I am seriously sick of this giant, wriggling red herring called "PC"

[enki23]

Intro caveat: I am almost *completely* opposed to state control of any speech. Almost completely, with very few exceptions.

Yet, and not a few of you lurking republican dorks reading this might get all cross-eyed and confused at this, I think the anti-PC crowd is *completely* full of shit. Worse, I think, it's become absurdly, hopelessly PC to bitch about "PC."

You have a real case, regarding free speech, when a state agency, or one with state sanction, limits free speech when it's not *absolutely* necessary. Here's where you can insert the old trope about shouting "fire" in a crowded theatre. Obviously, that happens sometimes. And that's bad. And even in the private world, where the crowd's speech is just as protected as yours, there have been a few real cases of excess. People get excessive. But...

But I just want to say, to all you little dorks whine "PC" whenever someone disapproves of something you say in public, I fantasize about slapping the drool off your goddamned chin and sending you home to change your shorts. Same to all you fools who recite the "radical liberals want to force everyone to be exactly the same" bullshit. Social disapproval is not state oppression, and if you can't handle the social disapproval your speech evokes, then just shut up already. Or bitch about it, if you like. Just do us all a favor and leave "PC" out of it.

Or can fight back. That's fair too. If you're sure you're right, and that you aren't just being an asshole, then argue your damned case, if the situation leaves that option available. You're probably still being an asshole. But if you aren't threatening or harrassing anyone, then, by all means, be an asshole. Or just f**king leave. Or ignore it. Or whatever. But whining "PC" when someone, or a lot of someones, don't like you and your boorish bullshit is, to be honest, beneath your average twenty-year-old. That's true even if it *isn't* actually boorish bullshit. Or it damned well should be. Because, unless it has progressed to outright harassment, disapproval of *your* speech is also protected. Any ironic humor to be gleaned from the vast and irredeemably conformist "anti-PC" crowd has been wrung dry a long goddamned time ago. Now it's just lame.

Hell, here's irony for you. I'm so sick of politically correct "PC" whiners that I posted a whole damned rant bitching about the PC of "PC". And that's just irritating.

[...of J.Temperance]

1. I'm anti-Political Correctness

And Political Correctness has now reached completely absurd levels.

I'm giving you a vote for this thread.

[wtmusic]

13. then OP thinks you are full of shit

might want to re-read before you vote.

[...of J.Temperance]

14. 'Um

Who is OP?

No, I was correct in my vote.

I suggest you read post 7 in this thread and direct your comments their way instead.

[wtmusic]

16. OP = "original poster"

"I think the anti-PC crowd is *completely* full of shit."

[...of J.Temperance]

17. I gave

OP a vote, and it was the first vote if I might add. I gave them a vote, because I'm a generous sort and welcome every side of a coin.

[tx_dem41]

2. Great post....nominated.

I agree with you on every point.

[Bunny]

3. Bravo!!!!

Thank you! :applause:

[triguy46]

4. I'm a free speech absolutist, even for those who I loathe.

PC is just the opposite. Say what you will, if its wrong, outrageous, insulting, degrading, so what. Saying it means you have to take the heat. PC sucks, as do universities efforts at "free speech zones". Sorry, I didn't check my rights at the door.

[wtmusic]

15. You missed the message

as about half the posts on this thread did.

[patrice]

5. No un-necessary Limits on Free Speech!!

I will say what the fuck I want to say. If "you" freak about F - U - C - K , that's your problem, not mine.

[CatWoman]

6. LOLOLOLOL

Rev. Enk!!!

Love it!!!

:hi:

[Ally McLesbian]

7. Political correctness...

screams loud about white prejudice, but hides nonwhite prejudice very well. Because in the world of political correctness, nonwhites do not have the power, so they cannot be hatemongers.

I find that notion to be itself pretty darn racist.

I traveled to Amsterdam 6 years ago, where Surinamese immigrant thugs absolutely trashed my experience. Yet the guidebooks and the Amsterdam lovers are too PC to ever talk about the possibility of nonwhite immigrants being racist, sexist, and homophobic. Keep on talking about Amsterdam's "tolerance" all you want, but I would rather go to London, Paris, or some other European city that's truly tolerant.

