You all will have to thank my wife for this one...
Subject: Political Correctness
Following is the winning entry from an annual contest calling for the most appropriate definition of a contemporary term. This year's term:
Political Correctness.
"Political Correctness is a doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical liberal minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."
29 comments:
Or it is calling people to respect each other and the diversity around them. To answer fear with love, hatred with kindness. To understand the hurtfulness of words, and the indignies of being different than the majority. To eventually destroy the majority by making everyone feel at home in the human race.
Socialist Christian Hippie,
That's what the definition should be but I am afraid that the one I post is more how it is practiced.
Mostly it is just used as a way to silence opinions that they do not agree with.
sean,
I think of what conservatives call Political Correctness as just respecting people's feelings and being aware of what may be hurtful to others, such as not saying "Merry Christmas" to someone who is Jewish. In my experience the vast majority of time people censor themselves to not say something that might be hurtful to someone else this is not something that is mandated by outside forces, except on the job when you may be required as an employee to not hurt your employer's interest by insulting customers.
Could you supply some examples where you have seen Political Correctness used to silence someone's opinions when they are not on the job?
Excellent; watch the Democraps spin excuses. Ghost
Criminal Charges Against Pastor Dropped
http://www.christianlaw.org/newsletter/updates/pastor_charges_dropped.html
Will Appeals Court Allow Prayer in Jesus' Name?
http://www.christianlaw.org/newsletter/updates/bosma.html
Christmas Tree and Menorah Welcomed,
But Nativity Banned By State of Washington
http://lc.org/pressrelease/2006/nr122206.htm
Middle school principal outlaws pro-life speech during national Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity
http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/news/pressrelease.aspx?cid=3969
ADF attorneys ask U.S. Supreme Court for expedited consideration of “T-shirt” case
http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/news/pressrelease.aspx?cid=3907
There are a few.
great post! dog gone it, there I go using those pretentious exclamation points again!
Barrett, you used PC in your post today about Tancredo. In order to silence anyone who doesn't back your view of immigration, you called Trancredo a racist simply because he has a different view of immigration than you. Do you think the problems with immigrants might be different in Colorado than in Illinois? Immigration reform is an important issue in our country, but how are we supposed to have adult, intelligent debate about it, if people like you play the race card everytime someone disagrees with the liberal position?
This is what I dread about Obama running for POTUS. Anyone, especially in the GOP, who criticises him will be branded as a "racist" in order to shut up and shut down all opposition and criticism.
How will we be able to debate or discuss anything in this country if the most important thing is not to "hurt feelings"? How is it rational or even possible to think "hurt feelings" can be avoided in real life, let alone political discourse?
Why are feelings more important than problem solving? Why do disagreements equal "hurt feelings"? Why are some people so sensitive they cannot abide diversity of opinion and must shut it down by throwing around labels like "racist"?
paladin,
The real scary thing is that it is moving towards being a hate crime if you have a different opinion than the "proper (PC) one" on curtain topics.
How does calling someone a racist silence him? Qcmediaghost calls me a Democrap and it does not silence me. Tancredo has not been silenced by anything I have said about him. What in heavens name are you people talking about?!?
paladin,
I guess I don't see how "Political Correctness" is keeping people from voicing disagreements or honestly discussing issues. What in heavens name are you talking about? How does a request to call people handicapped rather than crippled, for exampe (a typical Political Correctness request), keep anyone from disagreeing with policy or keep them from voicing opinions? I just don't get it.
What sean cites as PC are, actually, constitutional arguments, or legal interpretations. I practice my own religion quite freely and in my own way. No one has ever interfered with this. However, the government, US, that is, constrain ourselves for the the good of the people.
A wall between church and state exists to stop such arguments (as these that we are having) from becoming civil wars or dominating all political discussion.
All sides should avoid all name calling. It engenders nothing and leads to deadlock. The same with religion; It does not advance a cause to bring up which God you worship or do not worship.
A government, in order to function, must define things. PC can be used for honest or dishonest ends. Just as most moral structures can.
The most dire warnings of Revelations circle around those who would misuse the name of Jesus to enforce their own will.
Don't destroy PC because it is misused, simply guide the hand to a better definition.
BTW, you might want to be careful with what wording you use on your blog. I couldn't access your site at work, it came up as being "pornographic" (quoting the filter).
Exactly.
They are constitutional free speech issue. People trying to stop others from speaking what they believe because it is not "PC".
Holy cats Barrett, if you don't understand how calling your opponent and/or your opponent's positions "racist" (or whatever), rather than addressing his/her positions directly, shuts down debate, I really don't know what to say to you, or how to explain it.
You really don't get it and there is nothing I can do about it.
sean,
So when a judge rules that something is unConstitutional you are calling that Political Correctness? Words lose all meaning when you do that.
