I've said it before; when someone starts to deride political correctness you know they're about to say something they are well aware is offensive and includes some kind of "ism", whether sexism, racism, anti-semitism...whatever.

And I also disagree that it's "better to know" and that people should be happy when others are out in the open about their "isms"...because at least we know.

No way! We don't all get to say exactly what we're thinking when we think it...that's what keeps famlies, relationships and societies from falling apart. We all exercise a little courtesy and common sense. And that should apply to racists and sexists etc. just like the rest of us. Not because it will change the "ism" within them (I'm not sure that's even possible), but because at least it won't subject the rest of us to it!

Elisa Camahort
BlogHer and Worker Bees
elisa@blogher.org/elisa@workerbees.biz

Perhaps I'm showing my age, here, but has the term "politically correct" ever been used as anything but a perjorative by right-wingers?

I don't think I've ever seen it used except as a way to shut up women, people of colour or other non-privileged individuals by inferring they are prudes or whatever because they called out someone on their sexist, racist or otherwise offensive remark.

One thing that for some reason keeps happening is people keep thinking that PC-ness is about stopping people from saying what they want to say.

I think this was quite spot-on, because after being labelled "PC" as a perjorative the very next thing seems to be accusations of censorious intentions. Like if you label a statement as racist, you're somehow retroactively censoring it. Since when is giving a negative opinion so powerful as to render the subject of that opinion censored?

I've had 'politically correct' tossed at me more than once and by more than one... it usually is in the context of complaining about the overall concept of political correctness, or because, silly me... I'm not really fond of prejudice. It's easy to criticise pc, being pc, etc, but what is it one is really saying or criticising when tossing this at another?

I like to ask "what is it you wish to say you feel you no longer can say?" or "what is it I am stopping you from saying you wish to say?" I've yet to receive any sort of cogent explanation to that query.

Political correctness does not exist to limit free expression of ideas, it exists to try to stop us from tearing each other apart, recognising in the past we've tossed goofy insults at each other that are rooted in ethnicity, gender, religion, etc... in other words, putting down the differences perceived in others, simply because of those differences and/or because they are different.

Call me pc anytime. As with liberal, queer, dyke, feminist, etc... I'll take that toss, catch it, and wear it proudly.

nelle

Thanks for this post, lainad.

I echo Elisa's, Kuri's, and nelle's comments above. It seems that the only folks rejecting political correctness (or rendering it a pejorative) are those who want to be remain entitled, free to injure and insult w/ incendiary or exclusionary language, free to remain ignorant of our plurality, etc.

My sense is these folks are missing one VERY IMPORTANT piece of what real political correctness brings to the table: the ability to listen and to really hear the concerns of others. If the person quoted above would be quiet long enough, s/he wouldn't have any trouble discerning the appropriate use of African American or black or Asian or whatever. I don't see much interest in the dialogic aspects of PC among these folks though (and this is putting it kindly).

What may have started out as an attempt to gently modify behavior or thinking through attention to language was quickly appropriated by conservatives and turned back on us as a tool to limit meaningful conversation about discrimination and equality. This I think is the real problem. Proceeding under the banner of "political correctness" is no longer a meaningful way to include one another in the conversation. It is a joke about liberal rigidness and bleeding heart mumbo jumbo, and it continually veers us off track.

These are important conversations; we need to have them, but we need to have them meaningfully and without the buzzsaw of conservative deflection continually derailing them. We need an effective counter tool, and I wonder if it wouldn't be better for us to leave the term 'political correctness' (not the actions underlying it) behind.

(Of course, I fully realize that simply renaming doesn't solve the problem completely and that the conservative elements would attack any phrase or philosophy that challenged its hegemony. It doesn't hurt us though to be supple and adaptive and hit back w/ the full force of our righteousness, does it?) =D

Thanks again for the thought-provoking post, lainad!

ae
arse poetica

While I may not agree with the way the author of the post at Violent Acres did it, I can see the point she's getting at.

Political Correctness has swung to far to one side, like a lot of things in this country do. What was once intended as a way to prevent people from being offended by off color or racist remarks is now a bad joke. They actually rewrote Mother Goose for cripes sake, because it was SEXIST. What? They're nursery rhymes.

The author of the original post could have used more tact, but from what I've read before about her posting style, it's meant to provoke. I think she accomplished that rather well. People will talk about this now, they'll discuss it and mull it over and think about what it means to be "politically correct".

Could the subject have been handled more tactfully? Sure. Then again, if you don't like the way in which she chooses to approach a subject, don't go to her site. It's that simple. If it offends you, don't read it.

Notice how she writes "how are we supposed to learn?" Learn what? Read a goddamned book or something if you're too afraid to interact with people outside of your race.

You should've heard my "unlady-like" guffaw as I read this. (I was told once by a man in a writing class that girls and ladies don't guffaw or chortle.) And "too afraid to interact with people outside of your race?" What is this we have now, race-o-phobia? Oh, wait, there's a real word for for this, xenophobia, and it's usually related to lack of education.

Anyone worried about whether or not it's okay to say "black guy" when the term "white guy" is used constantly without offense is not using common sense. Should society determine both phrases to be offensive, then we'll all have to adjust and understand what caused the shift. I take issue and consider people ignorant who think to be non-racist is to ignore all reference to race. At the least they lack adaptive social skills.

Furthermore, I find it abhorrent that people interpret the right of free speech to mean they have the right to promote societal dysfunction. "Your rights end where the next person's begin." Anyone who doubts this or misunderstands the responsibility of freedom should study the noise ordinances of most municipalities.

I think Violent Acres is making up excuses so she can be rude and unaccountable to society as a whole. She also seeks to find a group that agrees with her. Some people feel that if they can find a group that agrees with them then they're making sense. It could just as easily mean you've found a group of like-minded imbeciles.

But hey, if people want to be rude, they can be rude. You a boor, then be a boor and be happy. Just don't whine about the non-boors ignoring you and not inviting you to play. If they ignore you, at least it's based on your behavior and not your race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation. If they judge you, you're being judged for the content of your character illuminated by your words and deeds and not the color of your skin. Or perhaps you're being judged because you're really not too bright. Go figure.

Sure, sometimes we can go overboard with being politically correct, but is it not better to err on the side of kindness and harmony?

"Love is liquid. Be drunkards!" ~~Nordette

always annoyed the hell out of me. I was never sure why but I was always sure of what to do instead. Be polite! My mother taught me that many years ago and it served me well!

"It's not actually about that, but about courtesy"

This made me realize that it was common courtesy and politeness that was what we should be concerned about rather than all this PC crap.

And don't worry about what to call the african-american guy. He has a name, right? Use that.

Jim Heivilin

I'll admit I have searched for acceptable descriptors in conversation after an experience using the term hispanic and being called out for not saying chicano. I didn't like how it felt and I had not meant to make anyone feel diminished, I was simply ignorant. The reality is you may not always say the right thing but I think there is something to be said for trying to learn.
I understand courtesy and being accountable, but the thing that I find deplorable is the false pc'ness or courtesy of the pointed use of an acceptable word for show and then the heavy handed use of the wrong or unacceptable word in private. I agree with Jim that we should be polite, but I worry about false. Does saying the right thing in public make what you do in private ok? Are you not a bigot or an ass because you leave slurs for the basement? I suppose it would cause mayhem, but I kind of think these things should see the light of day. I prefer knowing someone thinks I am a bleeding heart, feminazi bitch who should keep her perverted nursing ways to herself. You think my breastfeeding will turn my daughters gay? Have the nerve to tell me. But now I have sort of changed the conversation haven't I? Sorry.