Political Correctness

[nelson]

Did I say political correctness?

I meant moral relativism, social tyranny, totalitarianism, cultural Marxism.

It is known (http://www.academia.org/lectures/lind1.html) (though denied or omitted (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politically_correct) in politically correct circles) that communists in Frankfurt, Germany devised political correctness in the 1920's and 30's as a linguistic means to help defeat Western culture and spread socialism.

It's working.

For proof look no further than our college campuses in the United States, the grooming grounds of future leaders, where today any student who dares offend homosexuals, feminists, blacks, hispanics, or other "special" protected groups, will promptly face formal charges and punishment. This totalitarian PC environment offers a very telling look into where we are headed as a society.

Our culture is not devoid of judgement, nor should our language be. Political correctness a.k.a. moral relativism a.k.a. social tyranny is the path to absurdity, weakness, and failure.



.

[Sonrisa]

I couldn't agree with you less, as usual. Being a liberal does not make you a Marxist. I am truly weary of this all or nothing mentality that both "sides" have. Gays, blacks, women, hispanics have unfortunately needed some legislation, certainly not to the extreme that has been carried out. I am not a liberal, but a moderate. The original intent was not for people to be "special", but equal. As frequently happens there is a backlash and the pendulum has swung all the way over to the opposite extreme.

As long as I hear gay-bashing for fun, bigotry which used to translate into hanging people in public while whole families applauded (not that long ago) and the usual disdain for anybody "different" as in hispanics, asians, etc. and it prevents them from earning a living or being beaten and murdered only because of who and what they are I say we need SOME equalizing.

I do not believe in hate crime legislation. A crime is a crime and killing someone is murder no matter what the reason. I do not believe in this "If you're not with us, you're against us" mentality. I also don't believe in welfare except when it is truly needed. I don't believe in people being rewarded for having children they can't afford year after year. I do think it is sad, however, that whenever you are not a major hawk, a rightwinger in both politics and religion that you are considered unpatriotic and a Marxist. The current situation, say what you will, is exactly like VietNam and McCarthyism, at least in the beginning.

Politically correct is rapidly beginning to mean if you don't believe in Jesus, aren't a Republican and don't believe in violence as the first means of solving a problem, you are one of those commie pinkos and are going to hell in a handbasket. The concept of supporting the troops but not necessarily the war just seems to be deliberately misunderstood. If we have no freedom of expression in thought, word and deed, then we truly are like all those dictator-led countries.

There is a real nastiness with specific attempt at an agenda to override all dissent no matter how it is done that really concerns me. Political correctness is a phrase that is bandied around a lot, but the issues it applies to are very definitely changing. Nobody gives a damn about the outcome as long as they make their point and get credit for it.

For the first time in my life I am making a conscious decision not to vote at all, as I honestly don't think it will make any difference. I honestly believe the last elections were so rigged there is just no point. Integrity counts for nothing. Honesty is laughed at. I don't think this is just like in the past and it will pass. It feels different. There is a real nastiness and cruelty beyond anything I've ever seen in this country on both sides. I just don't have the heart for this anymore. I have no hope at all. I really feel like the inmates are running the asylum. Real evil is glorified. The good old boy network is alive and well, but this time it is very, very serious. Big egos and total disregard for the rest of humanity, as long as they can stuff their pockets. I've never been a quitter before, but I feel like I'm living in "Through The Looking Glass" and everything is upside down. Thin-skinned? That's a nice epithet to hurl at someone when they actually care. I never before realized how MANY people there were in this country of this mind-set. It is distressing beyond words. I will not vote again because I refuse to contribute to the illusion of an honest voting process.

As someone mentioned in another post....you should listen to both sides via the TV and newspaper and then decide. Well, you can't because both sides are totally biased. PC - think again. You can't compare it to what is around you, since every area and country is different.

I've been harrassed at work for being white, dissed for being a liberal (which I actually am not 100%, called a GD Catholic up here (which I am also not), had two people on another forum have the temerity to ask me why I don't believe in Jesus (none of their business). I think from now on, no matter what the occasion I will list myself as "none of the above".

I don't need any special legislation, I can get through damned near anything even if I have to work at it harder, but some of my sisters burdened with providing for their children are not so lucky. Same thing there...just because some people misuse PC policies does not mean that fairness in hiring and keeping your job is not needed. No situation is an all-size fits all. So you guys have a nice day. Life can't be solved with a simplistic formula. Real thinking is required with an eye to all point of view. I honestly do try to do that.

