Political Correctness is suck!

[Preyhunter]

Since all of the election hype and partisan drivel has hit this board, I've been thinking about some of the differences between the two major political affiliations. One of the things that struck me as odd is the fact that "liberal democrats" are supposedly big champions of free speech, but also appear to be the big proponent of political correctness. Now, all of this political correctness appears to me to be self-censorship and censorship of others through "peer pressure", for lack of a better term. In other words, society is accepting these alternative phrases and, in a sense, forcing others to use them as well by creating a fear in the person of being labeled a bigot, homophobe, etc. As one of many examples, using the term "African-American" instead of black. Black people are no more African than I (an American-born, white skinned descendant of multiple different nationalities) am. I would also venture to guess that most of these "African-Americans" have never even BEEN to Africa. Besides, what is so derogatory about the word "black"? It is a color, just like white, yellow, red, or whatever other color you care to name. If someone calls me a white person, I'm not going to go getting all worked up and pissed off. Same goes for all of the other PC terms that are used.

Anyone care to explain the reasoning behind the PC movement and how someone could claim to support free speech while advocating PC at that same time?

 

[StageLeft]

You aren't white, you're suffering from a coloration-deficit.

The people who really care about this are people with nothing better to do. For one reason or another they are so high-strung they find reason to take offense at far too much in the world and believe that re-wording phrases will solve all our problems.

 

[AndrewR]

"Politically correct" language is the most ridiculous form of speech control couched in touchy-feely terms of not harming anyone's feelings. I had a friend from high school who was a champion of PC, and I used to piss him off at every opportunity with deliberately non-PC, over-the-top language just because it was easy to do. It's fun -- try it.

Piss off the PC today!

 

[Chef0083]

Dude, I think a black person is ALOT more African than you! Who knows how to explain the concept behind being PC. I have had Black friends and once I felt comfortable with them I would ask them what they prefer, most of them didn't want to be called African Americans. Most of my friends are proud to be black. I did have one friend who said if you are going to use some term like that he prefered American of African descent which I thought was pretty apropriate. Hell this isn't just about color, there are Hispanic Aermicans, Irish Americans, Italian Aericans! I guess people like to look back to where they came from the help define who they are. As far as I am concened you have the right to call anyone anything you want but you have to realize it has consequences.

 

[DefRef]

The problem with all these hyphenated-American labels is that it doesn't always apply. Bob Marley and Ben Johnson and Djimon Hounsou (Amistad) are NOT African-AMERICANS! (Jamaican, Canadian and African-African, respectively) Calling them "black" is an accurate description, just as calling Irish-Americans, Italian-Americans and German-Americans "white".

 

[Chef0083]

Bob Marley was Jamaican, that is a country. Why would you call him african american?

 

[Preyhunter]

<< Dude, I think a black person is ALOT more African than you! >>



How is that, because their ancestors are from Africa? So are mine, they were slaves in Egypt in during biblical times. What about South Africans that are white?



<< Hell this isn't just about color, there are Hispanic Aermicans, Irish Americans, Italian Aericans! >>



I know it isn't just about color, that's why I said in the opening post that the color issue was one of many examples.



<< I guess people like to look back to where they came from the help define who they are. >>



That's fine too, but why can't people be proud of what they have done FOR THEMSELVES and not need a qualifier in order to make them a complete person?



<< As far as I am concened you have the right to call anyone anything you want but you have to realize it has consequences. >>



You're right, people have the RIGHT to call anyone anything that they want to. The problem here is, by using the word &quot;black&quot; I have done nothing wrong to anyone, just as someone using the word &quot;white&quot; when describing me has done nothing wrong. Why must there be negative consequences when nothing wrong has been done?

 

[Chef0083]

<< So are mine, they were slaves in Egypt in during biblical times. >>


I have to know that to be able to tell if you can be considered of African Decent. The Word African desn't mean Black so South Africans count. It's not only about color it's about nationality as well. If you are going to call all white people white then how are you going to decipher between a white man from Poland and one from Yugoslavia?

 

[Preyhunter]

<< If you are going to call all white people white then how are you going to decipher between a white man from Poland and one from Yugoslavia? >>



If the person is living in America as an American, why do you need to?

 

[StageLeft]

I'm sorry, but if somebody expects me to &quot;ask them&quot; what they want to be called I don't really quite care enough. I don't want somebody to ask what I want to be called, 'white' is fine. Who cares?

So with some people they prefer black and others african american and others american of african decent? Come on now!

So are you supposed to mince words until you're comfortable enough to ask somebody how they want to be refered to? Sheesh!

