My Rant: Political Correctness

[ZetaNine]

By it's very definition, "political correctness" is the intentional avoidance of free speech, truth or opinion, in order to spare someone from being "offended".

Is there anything more UN-American than that?  I think America has become obsessed with this...and I think it's one of the most dangerous unofficial policies we have some how adopted.

Think of all the instances in the past few years where someone stated an opinion that may be his or her own...even if it was wrong or unkind...and then look at the herds of people who swarm on those individuals with everything from suing that person, to destroying their carreer. It's like watching animals eating their young...

Toughen up.  If you are offended by something someone says...too bad...move on...and grow some stones.

I can certainly see, some areas in the workplace, there has to be some room for it....but limit that please...to the civilian workplace.  I say that because I think political correctness is already beginning to destroy our military.  To hell with the people that want a "kinder-gentler" military to mirror our society.  That is NOT the job of our military.  Our military is our first and last line of defense...and the very nature of their job is to, as Colin Powell put it...."break things and kill people".  Leave our military alone...it's the best in the world...and if it ain't' broke....don't try to fix it.

P/c is also a tool that many in our society have learned to manipulate to first feign being offended, and then profit from.

Another danger we are facing from this political correctness fallout is the border debate.  there are actually people in this country who think we should offer amnesty to ILLEGAL immigrants....many of them our elected leaders.  are you kidding me?  see the word "illegal" and get back to me. how about if I stop paying the IRS...where's my amnesty?

It's gotten way out of hand...and it's only getting worse.  

Political correctness is more dangerous then many may realize....and as I said...it goes against everything that America is supposed to stand for.

What say you?

[AKIron]

It's not new. It's been undermining our freedoms for many years now. It won't go away. Only defense against it is for people to speak their minds openly and honestly and damn the torpedos.

[texasmom]

Originally posted by ZetaNine
Toughen up.  If you are offended by something someone says...too bad...move on...and grow some stones...

What say you?

Can you actually grow stones? I mean... don't you either have them or not?  I don't think I've seen many minds changed. If you're tracked on the light-hearted path of PC, usually you find stuff to support that track... rather than "toughening up."

[ZetaNine]

I concur.

[Thruster]

What defines political correctness tends to be subject to the social environment it's practiced in. I recall the term being used years ago to define a Soviet citizen's actions and thought.

In here it's "pc" to praise members of the military, mostly conservative values, and Harleys.

I've been some places where it's considered very non-pc to drink Coors. So much so that fights have broken out.

It gets kinda worn out. People are a bit silly when it comes to what they can be offended by and mainstream efforts to avoid offense are just polite. Adjusting your values to accommodate the general consensus is hypocritical and weak.

But it happens all the time.

[texasmom]

I don't think it's wrong to make an effort not to offend people (as unlikely as that may seem from some of my posts in this forum).  In fact, it's wonderful to not offend people, or even help smooth things over when someone is offended.  But that effort shouldn't be given a higher value than the content & context of the conversation.

[AKIron]

Originally posted by texasmom
I don't think it's wrong to make an effort not to offend people (as unlikely as that may seem from some of my posts in this forum).  In fact, it's wonderful to not offend people, or even help smooth things over when someone is offended.  But that effort shouldn't be given a higher value than the content & context of the conversation.

I agree. Freedom comes from being able to choose though. That's the difference between socialism/communism and charity.

[Yknurd]

Originally posted by AKIron
It's not new. It's been undermining our freedoms for many years now. It won't go away. Only defense against it is for people to speak their minds openly and honestly and damn the torpedos.

You're right AKIron.  I'll start.

AKIron, I think your SEKSY!!!

[AKIron]

Originally posted by Yknurd
You're right AKIron.  I'll start.

AKIron, I think your SEKSY!!!

I don't think you'll get any arguments here.

[DREDIOCK]

Originally posted by ZetaNine


Toughen up.  If you are offended by something someone says...too bad...move on...and grow some stones.
 

It would seem I have a deciple

Only my line is usually

"Grow a thicker skin. The world is a tough and sometimes offencive place
You can either learn to deal with it or the local hardware store sells rope so you can hang it up. I suggest 3/4 inch so you wont have to worry about it breaking.
If you worried 1/100th as much about what is truely offencive. Like starving children for example as you are about what name ou were called, what picture you just saw, or what you heard someone say
We would ALL live in a far better world"

[DREDIOCK]

Yanno it used to be that when someone complained abotu what someone said they were told "Oh grow up already and learn to ignore it."

Now we're so busy always trying to make nice nice. Trying to go out of our way not to hurt anyones feelings.
Half the time with people we cant stand. or really dont care about.

[ZetaNine]

Originally posted by DREDIOCK
Yanno it used to be that when someone complained abotu what someone said they were told "Oh grow up already and learn to ignore it."

Now we're so busy always trying to make nice nice. Trying to go out of our way not to hurt anyones feelings.
Half the time with people we cant stand. or really dont care about.

RACK HIM!!!!!

well said man....

[Thruster]

Seems to me we just had little understanding of just how touchy some people are. I know I do. My poor girlfriend cringes when she hears me say "I think..."

And I gotta tell you, it's uncanny how much hypocrisy you can uncover when you start to pick away at someone's political correctness.

[DYNAMITE]

For the folks lamenting the loss of their freedom... I ask you-

Who's stopping you from "speaking your mind" ?  I wasn't aware that each of us were facing prison time for saying what we feel?

The truth is... you can say what you like, when you like.  You just need to be prepared to face the ramifications of your words.

Talk about needing to grow some stones  

[ZetaNine]

Originally posted by DYNAMITE
For the folks lamenting the loss of their freedom... I ask you-

Who's stopping you from "speaking your mind" ?  

litigious attorneys for one.