Most posts on political correctness are rants. However, this post is not a rant, and it has not been published as an invitation for readers to respond with extreme examples where political correctness has gone off the rails.

Political correctness (adjectivally, politically correct; both forms commonly abbreviated to PC) is a term applied to language, ideas, policies, or behavior seen as seeking to minimize offense to gender, racial, cultural, disabled, aged or other identity groups. Conversely, the term “politically incorrect” is used to refer to language or ideas that may cause offense.

diversity

It’s my position that the underlying intent was and remains a good one. Given our Constitutions and Bills of Rights in democracies, it’s my position that it’s high time for citizens in multicultural nations to recognize the hypocrisy of using discriminatory language and behaviors and the damage done to our social fabric and to stop it. In other words, I don’t have a problem with political correctness in the non-pejorative sense and I don’t believe that most people do.

However, in the 1990s, because of the term’s association with radical politics and communist censorship, it was used by the political right in America to try to discredit the left wing. Now the term itself and its usage are controversial because the term “political correctness” is used almost exclusively in a pejorative sense.

What I have a problem with is those people who are double minded. One on hand, they say they uphold the Constitution and Bill of Rights. On the other they are determined to keep discrimination alive in both their language and their behaviors in public spaces and places, while huddling under the banner of freedom of speech, seemly unable to comprehend that the constraint is on government and only applies to public places and spaces.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

As individuals living in diverse multicultural societies we have responsibilities that come along with our rights. Those who maliciously defame others because they are determined to keep discrimination alive in both their language and their behaviors in public spaces and places, while huddling under the banner of freedom of speech, can be sued for defamation, slander, and libel, and that’s the way it ought to be.

However, whenever this topic is discussed most people do not look at the original intent, they simply point to the most outrageous example they can find and then champion tossing civility out the window. I think it’s high time for us to get back to basics, respect the original intent which was to recognize the hypocrisy of using discriminatory language and behaviors and the damage done to our social fabric and to stop it. Then we can see to it that the outrageous extremes are eliminated.

Discussion questions:

(1) What is  your position with regard to the original intent of political correctness?

(2) have you experienced those who maliciously defame others because they are determined to keep discrimination alive in both their language and their behaviors in public spaces and places, while huddling under the banner of freedom of speech?