A Few Words on PC …

By Gall

Political correctness (adjectivally, politically correct, commonly abbreviated to PC) is a pejorative^[i] term used to criticize language, actions, or policies seen as being excessively calculated to not offend or disadvantage any particular group of people in society.  The term had only scattered usage prior to the 1990s, usually as an ironic self-description, but entered mainstream usage in the United States when conservative author Dinesh D'Souza used it to condemn what he saw as left-wing efforts to advance multiculturalism through language, affirmative action, opposition to hate speech, and changes to the content of school and university curriculums.^[ii] 

Yeah … I understand that all this “politically correct” stuff has been going on for quite some time and while it is a great THOUGHT to not upset or offend other folks and to try and watch everyone’s feelings – I think that it is just a plain impossible task!  It seems that many of the self-appointed saviors are working toward the goal of neutralizing our language and essentially brainwashing all of us through aggressive speech codes, legal rulings and corporate policies.  PC originally flowered in academia (of course) and spread like a virus through the government and corporate worlds.  PC complaints now range from the sublime to the ridiculous, and they are stifling the honest assessment, and debate, of issues in our lives.  The following list of Political Correctness “progress” ranges from silly to troubling to genuinely disturbing.  I’ve tried to play nice thus far, but have decided that I genuinely don’t care if you’re offended by the ramblings of this little ol’ article (and please don’t hesitate emailing with your criticisms – heck, write your own article in defense of PC (or against this article), and we’ll publish it!):

(in no particular order – and all with hyperlink references - though we didn't necessarily verify the source))

Xbox Live recently banned Josh Moore for violating its gamers’ code of conduct.  His offense?  Filling out his Xbox Live profile.  You see, Mr. Moore lives in Fort Gay, West Virginia.  As Microsoft says, the word “gay” is always offensive.  Microsoft has since “carefully” reviewed the matter and reinstated Moore with full Xbox Live privileges (translation:  the story hit the web).

Santa Clauses have been told that they can’t say “Ho Ho Ho”, the traditional laugh of jolly old St. Nick.  It has been determined that “ho ho ho” could frighten children and is derogatory to women.  Instead, the Santa’s were instructed to lower their voices and say “Ha ha ha”. 

The director of LA County affirmative action, issued a memo stating that labels deemed “unacceptable and offensive” should be replaced with more appropriate terminology.  The county began their investigation after a worker saw a videotape machine bearing “offensive” labels and filed a discrimination complaint.  However, “master” and “slave” are common terms for primary and secondary hard drives in the computer industry.  Due to overwhelming negative publicity and a near revolt from suppliers, LA County promised there would be no ban on computer equipment based on current labeling practices. 

Government workers in Seattle have been told that they should no longer use the words “citizen” and “brown bag” because they are potentially offensive.  (you'll have to read the article for the reasons why.)

A Florida police officer recently lost his job for calling Trayvon Martin a “thug” on Facebook.  (He can't express HIS opinion on HIS facebook page?)

The mayor of Washington D.C. recently asked singer Donnie McClurkin not to attend his own concert because of McClurkin's views on homosexuality.

Chaplains in the U.S. military are being forced to perform gay marriages, even if it goes against their personal religious beliefs.  The few chaplains that have refused to follow orders know that it means the end of their careers.

The governor of California has signed a bill into law which will allow transgendered students to use whatever bathrooms and gym facilities that they would like.

In San Francisco, authorities have installed small plastic “privacy screens” on library computers so that perverts can continue to exercise their “right” to watch pornography at the library without children being directly exposed to it.

In America today, there are many groups that are absolutely obsessed with eradicating every mention of God out of the public sphere.  For example, an elementary school in North Carolina ordered a little six-year-old girl to remove the word “God” from a poem that she wrote to honor her two grandfathers that had served in the Vietnam War.

A high school track team was disqualified earlier this year because one of the runners “made a gesture thanking God” once he had crossed the finish line.

Earlier this year, a Florida Atlantic University student that refused to stomp on the name of Jesus was banned from class.  (I dare you to try the same, but swapping Jesus with Allah!!)

A student at Sonoma State University was ordered to take off a cross that she was wearing because someone “could be offended“.

Volunteer chaplains for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department have been banned from using the name of Jesus on government property.

According to a new Army manual, U.S. soldiers will now be instructed to avoid “any criticism of __________”  [iii] and to avoid criticizing “anything related to Islam”.