PattiO

P.S. All of these remarks are about our country and the world in general, so I hope nobody takes it personally. If they do, not my bad since that was NOT intended.

[Freethinker]

I don't believe in Politcal Correctness. I don't believe in Racism, and therefore don't believe in Affirmitive action etiher. Judge each person on their own merits, and all is good. There is no collective, there are individuals. When we divide into subsections, and point the finger to other ethnicities, religions, etc, we do ourselves a grave injustice.

I share with you this story:

Last Christmas, I was in the mall doing some last minute shopping. A man in a keosk was wearing a Santa Hat. He was selling Cell Phones and accessories. The man he was helping, after their transaction said in parting, "Merry Chrismas." The man working the keosk replied sarcastically, and rather caustically, "Happy Hanukah, Sir. Happy Hanukah."

Now, if you're going to capitalize on the season, even going as far as wearing a Santa Hat, WHY THE HELL would you take offense to someone making the logical conclusion that you were celebrating the CHRISMAS SEASON?

Fukcing senseless in my opinion.

[Sonrisa]

I honestly don't remember having to walk on egg-shells around everyone until the last several years (don't remember exactly how many). No matter what anyone says it's only an opinion. We all have them. We are entitled to them. I think a great deal of the animosity between everyone is in a large part caused by enforced PC. People should have the right to get mad. So what? I think there is much more anger and genuine hostility now exactly because we are not "allowed" to say anything.

I noticed that a lot of shows have been pulled. We have a huge list of subjects we cannot address in my writing group; they just won't publish them. It is not War and Peace....(well, not in my case anyway).

I love diversity and enjoy hanging out with all sorts of people, but yes, indeed, I love my own kind. In my case that would be Irish. I understand their basic emotional content, I know all the words to the songs, we all look very similar. We are outspoken and love to fight. Hey, it may not appeal to anyone else, but we like it. After that I love Latinos and Italians because they too like to let loose. I would like to be able to tell a joke and either laugh or not without worrying (especially in the work place) if I am going to be a pariah.

It seems with every year that passes we get more and more repressed, more uptight and angry.

I think most people of every description are getting pretty tired of it (PC) and I fully expect a major backlash very soon.

There's a big difference between passing laws to protect people's legitimate rights and repressing our every word and deed.

Sonrisa

[nelson]

Freethinker, I couldn't agree more - it's senseless, and I don't believe in racism or affirmative action either. Maybe you and I just aren't neurotic enough to understand the value in being politically correct.

Sonrisa, I think you are right about walking on eggshells. And I agree with you that hate crime legislation is ridiculous because it means some victims are more important than others under the law.

[Teiwaz]

PC is WAY, and I mean WAY more of a big deal in the US then here. Sure, we have the "can't offend" police, but on the whole I think it seems a little more balanced here by common sense. Racial slurs are one thing, but all the "Being wished Merry Christmas offends my religous sensibilities" stuff is wierd. A good friend used to work for Amex in NYC in Marketing, and she was gobsmacked by the tip toeing that went on over things like that.

On another forum recently I got criticised for including in a post about the world cup soccer that since Oz and Germany were out it was GO THE BLOODY WOGS! for me. Hardly a slur, but nontheless a couple peiple felt the need to say something, and no doubt many others thought it decidedly insensitive of me. We have lots of Italian immigrants in Australia. Hell, Melbourne probably has more Italians living there than Rome does. :eek: Lygon Street is legendary, and has been a mecca during the worldcup. If you tell someone here you play wogball, everyone knows you mean soccer and no-one would be offended by the reference.

[BBD]

I don't see the problem. If someone goes to the trouble to point out to me that a word is or can be offensive, and why, then I am grateful for the information. I won't argue with them that they shouldn't be offended. But I can choose whether I continue to use that word. If I do then I do so knowing I am likely to be causing offense. I usually choose not to. It's called respect.

