Some politicians/presidential candidates and social figureheads, namely one we all know, give speeches about ending political correctness. They say they don't support it. They grandly proclaim they are about to make this country more free by bringing back "free speech." That sounds good, and people are getting sucked in by that logic. Political correctness=bad. Leaders in the media have done a very good job of taking a vague concept and definitively creating a negative perception in the public's eyes. They have warped the definition. Their statements about this fake enemy called "PC" have gotten millions to equate the term to limiting freedom and oppressing voices, but it is not the kind of oppression it was originally intended to describe. PC is a faceless, nameless concept that people have decided is the problem with this country.

In reality, PC as we know it is a constructed concept to divert attention and take the responsibility off of people to consider their words and actions. It is a cleverly manipulative way of silencing voices and demonizing those who try to advocate against hate speech. I have never seen anyone use the term "political correctness" when some sort of hate speech or disrespectful, insensitive language is not involved. It goes like this:

The agitator says X about Y group of people, usually a negative generalization or involving an offensive term toward a group that the agitator is not a part of. Sometimes is said under the guise of a joke.

Bystander intervenes and states how what agitator said is not okay and how it is offensive and hateful.

Agitator, or other person in defense of agitator, states how bystander should shut up or leave because bystander is "too sensitive," has "no sense of humor," and is "obsessed with being PC." You're being so PC, they say, as if this is the most irritating and worst thing a person can be.

Bystander tries to argue, but is told that they are unnecessarily censoring agitator's "free speech" and agitator is "entitled to their opinion."

This needs to stop.

This script has become much too common in media and even daily interaction. There is a perception of being considerate and respectful as being overly sensitive, a "typical liberal and SJW," and out to take away everyone's "free speech" rights. This has nothing to do with politics, party alignment or social justice. This is an issue of common human decency.

Outlining the exact aspects of what it means to be PC in recent times is not something that has been successfully done. A Google search defines it as this:

The avoidance, often considered as taken to extremes, of forms of expression or action that are perceived to exclude, marginalize, or insult groups of people who are socially disadvantaged or discriminated against.

And if this definition were the one that people meant when they referred to political correctness, they would be right in saying it's a bad thing. Those who are oppressed should not be spoken for, only supported as they speak and decide the terms they want others to associate with their group. However, in real life it is simply a term thrown out there when someone feels someone else is being overly-sensitive to an offensive remark geared toward a group of people. Instead of being about the negative effects on the already oppressed in society, it has become about the entitlement and free speech of the oppressors.

The usage of the term usually comes from someone who is not part of the group that is being discriminated against and hated, and so the speaker is able to comfortably not only minimize the struggles of that group, but even laugh about them as if the issues are deserving of mention only when they are delivered as punchlines. If there are no “jokes” involved, it's simply used to defend the right of someone to make discriminatory statements because they "are entitled to express their opinion."

What we do know of being PC means in today's society comes from looking at the context in which it's used. Examining that, it means to:

- Think "too much" about what terms should and should not be used toward certain peoples.
- Be "too sensitive."
- Be a killjoy.
- Take away someone else's "free speech."

Firstly, I do not know why being cognizant of what you are about to say before you say it, and who it might offend if you do, is such a bad thing. Logic will tell you that if humans are relatively decent to one another and show some level of sensitivity to one another's struggles and different experiences, society is a better place for all.

This is where the application of political correctness today becomes a socially constructed concept. Being PC in the way we refer to it is not too much consideration, it's the amount of consideration we should have always been giving to others that we have not historically. To other races, genders, sexual orientations, etc. It is a way to filter and responsibly use free speech. A way to realize that just because you can say something, does not mean you should, that your opinion is not always just an opinion, and that if you say something, you say it knowing that you must accept the social ramifications that come with others' responses. They have just as much right to speak as you do and they do not have to shut up or leave.

Perhaps it's too much effort to stifle the urge to express a discriminatory "opinion." Or perhaps jerks would like to freely be jerks. Either way, those that "speak their mind freely" use the concept of "political correctness" as an effective tool to relieve their guilt and their responsibility when they engage in hate speech. It is used as a reason to fight against the issues of equality that more and more groups are raising.They call it "free speech" and "opinion" when in reality, their words effectively silence those beginning to speak up about the issues they face because of race, sex, gender, religion and other traits. Their words say, "you are still not equal. And you should stop trying to be."

Those that give speeches saying how they are not PC, as if that is a huge plus, use their "freedom of speech" to make statements that have no point, no reason and further no cause but the cause to discriminate against one another even more. Being "against political correctness" is not some statement anymore about being pro free speech and more freedom, supporting the oppressed, it simply means that they are inconsiderate and have no interest in being considerate. They cry out "PC" to silence others’ free speech when they experience backlash for their statements. It is a childish way to get to say whatever they want and have the oppressed not only feel uncomfortable speaking up against them, but the general public idealize and romanticize the agitators to be of some great, noble cause. In a way, it's genius-level manipulation on a massive scale.

This is why the perception of "political correctness" is the thing that is limiting free speech, not opening it up. It is simply allowing the oppressors to continue to be open about all their prejudices, thoughtlessly publicize hateful "opinions," act as though their statements exist in a vacuum, be even more outrageous in their racism, sexism, homophobia and other irrational hatred, and not have to answer for it.

The fact we have made being decent and respectful humans to one another into something called "counterproductive" and created this warped concept of being "politically correct," equating it to being "a dictator," is what will slowly take away rights. It will create tension, misunderstanding, promote ignorance and inspire violence. And we will have no one to blame but ourselves.