 

[StageLeft]

OMG you know what really &quot;is suck&quot;?! Lets say I'm pointing a person out to somebody and that person happens to be black. I'll say &quot;she was the black cashier&quot; for instance - and often times I get a look. What the hell? If somebody is fat or thin or ugly, or long-haired I'll say that too, but in many cases describing somebody as black really cuts down on the possible people because fewer people are black than not in my area...so whats the big deal? I don't mean it condescendingly; I'm merely describing the person.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Can we start calling women sufferers of Y chromosome deficency syndrome?

 

[loveturtle]

It's newspeak
1984!

 

[PCAddict]

Yep, it's a bunch of crap. People go out of their way to try and be politically correct and end up looking stupid in the process. It cracks me up sometimes.

My boss is a tall, muscular black man. There is another guy who works there with the same first name. It's pretty funny when people say &quot;I talked to [first name]&quot; and I ask them which one. Some of them look around, lean close and whisper &quot;the big black guy&quot; as if there's something wrong with saying that. I told one woman that he knows he's black, so she doesn't have to whisper. I've even asked customers when they hesitate if they mean the big black guy or the scrawny white kid.

 

[StageLeft]

Exactly pcaddict. Why the hell should we not want to describe somebody by a non-embarassing feature of theirs?!

 

[Preyhunter]

<< Can we start calling women sufferers of Y chromosome deficency syndrome? >>



Hell no! What man would want to have sex with that?

 

[PCAddict]

Yep. I don't mind when people describe me as &quot;the big guy with the goatee and the crewcut&quot; because that clearly separates me from everyone else I work with.

 

[Michael]

I think that one theory is that all humans originated in Africa. That means we're all Africans, if you go back far enough.

The problem I have with PC is not the intent. It is the fact that it can stifle the free expression of ideas and diversity that it purports to support. It also tends to go beyond areas where there is real, historical bias, to trivial items.

If I had to choose between living in a PC world and living in a racist world, I would pick PC. Luckily, those are not the only choices, because I do not like either of them.

Michael

 

[Preyhunter]

PCAddict &amp; Skoorb,

That's the point that I make, too. It is only used as a descriptor, not as a derogatory term. Let's say that you are at a restaraunt that you go to on a regular basis. One of the waitresses is black and she is your waitress on this particular night. She is the best waitress that you've ever had at this restaraunt. Using the word &quot;waitress&quot; isn't the best descriptor because 12 of the 15 waitstaff are females. You don't know their names. You make the statement, &quot;The black waitress is the best waitress that I've ever had here.&quot; What is wrong with that statement? How have I said something negative about her? I just don't see it. Using a person's color is an excellent descriptor when trying to distinguish one person from another, when narrowing down the possibilities. Of course, it doesn't help any when ALL of the waitstaff are black females. A different descriptor would then have to be used, like the one with bright orange nailpolish or whatever other physical characteristics that can be readily recognized. Physical characteristics HAVE to be used because you can't effectively say &quot;the nice one&quot; or &quot;the extremely caring one&quot; because there is no way for everyone to know that much about every individual.

 

[snoogans]

you &quot;is suck&quot; just for using that idiotic phrase

 

[Preyhunter]

<< you &quot;is suck&quot; just for using that idiotic phrase >>



You may think it's an idiotic phrase, but it's been around here longer than you have.

Troll.

 

[Eug]

Heheh. My nephew told his mom (my sister) he was probably going to be a basketball player when he grew up. Why? He noticed that so many basketball players had black hair and while he had black hair too, while all his friends had blonde or brown hair.

He also pointed to a family from Hong Kong once and said that they were the first Chinese family he had ever seen. Heheh... My nephew is half Chinese.

Anyways, what do we call him? Asian-Caucasian-American? Oh wait, he lives in Canada so that's out. Personally, I hope when he grows up he shacks up with somebody who is black from the US. Therefore his kids will be Asian-Caucasian-African-American-Canadian.

I've visited an area in NorthWestern China where the people are Caucasian and more related to the Turks. Do you call them Asian, because they live in Asia, are Chinese citizens, and they all speak Chinese? Probably not. I don't have a big problem with using these terms from time to time, but I find it odd that people try to force these terms down our throats.

 

[AndrewR]

<< Hell no! What man would want to have sex with that? >>


So, you go for the big burly men, Prey?

 

[Preyhunter]

Ouch, I guess I left myself open for that one. What I was TRYING to say is that the word &quot;woman&quot; sounds much more appealing than an object with some type of deficiency syndrome. Better watch your P's and Q's now, AndrewR, because I'll be scrutinizing all of your posts now.

 

[rgb7]

<< you &quot;is suck&quot; just for using that idiotic phrase >>



What are ya, new? This place abounds with phrases like that.

Nef.

By the way Prey is a big burly man.