The term politically correct is one that ruffles a lot of feathers. In a time where you can't say anything without offending anybody, the idea behind it is quite offensive in itself to some people. But what does political correctness mean? In all this hub-bub some things have gotten confused. According to Merriam-Webster politically correct is defined as "agreeing with the idea that people should be careful to not use language or behave in a way that could offend a particular group of people"
The definition by Urban Dictionary sends off a very different tone, "A way that we speak in America so we don't offend whining pussies.”
These heated words used by urban dictionary seem to more aptly capture the emotion that many people hold currently.
Revisit that first definition again though and add to it this quote from Neil Gaiman, "I was reading a book (about interjections, oddly enough) yesterday which included the phrase 'In these days of political correctness…' talking about no longer making jokes that denigrated people for their culture or for the colour of their skin. And I thought, 'That’s not actually anything to do with ‘political correctness’. That’s just treating other people with respect.' Which made me oddly happy. I started imagining a world in which we replaced the phrase 'politically correct' wherever we could with 'treating other people with respect', and it made me smile."
It all comes down to human decency. To treating humans like humans. The problem of “Mexican rapists” is not with Mexicans, but with rape (immigrants are less likely to commit crimes, but I digress). The problem with “Muslim terrorists” is not a problem with the religion of Islam (a religion that is largely peaceful) but with terrorism. The "mentally ill gunmen” is not a problem with the mentally ill (the majority of mentally ill people are non-violent) but with firearms.
And if a Mexican or any migrant is a rapist, they should be dealt with, they should fall under full penalty of the law. They should be arrested, charged as fit and given a fair trial. If a Muslim is a terrorist they should be arrested, charged as fit and given a fair trial. If a mentally ill person commits an act of violence they should be arrested, charged as fit and given a fair trial.
Never should political correctness be used as an excuse to deny other human beings their own liberties and lives.
We’re trying to shortcut our problems. We’re looking for a scapegoat instead of actually dealing with the issue. It’s a whole lot easier to hoot and holler about “Mexican rapists” than it is to stop rape. It's easier to condemn a religion and make life awful for all those who practice that religion peacefully than it is to take down the Islamic State.
Let’s talk about the real issues. Not the fake ones, the cover up ones, that are granted to us so we can get mad at something. Something easy to get mad at, some group that is already vulnerable. And when people object, call them whining losers unable to face the “truth.”
We feel helplessness and this allows us to shift blame from society. Because the real issues are painful and difficult and full of emotion. They’re going to take a long time to work through, they’re going to confront harsh truths and they will involve compromises. The fact that we feel that need to hide the real issues just shows how much lies hidden, how much needs to be uncovered.
And when we have a presidential candidate saying these things we are telling everyone it’s okay. We are not only condoning it, we’re setting it as precedent. Saying the way to handle our issues is to find a scapegoat in a vulnerable party and blame it on them.
Being politically correct is not a matter of suppressing thought but of treating humans like humans. And if the term politically correct has garnered too much of a negative tone for you to wear it, then just use basic human decency, and treat humans as humans.
Solve the real issues. And treat humans as humans.
Further reading on the aforementioned issues:
http://n.ereserve.fiu.edu/010027761-1.pdf
http://immigrationpolicy.org/special-reports/crimi...
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/16/opinion/dont-bla...