I am further to the left on immigration issues than most and I would hope to find a less stressful way of dealing with the issue than we often do. But there are too many individuals attempting to play the race card every time someone voices an opinion or tries to find and/or implement a solution to the illegal immigration problem. The same can be said of many other issues. Somewhere down the line people seeking political power and gain have blurred the line between being a racist and someone trying to solve problems that effect minority groups. It seems if you have a problem that clashes with the extreme left view of how an issue is handled you are almost always branded a racist. And then the term is slapped on you to disparage you and your opinion.
thescoundrel,
I am not calling Tom Tancredo a racist just because he is proposing immigration reform. People can believe it would be better for the country to have fewer immigrants without being racists.
I am calling Tancredo a racist because he believes that Hispanics are causing problems here simply by being Hispanics. Read his website. I am calling him a racist because he clearly is. It is not a label I apply to someone because of any policy position or political viewpoint they might have. I apply it to people who prejudge people on the basis of race. That is the definition of racism. I do not throw around the term lightly or incorrectly.
Dave,
So when a judge rules that something is unConstitutional you are calling that Political Correctness? Words lose all meaning when you do that.
No the fact that these cases are even beening filed is the "Political Correctness". People trying to censor other just because it might offend someone.
sean,
Conservatives seem to be using the phrase "Political Correctness" differently than everyone else. Everyone else uses it the refer to things like calling janitors "sanitation engineers" or saying "vertically challenged" rather than short.
You say that you are using it when someone sues someone in order to censor them. Why do you call such things "Political Correctness" rather than "Litigation Incorrectness" or "bullying"?
OK, Dave I went over to Tancredo’s gov. website and his personal website where he is exploring the Presidential run. Were his ideas harsh, in my opinion yes. Did I find anything racist on wither website, no. I found a get-tough policy that mirrors the opinion of the majority of people in this country, myself excluded. Nothing racist though. Your blurred vision reminds me of why I left both political parties and turned Independent. There is too much hypocrisy in both parties. My suggestion to the Democrats is the same one I give to the Republicans when it comes to pointing fingers and placing blame for failure. Remove the logs from your own eyes before trying to remove the splinter from your neighbors. In the case of the Democrats they talk a good game of racial equality they just do not have the membership or leadership that believes it. I grew up in family where the paternal side was heavily into the Democrat party and close connections with the Democratic state level leadership. I broke bread, tipped drinks, partied and chased skirts with many of the fathers, sons and some of the sons of the sons of the party. I still do when life allows though my tipping now is soda. And the one thing that has not changed from father to son to son is that when the boys are out playing and they think they are in safe company the racial slurs flow from the mouths of the carriers of the Democratic Torch! My suggestion to both parties is that they clean-up their own backyards before they start trying to call the PC police in on the competition.
Dave,
Those cases I gave as examples are the results of this "Political Correctness" gone to far. I am all for being kind and using terms that are not hurtful "sanitation engineers" as apposed to "garbage man" and such but it has not stop there. Some organizations have high jacked this term "Political Correctness" and are using it to promote their agenda while silencing their opposition.
For example the pro-life t-shirt & the Nativity Ban.
sean,
People have hjacked the term "Political Correctness" and are using it silence the opposition? I guess I have not seen people use the phrase "Political Correctness" this way for their own behavior, although I have seen people label other people's behavior that way -- you for example.
Do you mean people are saying, "In the name of Political Correctness you must be silent", or something. I guess I have not seen that.
thescoundrel,
I don't know why I let myself be sucked into try to convince anyone that Tom Tancredo is a racist. My blog entry that started all this said that Hispanics see Tom Tancredo as a racist and I was saying that because of this his running for president was a very good thing for Democrats because it was likely to cause Hispanics to vote Democratic at the same rates as African-Americans have been, 85%-90%. And this will happen whether any non-Hispanics think Tom Tancredo is racist or not. So it makes no difference whether I convince you or anyone else or not -- just the way that it made no difference to the O.J. Simpson verdict that the overwhelming majority of whites in this country thought he was guilty.
Oh come on now Dave, your just being silly now.
It is said in actions, not words, like people putting up Nativities but leaving the baby Jesus out because it "might offend someone".
That is the spirit of the "Political Correctness" definition that started this post.
Dave Barrett is a Conservaphobe! Ghost
Don't start name calling!
Conservaphobe? Just a little humor; like 'silly'. Ghost
I know QC.
Actually I said he was being silly. You call him a name. Some friend of mine had a "harrasment awarness class" and there is a difference. Saying some is being something is not harrasment but saying some is something is harrasment.
OH NO! Now I am being PC!
Hmmmmm, how to reconcile what Barrett said here yesterday: "I am calling (Tancredo) a racist because he clearly is" with what he said on his blog yesterday: "Although (Tancredo) does not come right and say it...he thinks Hispanics are a big problem. If you are not Hispanic the racist undercurrent of everything (Tancredo) says and does may not be immediately obvious, but I can assure you that it is very clear to Hispanics."
Since Barrett isn't Hispanic, are we to deduce that he has some special and magical power as a caring, compassionate liberal to determine what "is very clear to Hispanics" while the rest of us are just clueless----or racists?
Sheesh!
Dear paladin; you’re trying to slow-dance with a cactus in here. Ghost
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