Political Correctness

[Racoon]

Do you think politically correct speech has gone too far??

 

I do.

The latest is an issue regarding Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen getting ripped by the media because he called a reporter a Fag.

 

Its all the talk in sports radio. They are all bashing him for being homophobic.

He called a the reporter a "Fag".. he didn't punch him.

 

Ozzie Guillen, who is from Venezuela, apologized sort of, for his comment, and explained that where he is from, that it wouldn't be construed so offensively.

I can attest to this. Its not the same. "Marico" can be used more loosely there..

 

But this incident speaks to a larger cultural issue.

 

This Political Correctness is Cultural Marxism. Where we become increasingly fearful of what we say and write.

 

Does what you say might offend someone? Could your comments be construed as insensitive, racist, sexist, homophobic?

Get a Grip print media! He called a guy a Fag, so what?

 

What happened to Free Speech? what happened to calling a Spade a Spade?

 

Political Correctness means increased censorship and decreased freedom of speech.

 

Why should the majority of people be silenced for speaking their mind, because it might offend a few?

 

Another related example that pissed me off, occuring a whila ago in Oregon and elsewhere...

Christmas Trees and Decorations in the Mall.

They shouldn't be there because it offends the atheists, or non-Christians.

Grow Up!

 

The ACLU is pathetically backwards, and counter-productive

Its OK to Burn the American flag, but its Wrong to salute it. :)

 

Increasingly moderate Right Wing,

Rac

[InfiniteNow]

Do you think politically correct speech has gone too far??

 

I do.

The latest is an issue regarding Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen getting ripped by the media because he called a reporter a Fag.

 

I'd say that the need to criticize others with derogatory comments has gone too far. How does that reporter's question even begin to get Ozzie worked up if he's comfortable with who he is and knows what he's doing? What purpose does it serve other than to retaliate emotionally to a question which could otherwise have been answered intelligently?

 

 

Its all the talk in sports radio. They are all bashing him for being homophobic.

He called a the reporter a "Fag".. he didn't punch him.

So if I called your mom or sister or girlfriend a dike on national tv, you'd be okay with this?

 

 

This Political Correctness is Cultural Marxism. Where we become increasingly fearful of what we say and write.

I don't think fear is increasing, I think tolerance is decreasing.

 

 

What happened to Free Speech? what happened to calling a Spade a Spade?

The intent of free speech, the rationale and motives under the 1st ammendment rights, were not to allow needless slander and derogatory comment. It is to ensure that people can voice their opinions without concern for being jailed or mistreated by their government if their government happens to disagree with or be put into a negative light by that opinion.

 

Also, we are social beings, and a society must have certain qualities of conduct to survive.

 

 

Why should the majority of people be silenced for speaking their mind, because it might offend a few?

Is this happening? Are the masses being muzzled somewhere and I don't know about it? You can still say whatever you want, but so can your critics. The free speech you cherish so much applies to them as well.

 

 

Christmas Trees and Decorations in the Mall.

They shouldn't be there because it offends the atheists, or non-Christians.

Grow up

I agree, those who don't want them there should burn them. Heck with all this, "let's use the system as it was designed" nonsense. "Jim-bob, grab the gasoline. We're going to the mall to burn some jesus nativities..."

 

Does making the the mall less religion specific really offend you somehow? If it does, maybe it's you who could grow up a bit...

 

The ACLU is pathetically backwards, and counter-productive

Its OK to Burn the American flag, but its Wrong to salute it.

I do believe that if someone were being prevented from saluting it they would argue on their behalf to allow it... Would that be wrong too?

 

 

How's this anger solving any problems? Stop ranting and stop throwing a tantrum like a 3 year old and analyze the problem so you can start looking for solutions. However, be careful what you choose as a solution because if you choose poorly you will be no better than those you deride so ferociously.

[Edella]

The ACLU is pathetically backwards, and counter-productive

Its OK to Burn the American flag, but its Wrong to salute it.

Where did you get the idea that the ACLU thinks it's wrong to salute the flag?Tell me why you think the ACLU is backwards(make sure to show your work).

 

Political Correctness means increased censorship and decreased freedom of speech.

Please elaborate.

[Racoon]

You misunderstood me in the Mall Christmas Tree rant IN..

 

I am not Christian, but I am certainly NOT offended by Christmas Trees and decoration!

I was making a point that the ACLU was trying to ban them because it might offend Atheists. (and it was a serious issue prior)

Which is ridiculous Bullshit.

I like the decorations regardless...

 

So, lets bend over backwards for the minority who might be offended.

Lets become a "it's not my responsibility, you're at fault somehow" society..

 

Let the Ultra liberals blame everything on someone else, Undermine freedom of speech, and make everything offensive free!

 

Wrong.

