Don't PC me!

I have always disliked the term "Politically Correct."  I don't think this term has a true assigned meaning any more.  After all, politicians tend to be liars and rarely correct.  In debate, politically correct takes on multiple meanings; to be correct, would imply a right answer in a discussion regarding opinion.  Debate also requires proper use of language in terms of being politically correct; I certainly would not use the N-word in a political debate! (Or, at all, for that matter!)  Our language has also been distorted by being "PC". English is commonly misused in an attempt to be PC that most no longer know the true meanings of words.  Even our sense of humor has been destroyed by PC terms and uses. How is this really a country for Freedom of Speech, if our speech has become so filtered that discussion becomes lost in a sea of half truths?

Politicians, undoubtedly, are the worst culprits of destroying language and misguiding through "political correctness."  The complete and utter destruction of words like Liberal, crisis, racist, Homophobic, Socialist, extremist, terrorist, sexist, and countless more have intelligent people disagreeing on the terms in normal political discussion.  It is not that many of us don't understand the true meanings, the problem occurs because no one knows who is using the term literally or in the form they heard used by politicians.

There is certainly racism in our country, as I discussed in Is Racism Only a White Phenomenon.  However, the use of the term racist is now being used to describe anyone and everyone who opposes the policies of our current President because he is black.  This is an egregious abuse of this term and it is something that few want to be accused. Furthermore, entire groups are labeled in this way; the Tea Party, due to its' size and influence, was quickly labeled racist, just to diminish their followers and influence.  In the eyes of those who use this term in the political sphere, it is perfectly acceptable to use it for political gain.

Shared from http://www.allhatnocattle.net/

The term homophobe was thrown around with reckless abandon to describe everyone that opposed gay marriage.  Again, this is a perverse interpretation of the word.  Much like the use of the word racist, it is simply being used to diminish a political position and nothing more.  Also, like racism, there are homophobes on both sides of the political spectrum.  The definition alone clarifies why homophobia is being abused:

: irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals

While I am sure there were some people who had an aversion to homosexuality, thus causing them to oppose gay marriage, the abundance of people opposed gay marriage for societal and religious reasons.  Most opponents  spoke of their support for same sex unions or other resolutions to the issues at hand.  Intelligent people understood that there are issues with our system of laws that prohibited same sex couples the same benefits of a married couple.  This is far from the "irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against" label that was given to almost all opponents.

Extremist is being used to describe the Tea Party and anyone else who wishes for limited government, lower taxes, adherence to the Constitution and other traditional values.  The sheer idea of this being an extremist position is almost laughable.  Again, Democrats are using this term repeatedly to describe their opponents.  However, the definition of extremist lends itself to undermining this usage:

Someone who has an opinion or ideas that seem unreasonable to most people.

It is not unreasonable to have the opinions that the Tea Party and similar groups or members hold.  If it were, many of our Founding Fathers and those who have lived here afterwards were extremists as well. Instead the rhetoric just lends itself to undermine the message of those who oppose these people and positions.

For example, a Liberal in the literal meaning is defined under Liberalism as the following:

1. The state or quality of being liberal.

2. a. A political theory founded on the natural goodness of humans and the autonomy of the individual and favoring civil and political liberties, government by law with the consent of the governed, and protection from arbitrary authority.

b. often Liberalism The tenets or policies of a Liberal party.

3. An economic theory in favor of laissez-faire, the free market, and the gold standard.

4. Liberalism

a. A 19th-century Protestant movement that favored free intellectual inquiry, stressed the ethical and humanitarian content of Christianity, and de-emphasized dogmatic theology.

b. A 19th-century Roman Catholic movement that favored political democracy and ecclesiastical reform but was theologically orthodox.

By definition, Liberals favor individual liberty and protection from authority.  Yet, today we see the term Liberal being used to express support or displeasure with the far left Democratic Party who support authoritarian control and limiting individual liberties.  It is this same group that favors big government as a solution, further limiting individual freedoms.  Furthermore, Liberalism has, in the past, meant to favor the free market. Liberals today instead choose government, rather than the free market as a solution to Health Care, charity, etc.  And, in doing so, are not really being Liberals but other things. Politically speaking, Liberalism does not define what Democrats now stand for in the legislative sphere of our government.

Today's political climate has lead to the abuse of the word crisis.  In my opinion, this word is so overused that everything is now a crisis.  Talk radio has coined the term manufactured crisis to define how a crisis is now used.  Politicians use crisis to describe every agenda driven problem that seems to exist today.  Just in the last few years, we have heard about the health care, housing, economic, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and numerous others.  There are true crises from time to time as well.  However, when the word is used for everything, it loses meaning when something needs to be emphasized.  As defined, a crisis is:

1 a :  the turning point for better or worse in an acute disease or fever

b :  a paroxysmal attack of pain, distress, or disordered function

c :  an emotionally significant event or radical change of status in a person's life <a midlife crisis>

2 :  the decisive moment (as in a literary plot)

3 a :  an unstable or crucial time or state of affairs in which a decisive change is impending; especially:  one with the distinct possibility of a highly undesirable outcome <a financial crisis>

b :  a situation that has reached a critical phase <the environmental crisis>

Judging from the definition above, I would hardly call everything a crisis that is now described that way.  Crisis has become the new code word for government intervention.

However, there is a place for political correctness.  The use of terms that are demeaning to race, sex, religion, etc. is discouraged.  I could not imagine using the term nigger in any way; just writing it makes my skin crawl.  Rappers and the black community use this word as a sign of affection for each other, and they have the right to do so.  To me, it is a demeaning term that should never be used, but I am not the language police and they have the freedom to use it as they please.  The use of this term is distorted from it's original use, but has not changed in mine and many other minds.  Don't expect me to refer to my black friends using this term!  Having the knowledge of the basis for some of our language is useful and this is just one example where we need to be cognizant of the original meaning and context in which it is used.

I find it ironic that humor continues to be policed by the politically correct crowd, but only on one side of the aisle.  For some reason, Democrats feel the need to police humor when it is convenient for them politically.  This constant hypocrisy is enough to drive many on the right crazy.  

Political correctness has went the way of racism; it hardly holds the meaning it once did.  No longer can we trust what politicians and people are saying, we now find ourselves questioning each other in political debate as to what meaning of a word is being implied.  Even I, myself, misuse some of the above terms in the context of political dialogue.  I am not saying we need to throw the baby out with the bath water, but we need to be sure that political correctness makes more sense than it does now.  Recognize the true meaning of words and use them properly.  It brings strength to any argument when you can refer to words properly and use them in the right context.  

As for me, I am going to go back to being a racist, homophobic terrorist who loves his country and terrorizes the Liberals on his PC while not necessarily being PC.

God Bless you and this country!

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• Anti-Racist is A Codeword For Anti-White (deadcitizensrightssociety.wordpress.com)
• Political Correctness (jaredhoeniges.wordpress.com)
• "Political Correctness", the hall monitor of public expression? (brucegoewey.wordpress.com)
• Dispelling Liberal Myths: The Tea Party is Not Racist and the Right is Not the Realm of Homophobes and Misogynists (joemiller.us)