The same applies to my neck of woods in Southern California. The worst racists and homophobes in my area are not whites, but Latinos and Asians. And most liberals don't give a damn about that, because it flies right in the face of the PC ideology.

[izzybeans]

18. "most liberals" will say of course Mr(s.) obvious and then call bull shit

On your last sentence.

The new PC is not calling out the bullshit when you see it.

"Don't tell me I'm a racist. That's double reverse racism on you. Triple dog racism. Double back flip and then discriminate whitey racism"

The new PC is not calling out racism when you see it. That's all it is. Its not a liberal problem its a problem for racists of all shades to decide. "Whaaaa!!!! Whaaaa!!!! How dare you call me a racist BOY! Give me my binky!!!!!" Rightwing crybaby bullshit if you ask me.

The new PC is not to critique power. Submit and go blind, that's the Correct thing to do I tells ya.

[NMMNG]

24. Damn, if only I could give this post a recommendation

Having come from New England I was used to living in a predominantly white environment. Any racism I saw (which wasn't much I'm glad to say) was perpertrated by whites. Then I moved to the Mid Atlantic and things changed. Now pretty much the only racism I see in my area (which is considerable and overt) is perpetrated by blacks, many of whom treat the whites like they are dog-shit on the bottom of their shoes. But of course it would not be PC to address this so it goes ignored.

[really annoyed]

26. Racism in any form is wrong

You are not doing anything wrong by speaking up.

I've gone through similar troubles.

[marlo]

27. Yeah, and it was considered to be PC

"whining" from a selfish delusional black person with a chip on his shoulder if I ever dared to address any of the racism I experienced growing up in predominately white Texas suburbs. Let's see, there was the constant derision, being talked down to, cold stares, being treated like I didn't belong. The people who would actually slam on their brakes to leer at my family members in front of our house because they didn't expect to see us there. There were several white people I knew who seemed to be very friendly and decent people until they got comfortable with me and would use racial epithets and make jokes about back people in my presence as if it wasn't a big deal. There were the white cops who repeatedly pulled me over when I was a teenager and verbally harassed me about "not making any trouble" or told me they "didn't want to see me around" in my own neighborhood. (You know you're being pulled over for DWB (driving while black) when you get a condescending lecture about your behavior that doesn't relate to traffic safety and no ticket.) Then there was the white cop that pulled a gun on me IN MY PARENT"S HOUSE when I answered the front door after the alarm was set of accidentally because he thought I was a burglar. I seriously doubt that any of the blacks you encounter that are short with whites haven't taken much worse from the other side. That's not a justification for bigotry, it's just the truth. And if you don't realize this, you're naive. Life is tough for everyone. Grow up.

Most of what is called "political correctness" is in reality common courtesy.

[xchrom]

30. thank you!

what people don't understand about ''pc'' is that it was a way to formulate speaking about the multi-cultural society we live in without giving way to traditional stereotypical language.

because we're used to it -- we can't see the thousands of small cuts our language delivers when we are the dominateculture{race, etc}

''political correctness'' IS about semantics, language -- and creating a way to think that was race, sex neutral.

what killed ''pc'' were white males who screamed reverse racism because they couldn't with the new emerging world.

it's complicated -- but i can see from other posters that it's USELESS to talk about it intelligently here.

[newyawker99]

32. Hi marlo!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[JJackFlash]

8. Steve Kangas had a different take on PC

"Liberals believe that speech should be free until it unduly harms someone else. Then the law properly prohibits it, just as it prohibits fraud, false advertising, libel, perjury, insider trading and other forms of harmful speech. Although hate language may be harmful to its victims, PC codes fail to address the problem because it is not the words themselves, but how they are used, that causes harm. That is, positive words can be used hatefully, and negative words can be used endearingly. PC codes are ineffective and therefore an unnecessary limitation on free speech. Furthermore, PC codes up until now have been dictatorially selected and enacted, contrary to the democratic values of true liberalism."
http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/L-pc.html