This world is F*d up! and why are we concerned about a Fag comment or Christmas tree, or pledge or Flag salute when more serious things are occuring?

 

Freedom of Speech!! Not everyone is Buddy-Buddy, eye-eye..

So quit pretending..

 

If I call you a Retard instead of "mentally challenged" is there a real difference?

 

Instead of saying "Poor" i need to call you economically marginalized??

 

Instead of "Fat" i should call you differentially weighted??

 

give me a break...

Grow some thicker skin, and quit deferring responsibility to everyone else,

[Edella]

C'mon Racoon,a little less rant and accusation tossing. Political correctness is a catch all phrase and means different things to different people.

Grow some thicker skin, and quit deferring responsibility to everyone else

Who?InfiniteNow?Ultra liberals? You're all over the place,man.Relax,break it down,and maybe you can get a rational discussion going.It's certainly worthy of discussion.

[HydrogenBond]

Political correctness requires that one think with their heart instead of with their mind. The heart does not think in terms of cause and affect. It has its own laws that are not always rational. If one begins to reason things through with their mind, they may come up with rational conclusions thay will differ from the noncausual results from emotional thinking. Political correctness tries to trump reason with the irrational nature of emotions.

 

For example, a serial killer has feelings too. This is true only in the sense that such a person enjoys killing. Those thinking irrationally with the heart, tries to give this cold hearted person the sensitivity of a poet. If one says he is a cold hearted killer, that is politically incorrect, because it is too rational for the emotional fantasy world to survive.

[Racoon]

So, if you can Burn a flag, but protest the Pledge of allegiance because of a God reference, you should be able to call someone a Fag or Retard..! :evil:

Quit this double standard business...and hypocrisy

And quit defending the pathetically thin skinned, easily offended persons...

If someone is Homosexual, then they can be called a Fag. If someone is Chinese, they can be called "Oriental".. sheeesh..

Freedom of Speech.

Not saying its the most appropriate thing to do, but get priorities straight.. if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, its prolly a Mallard...

 

 

http://www.pbs.org/jefferson/enlight/flag.htm

 

The Supreme Court had ruled in 1989 in the case of Texas v. Johnson that the First Amendment rights of citizens to engage in free speech, even if that speech is "offensive," outweighs the government's interest in protecting the American flag as a symbol of American unity and prevents the breach of the peace which was argued to be the result of such an action. The action of flag burning, as repugnant as it may be to many citizens, was determined by the Supreme Court and Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, was defined as an example of "symbolic speech." In the Texas case, the court voted in a 6-2 decision to affirm the Criminal Appeal's court decision to bring flag burning under the protection of the First Amendment. In the Eichman case, the Court's 5-4 ruling reiterated its belief that flag burning falls within the same class of actions as "virulent ethnic and religious epithets, vulgar repudiations of the draft, and scurrilous caricatures," which are "deeply offensive" to the average American, but that the Government may not infringe the right to express an idea just because society has concluded that said idea is offensive.

[Edella]

The ACLU is often demonized by the right,but sometimes they do things you wouldn't expect:http://www.aclu.org/religion/schools/25799prs20060605.html

I see you just want to rant Racoon,so much for a discussion.

[Racoon]

Political Correctness has gotten out of hand.

Its Marxism. translated from economic to Social institutions

 

What happened to calling a Spade a Spade? Free Speech?

you have to be so very sensitive to who might hear what you say??

BS!

If someone is so easily offended and disturbed, thats their own goshdarned problem...

Its only written/spoken text..

Meanwhile real serious Actions are taking place. :evil:

 

Quit defending some Idealic notion of perfect equality, when its never going to happen in our lifetimes.. and just say what you mean..

 

I am not gay, but I think I can call a Homosexual a word like Fag. just as they can call me something like Cracker..

To me its no big deal.. Cracker, Fag, Retard..BFD

 

But to these ultra-sensitive types, I say "shut up and deal with it"

If it offends you, oh well.??

 

Go cry. Wake up and smell the Napalm..

[Edella]

InfiniteNow was right Racoon,you are throwing a tantrum like a 3 year old.Nonetheless does anyone else have any thoughts on political correctness,has it gone to far?Not far enough?Lets discuss this while Racoon cools off.

[Erasmus00]

So, if you can Burn a flag, but protest the Pledge of allegiance because of a God reference, you should be able to call someone a Fag or Retard..! :evil:

 

And you can. In fact, it clearly happened. The guy called the reporter a fag. Has he been arrested? No. Has he been jailed? No.

 

Is this behavior appropriate for a press conference? Probably not. Anyone who throws slurs at a reporter for asking a question is opening themselves up to all kinds of criticism, regardless of their choice of slur. Its just a stupid thing to do. His fellow citizens are saying "hey, don't be so stupid," and they have just as much a right to criticize as he had to call the guy a fag.

