Words! People have said "Sticks and stones may break my bones but WORDS will never hurt me". Then why are we so critical about political correctness? My philosophy is that if you are going to bitch or be offended by a word then you must be able to say why that word bothers you. Most often when we read older literature or books the word man is used to reference everyone. In modern times the word man has taken the meaning of a male human being. Feminists search out individuals who still use the word man and these individuals are scrutinized for using it. The word man is derived from the Proto-Germanic word Mannaz meaning "human". If women are offended by being generalized as "MAN" then they are protesting their inclusion into the human race. I also have a problem with "African American" or "Asian American" or any other diversity friendly name you want to call yourself. I understand that diversity has become a big thing in the past decade but we should be more concerned with Unity and not diversity. Diversity is celebrating differences, University is bringing everyone together as one. If you are Black and you were born in America then you are American not African American. I am Irish, Italian and Polish and I am proud of my background but when people ask me what I am I mostly lie and say Canadian... kidding, I say American not Irish, Italian, Polish, American. WTF?! Can you understand my concern. Yes, we are all different! Be proud of who you are but take it easy. The only people who should be allowed to call themselves a dual name are "Native Americans" because Europeans came here and killed most of them and decided to call them Indians, which confuses the world now because we scratch our heads and wonder when someone says Indian..."Oh, Dots or Feathers?" There are a many more examples I can give in regards to word origins and whiny political correctness people. Such as "Merry Christmas" being changed to "Happy Holidays" or The National Anthem not being allowed to be sung because it may offend someone of another culture. Give me a break. Rhetoric will break more than any stick or stone ever will. Listen to what you say and avoid politically correct cliches.
-JCow
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Word Up!
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4 comments:
Oh wow...this post you wrote consists of thoughts that have lived in my head for a long time!!!...
...I consider myself a tough kind of chick, and yet feminists would beat me up for using the term "chick"...I say "whatever", because does calling myself a chick make me weak or one-dimensional? Only if I think that I am...you are only limited by the boundaries you place around you, and getting caught up in the lingo means more time spent "huffing and puffing", and less time spent living and enjoying life, but maybe I'm too idealistic a person ;-)
PS: I very much call myself a Canadian, but when I tell people I meet that I'm Canadian, do you know how often I get the follow-up question: "No...but what ARE you?"...sigh....I also feel that organized religion is very responsible for dividing people and disrupting the harmony of humanity as a whole, but that's a whole other story and just my opinion ;-)
@ Romi: I could not agree more about the religion issue. Every war dating back to written history and probably even before has been started because of religious differences. People arguing over a piece of fucking land that they don't own.
People really ask you what you ARE? Ok people, Canada is not just America's hat. Fuck it. That will be my next blog. I've never been to Canada but I think that will make it better...unbiased.
Did you write that, or did I? I agree with every single thing in your post--you are absolutely right! Political correctness is simply deception and nonsense! It's also ethically incorrect! One example is "African American", as you say. The biggest problem with that term is that it only refers to Americans of the Negroid (black) Race, who came from Central and Southern Africa. But most people in North Africa are Caucasoid (white)--so the term excludes them! Another exclusionary term is "anti-Semitic". It refers only to hatred of Jews, but here's the problem: Arabs are also Semitic!
Yes, both the Jews and Arabs are of the Semitic Ethnicity, which originated in the Arabian Peninsula! So if you hate Jews, but don't hate Arabs, you cannot be anti-Semitic! Finally, there is the politically-correct term, "consumer", which refers to people with mental illness. I especially despise this one, because I have mental illness! The problem with this term is that it makes absolutely no sense! Everyone on Earth is a consumer, because everyone on Earth consumes! Almost everyone on Earth purchases economic goods-- and everyone on Earth consumes Earth's resources. If you buy, eat, drink, or even breathe, you are a consumer! What's wrong with "mental illness"? I am a person with mental illness--I am mentally ill--call me that! In fact, I'd rather be called a "nut", or a "crazy person", than a "consumer"! I am mentally ill, not mentally deficient--the term "consumer" implies that I'm mentally deficient, because the term, "consumer", when used to refer to a person with mental illness, is a stupid term!
@Scott- I thank you for your other examples and also for taking my side on the issue. We live in a world where misused terms have become the norm. Nobody uses rhetoric anymore and it is a shame. If we all studied the use of words and language,we would be forced to pay attention to what we say and how we say it. Do you think "Indians" want to be called "Native Americans"? They don't want to be termed "Americans" at all. That is not what they are. I think the best example of some of this political correct craziness were showcased by Larry The Cable Guy. Try to Youtube it if you have not seen it!
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