“Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end” R. J. Wiedemann LtCol. USMC Ret
“pick up a turd by the clean end” – meaning “talk about an offensive topic in a non-offensive way”
Why would you want to pick up a turd at all? The only reason I can think of is to clean up a mess – usually the one your own dog just made.
The reality of the situation is, “political correctness” is by and large a myth of the radical (and extremely vocal) right. A strawman under whose shadow pundits like Bill O’Reilly can hide all the enemies of that group under one umbrella conspiracy. Feminism, multiculturalism, or just plain trying to avoid offending people – all of it is pejoritavely labelled “political correctness” so they don’t have to explain why they are picking up that turd and waving it around.
Of course there are radicals on the left who would be glad to act as thought police – but the idea that everyone on the left behaves that way is pure hokum, pushed onto us by equally radical blowhards on the right who are trying to convince all white Christian men that they are indeed the true victims of society. Tune in to Fox News tomorrow night. Listen to Rush every day. Buy Ann Coulter’s new book – and maybe you’ll learn how to stand up for yourself against all those scary bogeymen out to emasculate you.
Ask yourself for a moment how “political correctness” has affected your life, outside of giving you something to laugh at. What turd could you not pick up because of it? And why do you want to?
In closing, I’d like to apologize for offending any of my conservative friends. I know it’s not easy when the majority of America rejects decent values and inexorably swings toward the destruction of everything that makes this country great. I’ve lived through a time when I had to keep my favorite bumper stickers off my car, for fear of offending a brick-toting radical. When it was considered treason to criticize the President. When the mainstream media unquestionably embraced dubious political positions. So I pass on this bit of advice, given to me freely and often during those years:
Suck it up, Princess. Get over it.
Scribe will have to disagree here. PC is a very useful term because the ones who promote it, do it the most. When Junior took the reins by force of the Supreme gun held at the nation’s head, suddenly the term became inappropriate, “dated.”
Then everything had a politically correct term that had to be used.
Scribe used it back at them. When arguing with a Neo Con customer, the truth became clear, “That’s OUR term, you can’t use it!”
Denying usage is useless, Scribe fears. It’s a Pandora’s Box endeavor. The best thing is to Judo flip it back at them. Boy do the hate THAT.
Comment by Ye Olde Scribe — April 6, 2009 @ 8:19 am
Instead of PC/non PC, why don’t we go back to polite/rude.
I’m, sick of loud disrespectful trash representing America.
Comment by bittershaman2 — April 6, 2009 @ 9:21 am