["shazbat"]

Nelson, I read your referenced Bill Lind article and have to honestly say that the guy is a certifiable paranoiac Nazi.
I haven't read such well worded trash since reading some of the translated Nazi anti-Marxist, anti-Jew, anti-everything propoganda from pre WW2.
Every society from the beginning of civilized society has had it's own form of "acceptable expression", call it PC, social correctness or whatever feels comfortable.
An extreme example is that spanish as spoken by many Spaniards, ie. true natives of Spain, is noticeably "lisping" as compared to that spoken in other countries. Why you may ask? A certain Spanish monarch had a speach impediment. So as not to draw attention to this by courtiers and thus bring the monarchs displeasure upon themselves they began to "emulate" the monarch, this trickled down from the courtiers and nobles to their subordinates and to the people.
All in an effort to be "socially correct" and not hurt anyones feelings and possibly not lose your head.
This is perhaps extreme but then "social correctness" or rather "social consciousness" like all other philosophies and ideas can ebb and flow to extreme limits.
To claim that PC is a designed Marxist plot and that "conservatism" does not have it's own proscribed avenues of "correct" behavior is narrow minded and blind to history.

[nelson]

How dare you call anyone a Nazi. The correct term is "heterogenially challenged."

Notice how, in this statement, the social pressure of absurd political correctness aims to redefine the truth. It aims to change what you believe. That is the problem, BBD.

We've been living it for decades now.

Shazbat, I have myself been called a Nazi, a racist, a homophobe, and I have to tell you, today those accusations are over-used, nearly always inaccurate, and as a result they no longer force me into submission.

Sure, let's have consideration for the feelings of others, especially children. But let's not compromise the truth. Those of us who are adults here know how little our emotions matter... and know that we can't afford to worship them.

["shazbat"]

How dare you call anyone a Nazi. The correct term is "heterogenially challenged."

Notice how, in this statement, the social pressure of absurd political correctness aims to redefine the truth. It aims to change what you believe. That is the problem, BBD.

We've been living it for decades now.. FOREVER, my entire point, not just decades,


Shazbat, I have myself been called a Nazi, a racist, a homophobe, and I have to tell you, today those accusations are over-used, nearly always inaccurate, and as a result they no longer force me into submission.

Sure, let's have consideration for the feelings of others, especially children. But let's not compromise the truth. Those of us who are adults here know how little our emotions matter... and know that we can't afford to worship them.

I couldn't agree more. "A rose by any other name is still a rose" and "a spade is still a spade" not just a pointy digging tool.

I personally think this stuff is created by the overly educated to justify all the time they spent in college.

[curt_the_flirt]

Remember a few years ago when an Washington DC official, David Howard, used the word "niggardly?" He was ostracized and resigned from his post (although later re-hired to a new position) for using a perfectly good word that had no relationship to the "N-word." In fact, one might say that he was in the position of resigning to apologize for everyone else's ignorance.

This is the sort of PC crap that bothers me.

[nelson]

Curt I had almost forgotten that - very glad you brought it up because now I remember it well. One uneducated government employee gets upset by one perfectly good word and suddenly heads have to roll. Perfect example of the danger of political correctness. Howard might as well have said "chigger" then resigned when someone was offended. The media loved this story and tried to use it to polarize the heavy minority population in Washington DC. But even the NAACP came out in defense of Howard.

[The_Man]

PC crap bothers me also but I think one of the big factors that played into the decision to forgive him of something that he by the way was not guilty of was the fact that there was a significant amount of pressure from the gay community (of which Howard was a member) brought to bear over the incident.

[DLEIGHTY]

i think the news media plays a big roll in it all .they will keep a issue alive as long as they can and the more people see it the worse it gets .

news media in a war zone dont need to be there ether , i know when i was in the war ,the news media keep "reporting" on tv how we were going to die when we get in a certain kind of gas.well i played this down to my wife knowing it was true, but thats all she herd on the news ,what my body was going to do when i come in contact with this gas/chemical , she dont need to see this when someone she loves is there.
wifes dont need to see there men being dragged down the streets. so why do we let them show it.i do believe the news media make it worse.

[MYCAR47562]

i think the news media plays a big roll in it all .they will keep a issue alive as long as they can and the more people see it the worse it gets .

news media in a war zone dont need to be there ether , i know when i was in the war ,the news media keep "reporting" on tv how we were going to die when we get in a certain kind of gas.well i played this down to my wife knowing it was true, but thats all she herd on the news ,what my body was going to do when i come in contact with this gas/chemical , she dont need to see this when someone she loves is there.
wifes dont need to see there men being dragged down the streets. so why do we let them show it.i do believe the news media make it worse.

i completely agree they should be ashamed of themselfs