[jim3775]

9. I heard a guy on a radio show who used to work on that show

tough crowd with colin quinn on comedy central. He was bitching that the "PC libruuuls" wouldn't let him say "nigger" on the show. He was mad because comedy central let Dave Chapelle say it. Of course it's because he's white and Chappelle is black but this guy was saying that its because he's a republican and republicans aren't allowed to speak freely in the "libruuul run" media (yeah, he really had a bad case of that white persecution complex). He also went as far as to say the the "PC libruuuuls" canceled his show and the excuse they gave him was "low ratings". He just used the "PC" thing as an excuse for the failings in his career.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

10. NO TO CENSORSHIP, YES TO A GOOD EDIT.

[northamericancitizen]

11. Great rant! K&R

[The River]

12. Language has been De-constructed

The meaning of words has become entirely subjective.
This has allowed politicans and advertisers to
literally change the meanings words to suit their purposes.
PC speech is the least of our language problems.

[Solon]

19. I said it in a previous thread and I'll say it again...

Those who whine the loudest about Political Correctness are angry white males who wish they can still say "nigger" without getting the shit beaten out of them.

[izzybeans]

20. Now that's true political correctness: The correct thing to do

politically in that situation is an ass beating, couple that with some loud clapping, finger pointing, and laughter. I can get behind that in a second.

:D

[JohnnyCougar]

21. The problem with this argument is that it goes the other way, too.

Believe it or not, there are people on this board (few, but they are still here) who will accuse you of not being politically correct as a cop out to an argument. Instead of debating the facts, they will call you names, insult you, and question your membership in the DU community simply because something you say goes against their agenda.

I generally consider my opinions to be pretty independent on this board. I STRONGLY oppose the war, and have since the beginning of time. I also strongly oppose the Patriot Act. But I am more moderate on abortion issues than most. I respect the Catholic Church, even though I find their position on gay rights to be idiotic.

I remember one thread in particular where because I defended the Pope, I was questioned about my race, my gender, and my sexual orientation, as if a certain answer to any of those questions invalidated any viewpoints I had. People can be pretty brutal to you if you don't tow the line here. So there IS an issue of political correctness.

I think the number of people who abuse the "PC" label are in the minority, however. But it's not like it doesn't exist.

[lildreamer316]

22. This stripper says great rant.

Whoohoo.:evilgrin:

[Hissyspit]

23. The concept of PC originated with progressive art historians. They were

complaining about each other. It was actually a rather facetious concept. The right hijacked/appropriated the concept (as they always do) to use against the left.

[eridani]

29. Much older than that

"Politically correct" was a good thing for Communists and various other lefties to be in the 30s; it meant you were all up on the current talking points. In the 60s, "new" left people turned it into a term of opprobrium directed at people who would rather sit around and split hairs over Marxist theory than actually get out in the streets to demonstrate or organize people. It wasn't co-opted by rightwingers until the 80s. I've always thought it was too bad that some Trotskyist splinter group didn't register it as a brand and start charging the wingnuts every time they used the term.

[muriel_volestrangler]

31. Interesting - we had a phrase "ideologically sound"

at (British) university in the 80s, which was used half seriously, half in jest, in roughly the original meaning you give for 'PC'. I don't think I ever heard anyone talk about 'PC' until the Tories started using it as a term of derision.

[really annoyed]

25. I agree

There is such a thing as "common courtesy." Besides, you are the better person for it.

Political incorrectness is for the immature and for those who think they are "cool" because they have a bigoted opinion.

[salin]

28. Enki, check out the link in my tagline

found the post a while back and thought it was good enough to try to get some folks to periodically click it and read. I am in complete agreement with you.

To me it is a sure sign that someone is trolling or has drunk to much at the rw radio/media trough when they equate liberalism with PC. Most liberals that I know don't run amuk with PC as their top issue - the strawman argument is an attempt to wash away real progressive issues.

Btw, I have worried about you since Katrina. I am relieved to see you posting at DU. :hi: