Monday, April 8th, 2013

This one's about political correctness. Oh, the horror.

It seems that wherever I go, political correctness has already been there several times over. I know this because nobody is willing to shut up about how political correctness has ruined their lives and is stifling their freedom of expression. That sure sounds awful, but I can't help but wonder sometimes if it's actually true.

Think about it. In all the years in which certain groups have pushed for what is described often as political correctness, have we really become more censored? Would you really experience more freedom of expression in 1967 than in 2013?

It seems that more often than not, cries of political correctness gone mad are simply a condemnation of people being openly offended by a blatantly bigoted statement. Take Dr. Laura for instance. After she announced an end to her radio show in 2010, following controversy over an incident in which she hurled racial slurs at a caller and condemned inter-racial marriage, the anti-pc knights came galloping to her aid. "How dare people get angry that a national talk show host is pushing racism," they cried impassionately. It was as though a greater tragedy than Laura Schlessinger's resignation could never cross their path. Here was a textbook example of a violation of the basic human right to say whatever you want on your nationally syndicated radio program and never be criticized for it, and how could so many people not go up in arms about it?

It seems a bit ironic to me that, for all their talk, the anti-pc crowd are quite possibly the most easily offended group of human beings on Earth. I don't consider myself a dedicated proponent of political correctness... but if the fact that some people will react badly when you condemn an entire race sends you into a tantrum, then you have got to be the whiniest person in the entire universe.

It's a spectacular cycle to behold:

First comes a generic lament about blacks/Mexicans/gays/women/etc. and how awful they all are. This is followed by some kind of inevitable negative reaction from whoever happens to hear said diatribe. Then, of course, comes a new tearjerker about what a tragedy it is that the poor little speaker can't spout their super-important message of intolerance because big mean pcers (in this case just referring to literally anyone who doesn't like what they had to say) have to get in the way by not approving of it.

Get over yourselves.

"N word," "homophobic slur," "misogyny," "sexist," "Islamophobia," goodnight.