 

Here you are crying "we need freedom of speech" when you want to do it by shutting down the critic's freedom of speech.

 

Lastly, in regards to flag burning: the day they outlaw burning the flag they outlaw part of what this country stands for. Throwing peaceful protestors who burn the flag in jail goes against much of what the founding father's believed. I'm sure some British flags were burned leading up to the revolution.

-Will

[pgrmdave]

You know what political correctness really is? Respect for others.

[Mercedes Benzene]

Go cry. Wake up and smell the Napalm..

 

I actually had the opportunity to smell modern napalm. It was highly unremarkable.... In fact, it smelled a little like Benzene (MY FAVORITE!:hihi: ).

 

Anyway Racoon, while political correctness may not seem like such a big deal, it does offend people....

Although... in some instances, political correctness only applies to a word for so long. For instance:

I was watching this segment on the news, and a gay person was talking. They used the word "fag" like it was not a big deal.

Another example:

Many African American children that I know use the "N word" in normal, everyday conversation amongst eachother...

 

I suppose it really depends on the individual, and the change of "political correctness" over time.:evil:

[Cedars]

Rearranged Quote a bit.

 

The latest is an issue regarding Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen getting ripped by the media because he called a reporter a Fag.

Get a Grip print media! He called a guy a Fag, so what?

 

What happened to Free Speech? what happened to calling a Spade a Spade?

 

 

I would disagree that this is a political correctness issue as much as it is an employer/employee issue. Ozzie probably signed a conduct clause that would cover what kinds of behaviors are expected. Part of his job does require that he answer reporters questions. And reporters know these contracts exist.

 

 

But this incident speaks to a larger cultural issue.

This Political Correctness is Cultural Marxism. Where we become increasingly fearful of what we say and write.

Does what you say might offend someone? Could your comments be construed as insensitive, racist, sexist, homophobic?

 

Political Correctness means increased censorship and decreased freedom of speech

 

Now there are examples out there where I think things have gotten muddied quite a bit. A few people have lost their jobs due to blogging on their own time, but I think all of these cases involved work related things on the blogs.

 

Yes I do think there has been decreased 'freedom of speech'. Discussing race issues/racism is a good example. Bill Cosby has been driving more than a few people nuts with some of the statements hes been making in the last year or two about responsibilty. If Bill Gates had said the same things, all hell would have broken loose, so to speak.

[Racoon]

InfiniteNow was right Racoon,you are throwing a tantrum like a 3 year old.Nonetheless does anyone else have any thoughts on political correctness,has it gone to far?Not far enough?Lets discuss this while Racoon cools off.

 

This is serious. You can't even say the word "Fag" or "Christmas", without some ACLU, PC individual coming out of the wood work.

 

The fact you can't really speak your honest mind in fear that you might offend someone is disturbing.

 

Its just words! Freedom of Speech.

Its not punches and gun shots. :evil:

 

Wake up and smell the coffee.. this liberal media sh*t is making me sick, and I vote Democrat.

 

Why sacrifice the ability to speak freely, when a small minority "might, possibly" be offended..?

So What!? Seriously, whats TBFD? a couple people get offended.. is that the Net Result?

Should some people taking offense be the limiting factor in your freedom of speech?

Hell No!

 

I'm not talking about running for office, I'm discussing whats on your mind.

 

I say free speech, and people say "counter-free speech, quit what your saying"...

How does that resonate? same difference.

 

Political Correctness has gotten out of hand.

Responsibility for ones actions has diminished. If I get hurt, it's someone else's fault somehow...

If I say something, its mis-construed. offensive to some minority population.

 

Live in a pretend world of peace and equality and Happy-Happy-Joy BS all you want.

Thats not reality. :hihi:

as much as I'd like it to be as well...

 

Today's world does not = Idealic world

 

Keeping It Real,

Rac

[Erasmus00]

Yes I am throwing a tantrum!

But not like a 3 year old...:evil: but rather like an adult in an ever open opinion squelching medium of rational discussion

 

You aren't discussing anything. You are saying the same things over and over again as if you haven't taken the time to read anything anyone on the thread has said... This doesn't seem like an adult thing to do.

-Will

[Probable Uncertainty]

political correct is not like Marxism. Marxism is just one view, no other opinion is allowed at all. political correct is part of reletavistic post modern thinking, it very much tied up with concept of universalism, which is idea that all culture and all people has valuable point of view, that no one set of idea is better than any other. so it is like opposite of Marxism.

 

it is still wrong, tho. some way to look at things is better than other way. western Democracy and western Rational Secularism is better than primative superstition and primative way of ruling with iron fist of Dictator. to say all idea have equal right to respect is to say is no way to judge any idea. if everything is equally valuable, everything is equally worthless.