This week was like any other week: I had trouble thinking of my weekly topic. OK, let me rephrase that. I had trouble thinking of a noncontroversial topic that would not offend anyone. Throughout the week, I kept asking myself, “What could I write about that’s lighthearted, fun, and something that absolutely no one will find offensive?” But then I remembered that I live in the 21st century; someone is bound to find an excuse to be offended by anything I write.
Then again, why am I so scared of offending anyone? You know what? F**k it. Why am I censoring myself? Here is my rant on political correctness.
In today’s day and age as soon as you say or do something, people find a reason to be offended by it. What you said or did doesn’t even have to be racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, or any other kind of phobic that will be invented between the time I wrote this and the time this is published. Every time I scroll through my newsfeed on Facebook, I’m always reading a claim by a social justice warrior or feminazi that something else has just become offensive. And honestly, I think people just look for excuses to get offended.
A few months ago, a few students from the University of California, Irvine caused a national stir after claiming that the American flag be banned because the flag was flown in times of colonialism and imperialism and was therefore a symbol of hate speech.
Whoa, back up. What? The symbol of our country is hate speech?
Let’s take a look at this. The 13 stripes and 50 stars represents strength and freedom, being one nation under God that’s indivisible, that has liberty and justice for all. When I see that flag flown, I have feelings of pride for being an American. The United States is the land of opportunity, and people come here to create a better life for themselves, and you’re questioning the hatefulness of the flag? Has the U.S. been in the wrong in the past? Yeah, but guess what? No nation is perfect.
Get over yourself. If you’re “so offended” by this country, pull up directions to your nearest airport and book the earliest international flight.
Was I too offensive for you? Let me continue.
Women, are we really offended when a man holds a door open for us? Some would argue that he is “inherently objectifying us” or implying that we are incapable of holding our own door. But what’s better? A kind gesture or a door to the face? Even more than that, I like chivalry, and you should, too.
On April Fool’s Day, I was scrolling through my newsfeed on Facebook, reading everyone’s funny statuses. Amidst all of the humor, one girl posted that we shouldn’t joke about fake pregnancies because some women cannot reproduce, and we might offend them.
Where does it end?
Does that mean I shouldn’t make a joke about a washing machine or a vacuum because some people may not be able to afford it and will therefore be upset or anxious by me joking about it?
I sound preposterous right now.
People have gotten so carried away with what’s really offensive that it prevents us from seeing what is actually offensive and what we really need to be sensitive about. Everything now is overanalyzed, and we have been desensitized. And honestly, what’s the point of harping on every word and gesture? Is it because we want to seem like self-righteous, socially aware people?
Society is broken.
Does this article offend you? My sincerest apologies.
