No offense intended! The nation is drowning in PC

Union Leader ^ | June 9 2002

[2Trievers]

THIS COUNTRY IS running the danger of capitulating to a mind-numbing political correctness. It is a danger with real and serious consequences, and it can only be stopped if individual citizens step up and demand that it stop.

A Brooklyn mother has discovered that the New York State high school graduation test has, for at least three years, been "sanitized of virtually any reference to race, religion, ethnicity, sex, nudity, alcohol, even the mildest profanity and just about anything that might offend someone for some reason."

So reported The New York Times one week ago.

For example, Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel's essay "What Really Makes Us Free" includes this passage: "Man, who was created in God's image, wants to be free as God is free: free to choose between good and evil, love and vengeance, life and death."

But lest any student be offended, the phrases referring to God were eliminated in the test version!

A speech by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan referred to polls showing strong American support for an organization at the grass-roots level, but the phrase "regardless of what is said and done on Capitol Hill" was removed.

In another example, a book's reference to a "gringo lady" is changed to "American lady." A "skinny" boy becomes "thin." A "fat" boy becomes "heavy."

"When I saw that," said the woman who discovered the changes, "I really thought they had lost their minds."

We think they probably have. But such harsh words might offend someone, somewhere, somehow.

In some cases, the meaning of the writer's words is completely lost by this kind of revisionism. Yet the student is supposed to expound on what the writer meant!

To be sure, there are books and passages that are too intense — and offensive — for use in high schools. But their use may be no more repulsive or damaging to education and the body politic than are these kinds of Orwellian maneuvers.

And don't think it isn't happening here in New Hampshire. The racial, ethnic and, we are now hearing, sexual quotas in place at the University of New Hampshire in the name of "diversity" are just as damaging as any sanitized test.

[2Trievers]

I agreee with his premise, but I think the capitulation has ALREADY taken place.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

I am greatly shocked, appalled, and offended by the term “gringo lady.” The term should have been “la gringa;” or in the case of a gringo man, it should have been "el gingo." In Spanglish, I ask the PC crowd: You entendation? ; - )

[sleavelessinseattle]

Telling someone...You can't talk like that! Is fascism! LIBERALS are FASCISTS...WE conservatives make the mistake of respecting their right to disagree with us without acknowledging the fact that THEY would like to remove our right to PUBLICLY disagree with them...ELITES...One a day, One in Possession....2Trievers...got yer license?

[DWSUWF]

"...I agreee with his premise, but I think the capitulation has ALREADY taken place..."

'Capitulation' will never be complete as long as there are those who are willing to speak their minds plainly, at least part of the time.

If I encounter someone who is clearly PC, and there is no serious risk involved for me and mine, (a sadly necessary calculation these days) I'll go out of my way to get their stomach nicely knotted up.

I consider it my good deed for the day.

In those situations where there's some risk involved, I look for a way to blindside them anonymously.

And if I can't blindside them, I put them in 'the book'.

[2Trievers]

Does a rope and a lamp post count? &;-)

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

el gingo = el gringo. Sorry...Another cup of coffee needed.

[SkyPilot]

I agreee with his premise, but I think the capitulation has ALREADY taken place.

I totally agree. What a Chinese fire drill this has become! Then, some schools say they won't tolerate PC speech codes, then they do.....what Indian givers. They just Welsh on their promise. It really gets my Irish up.

[Angelique]

I think the most telling PC is the fact that universities no longer require history as a curriculum. Why? Probabably because the truth would have to be told. That is how we learn, but education no longer seems to be the goal.

[Glenn]

but I think the capitulation has ALREADY taken place.

You are correct. The problem is to think PC through to its logical end and then warn everyone what we face 20 years hence. They won't listen but you can say, "I told you so!"

[cgbg]

Agreed.

In the workplace PC is more important than anything else. A recent example here in CT--a state employee had the temerity to suggest that homosexuals and minorities were responsible for the spread of AIDS because of their behavior. Result--the RINO Rowland governor fired them immediately.

In today's Hartford Courant the story about the church's pedophile crisis went out of its way to point out that homosexuals in the church were in no way responsible for this debacle.

While the "gay protection racket" is shown in these two stories it is clear that "diversity" means no less than a total abandonment of moral standards and common sense.

[decimon]

I totally agree. What a Chinese fire drill this has become! Then, some schools say they won't tolerate PC speech codes, then they do.....what Indian givers. They just Welsh on their promise. It really gets my Irish up.

How slavishly trite these slurs. But you'll get off scot free.

[Bommer]

Agreed. I think that PC can never be routed out because this is a gravy train for lawyers. We see how the ACLU attacks the Boy Scouts for using their legal rights to keep homosexuals out, but no one is sueing the ACLU to defend the boyscouts. The "UN-PC" crowd is always on the defense and never on the offence end!

PC can only end when we as a people violently rise up and bloody liberals but good. Words scare them, but that is easily censored. You can't sensor a guy with a bat, and a lawyer can't sue you to stop them from being pummelled!

[foreverfree]

bump

[dorothy]

I am greatly shocked, appalled, and offended by the term ?gringo lady.? The term should have been ?la gringa;? or in the case of a gringo man, it should have been "el gingo."

Nah. The PC Police wouldn't put anything into a language that is intrinsically non-PC, would they? After all, any language that insists on assigning gender to all its nouns must, by PC definition, automatically be considered sexist, and therefore unemployable.

[Greeklawyer]

Has anyone noted how BC and AD have changed to
BCE and ADE; before the common era and after the common era.

I have noticed this on PBS documentaries, History channel, and Discovery channel.

This is all just a move to criminalize thought.

big mother loves you.
big mother knows all

[ROCKLOBSTER]

what Indian givers

I believe that's "Native American Givers?"

[Valin]

Somewhere along the line some people have gotten the idea that they have some sort of constitutional right to not be offended.

[Valin]

Actually it's "indigenous peoples/persons giver". Watch it or you're going to be in soooo much trouble.
I'll let it go THIS TIME but I've got my eye on you, and next time I'll be forced to report you.

[elcaudillo]

Too late.

It's revolution time.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

I did get in trouble with a moronic chatter the other night.(Actually I was the moron for going into a chat room.)

She said, "I'M a native American and prefer to be addressed in that manner, the term 'American Indian' is racist"

I replied, "Ever heard of the BIA or AIM?"