According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, it is illegal for employers to discriminate against criminals because it has a “disproportionate” impact on minorities.

And this one too??!! …

Administrators at a California high school sent students home after they refused to remove their American flag T-shirts on Cinco de Mayo, the Mexican Day of Independence.  That’s right, kids, you can’t wear your country’s flag in your country, lest it offend someone celebrating the holiday of a different country.  One of the students said “They said we could wear it on any other day, but today is sensitive to Mexican-Americans because it’s supposed to be their holiday, so we were not allowed to wear it.”  What’s worse … a UNITED STATES federal court upheld a ruling that school officials acted correctly in requiring students to remove the shirts. 

I mean – who is in charge of this whole danged thing?  If you call it a “holiday tree” or say “happy holidays” to keep from offending non-Christians, you offend me!  Do I count??!!  What about all of the protest about the Washington “Redskins”???  Why is it that EVERYONE is supposed to receive “equal treatment”?  I mean, the President has a bowling alley and movie theatre in his house (not to mention a food taster (SNOOP it!)) and Bill Gates lives in a mansion and I mostly stay under dad’s drinking table!  I have heard, but didn’t try and verify it, that folks can’t even refuse to make cakes for gay marriages, regardless of how they feel about same sex marriages.  And San Francisco officials are refusing to detain illegal aliens for ICE to pick up.

The latest issue that is making all of the news is the confederate flag hoopla!  You know that ALL of us on this place treat everyone the same (regardless of race, sex, color, religion, breed, and EVEN IF you’re a jerk or not!) – you know that none of us (and none of our relatives) have ever owned a slave or would even contemplate or support such a notion!  So, I am confused about all of the uproar over this flag deal … I mean, I’ve heard that a man called 911 because he saw a confederate flag at the Walmart; and that a different Walmart refused to bake a confederate flag cake for a paying customer, but agreed to make him an ISIS cake - in reviewing this last article, it appears that the Walmart baker probably didn’t know the significance of ISIS – but was simply offended by the Second Confederate Navy Jack flag.  I’m offended by the employee’s lack of knowledge of current events – or atrocities committed by ISIS!! 

On the note of the confederate flag deal, I can’t help but share some information that my “friends” at Wikipedia have posted about this grotesque symbol of racism and slavery:

“Despite never having historically represented the Confederate States of America as a country, nor officially recognized as one of its national flags, the rectangular Second Confederate Navy Jack and the Battle Flag of Northern Virginia are now flag types commonly referred to as "the Confederate Flag".  They both have become a widely recognized symbol of the American south.  It is also known as the rebel flag, Dixie flag, and Southern cross.

As of the early 21st century, the "rebel flag" has become a highly divisive symbol in the United States.  In a national survey in 2015 across all races, 57% of Americans had the opinion that the Second Confederate Navy Jack represented Southern pride rather than racism.  A similar poll in 2000 had a nearly identical result of 59%.  However, poll results from only the South yielded a completely different result.  75% of Southern whites described the flag as a symbol of pride, while 75% of Southern blacks said the flag represented racism."

Well that solves it for me … I figure that religious folks either are Baptist, Buddhist, Catholic, Church of Christ, Lutheran, Mennonites, Methodists, Muslim, Pentecostal, or Presbyterian (or one of MANY OTHER faiths) – but since we can’t all agree … let’s get rid of ALL OF THEM!

Oh wait, then the Atheist’s “win” … oh well – we have to be PC, wouldn’t want to offend the Atheist’s now would we??!

I don’t know folks … think about it and come up with your own thoughts and conclusions!  All I have gathered is that the “system” is broken and we ALL need to take a step back, take a deep breath, and just look at each other as individuals!  Why can’t we all just get a long(neck)??!!  (check it out … it’s pretty good!)

Let’s put our big girl panties on and go out there and be “people” and treat EVERYONE as such!

Sincerely (but disgusted),

Gall

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I got a feeling about political correctness.  I hate it.  It causes us to lie silently instead of saying what we think.

Hal Holbrook

Transcend political correctness and strive for human righteousness.

Anthony J. D'Angelo

Political correctness is a poison to our security and defenses.  It imposes a willful blindness, both at the macro level when unwilling to engage with radical Islamism or whatever you want to call it - if you're not willing to call it what it is - and at the micro level, at the street level.

Pete Hegseth

^[i] A word or phrase that has negative connotations or that is intended to disparage or belittle.

^[ii] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_correctness

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