and reciprocity - plus I wonder whether some people are so thin skinned they cannot tolerate some terms.  Free speech needs used responsibly but on a level playing field.

In gun terms PC again goes totally to extremes - when even mention of the word ''gun'', or writing it, seems able to lead to punitive measures.  Schools I am thinking of here.

The we have PC insinuating itself into supposed ''equality'' matters - either gender or ethnic - to such an extent that once more the monorities all but enjoy majority status thru their ''protection''.  The employer who thinks - ''better employ subject 'x' instead of 'y' because if I don't I'll be accused of discrimination".  And to heck with who is best suited to a job thru abiliy etc.

I must stop - this is a touchy subject for me!

[RJ HEDLEY]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20051202/bs_usatoday/someretailersgivethewordchristmasanod

[DDGator]

"Holiday Trees?"  Now there is a ridiculous example of a store thinking that the mere sight of the word Christmas will cause problems.  Just insane.  

And Chris, I agree that entitlements and reverse discrimination are all big issues.  The implications of this stuff are so large its hard to get a handle on all of it.

I will have to ask my Jewish friends if they have decorated their Chanuka trees yet...  

[RJ HEDLEY]

 It's the EXPANDING use of PC that's killing this Country.   RJ=
++++++++++++++++
I guess it's the *extreme* that bothers me so much  RJ=

IT all starts at POLITICAL Correctness !

[Newt]

It is a different world than I grew up in! I fear for my children ! I try to give them the strait skinny but PC gets in the way. PC masks alot of truth about how things really are and how they got the way they are. Us old schoolers still mean what we say and say what we mean but have to " dance" around issues in public conversations so as not to offend.

[theirishguard]

PC is an effort to rob those in "the right" or conservatives of their free speech............period.
Tom

[RJ HEDLEY]

We have PC in everything now-a-days.  It is so common, that it has become a way of life with  some.*  In order to get their way, in a public situation, they get very angry, and loud.  Do not allow anyone, anything to quiet them.  They get their way .   I see it nearly every day.  

PC can be reversed, but it requires a little effort, be prepared to be looked at strangely, shunned, and other unpleasentness, but if you don't resist it, you will become it...

I'm an old faRt, and I remember when times were not right in this World,  then It leveled off , now it's going the wrong way.

I will not accept it, quietly..  remember the sheep

*  [just me being PC].