Thoughts on Political Correctness

[caffieri]

I used to have opinions but restrictions have been placed upon them. Now I only have secret thoughts, for those who would deny me the right to express myself are not bound by the same rules. An innocent faux pas can result in me being labeled and defiled with complete impunity.
http://caffieri.wordpress.com

 

[Stella_Omega]

We who have been the victims of racist, bigoted, or misogynistic speech resent being used to define our group, and we also resent our group being used to define ourselves.
That's something you have rarely encountered-- it's obvious from your reaction here. But I assure you, some people encounter prejudice every damn day, even now. Those people will protest when they can.
Whether or not you agree with that anger, baby, it's going to hit you upside the face when you fuck up.

here is what you say, if you want to smooth over the incident and prove yourself a man of good will;

"I am sorry for saying that, I understand it pushes some ugly buttons for you. I will do my damnedest to learn better, because I really don't want my friends to be uncomfortable around me."

Consider yourself challenged to find clever, thoughtful, uncliched ways to speak about other people, and stop whining.

 

[caffieri]

Political Correctness

I am a white immigrant married to an Asian. We are both secure with our culture and our color. If someone uses these in a vicious attack we are naturally upset, if they want to joke about us or even comment about our racial characteristics we have no problem with that. We do it to each other all of the time.

To give you an example of what I'm talking about, a friend of mine who hosted a local children's TV show, asked a little girl if when she got married - would she expect her husband to do some housework. He didn't mean any harm, he had no hidden agenda but a small group of people objected to the question and the whole staff of the TV station had to attend a lecture on sexism. Probably wasn't bad for them but I felt sorry for my friend who was treated as a bit of a pariah.

 

[Stella_Omega]

To give you an example of what I'm talking about, a friend of mine who hosted a local children's TV show, asked a little girl if when she got married - would she expect her husband to do some housework. He didn't mean any harm, he had no hidden agenda but a small group of people objected to the question and the whole staff of the TV station had to attend a lecture on sexism. Probably wasn't bad for them but I felt sorry for my friend who was treated as a bit of a pariah.

Speaking as a woman who was once allowed to take typing and cooking lessons instead of wood and metal shop classes that I wanted-- I feel more for the little girl.

It's easy for your friend to have meant nothing by it, but it means much to "a small group of people. "
It's going to take a while, yanno?

 

[Stella_Omega]

I am a white immigrant married to an Asian. We are both secure with our culture and our color. If someone uses these in a vicious attack we are naturally upset, if they want to joke about us or even comment about our racial characteristics we have no problem with that. We do it to each other all of the time.

See-- that's okay, for you and your wife, and probably your wife's family and yours.

But it might not be okay for other Asians. It might depend on what some other Asian percieves as a joking comment.

It might even depend on whether or not that Asian feels safe-- your wife has you to buffer her, and shore her up in social situations, and make sure that a joke stays a joke.

 

[oggbashan]

Speaking as a woman who was once allowed to take typing and cooking lessons instead of wood and metal shop classes that I wanted-- I feel more for the little girl.
...

I have a late 18th Century French newspaper that gives details of the French Revolutionary Parliament discussing proposals for the state education system.

For 1795 they were far in advance of other countries. They wanted ALL children to be educated and set out a list of subjects that boys and girls should be taught. The syllabus for both sexes was the same except that the girls were to be taught about pregnancy and childbirth while the boys were to be taught surveying. Both sexes were to be taught about conception and bringing up children.

The syllabus for both sexes included what are now normal topics such as history, geography, mathematics, language and literature, sciences etc. but both sexes were to be taught crop-growing, animal husbandry, carpentery, metal-working, sewing and clothes-making, housework and cookery.

They envisaged side by side schools so that the boys and girls would be educated separately but would work together for community events and displays.

The project didn't proceed. The French government didn't have the money for the scheme because they were constantly at war - usually with Great Britain.

But they had some good ideas.

Og

 

[voluptuary_manque]

For a while, the next generation had it easier. Cooking was required of everyone and shops were wide open. Then came the think tanks and the professional ed-you-kay-tors, most of whom hadn't seen a live child in twenty years--on purpose!

Now it's panic time if any child tries to use any tool more dangerous than a pair of blunt scissors. No one is to learn anything useful, do you hear? All manual work will be done by undocumented workers!

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Life is too damn short to spend it pissed off because people call you names.

And if youre pissed off because of offensive words directed at you, you gotta ask yourself how come the words bother you so much. Because the words are a button for people to push.

The other thing is, darn near everyone has some word or term they hate, and its getting harder and harder to step around every word that pisses somone or other off. A lot of people use words in place of chips on their shoulders, as an excuse to be mad.

 

[DesertPirate]

You can't be politcaly correct and tell the truth!
Therefore all politcaly correct people are liars!

 

[DesertPirate]

Speaking as a woman who was once allowed to take typing and cooking lessons instead of wood and metal shop classes that I wanted-- I feel more for the little girl.

It's easy for your friend to have meant nothing by it, but it means much to "a small group of people. "
It's going to take a while, yanno?

Speaking as the son of a Home Ec teacher, the fact that they don't even offer it is a crime today.

 

[NoJo]

I have a late 18th Century French newspaper that gives details of the French Revolutionary Parliament discussing proposals for the state education system.


Og

Og - possibly the coolest person on Literotica

 

[cloudy]

You can't be politcaly correct and tell the truth!
Therefore all politcaly correct people are liars!

Spoken like a true white male...someone who has never been discriminated against in his entire life.

You should be so proud.

 

[oggbashan]

Another French Newspaper of 1794

This is a quote from another of my old newspapers:

GAZETTE NATIONALE, ou LE MONITEUR UNIVERSEL
No358 Octidi, 28 Fructidor, l’an 2 de la Republique Française, une et indivisible. (d. 14 7bre 1794, v. st.)

CONVENTION NATIONALE
Présidence de Bernard de Saintes

SUITE A LA SÉANCE DU 25 FRUCTIDOR

…

Le Président. On vient de me remettre une lettre en anglais, dont la traduction, qui y est jointe, annonce que le miniftre plénipotentiare des Etats-Unis d’Amerique envoie un drapeau pour être mis dans la salle de la Convention, à côté du drapeau français. Il est apporté par un officier des Etats-Unis.

La Convention ordonne fon admiffion.

L’officer Américain entre à la barre, au milieu des plus vifs applaudiffemens. Il porte un drapeau dont les couleurs font les mêmes que celles de l’étendard de notre liberté, excepté qu’il y a de plus des étoiles fur le bleu.

Il prefente les deux pieces fuivantes dont un fecrétaire donne lecture ;

Le ministre des Etats-Unis de l’Amerique, au président de la Convention nationale. – Paris, le 23 fructidor, l’an 2 de la République une et indivifible.

Citoyen président, la Convention ayant décrété que les pavillons des Républiques Américaine et Françaife feraient unis et flotteraient enfemble dans le lieu de fes féances, en témoignage de l’union et de l’amitié qui doivent fubfifter éternellement entre les deux Peuples, j’ai penfé ne pouvoir mieux manifefter la profonde impreffion que m’a fait ce décret, et le fentiment de reconnaiffance de mes conftituans, qu’en faifant exécuter avec foin leur drapeau pour l’offrir, en leur nom, aux repréfentans du Peuple Français.
Je l’ai fait faire d’après la forme derniérement décrétée par le Congrès, et l’ai confié au capitaine Barnery, officier d’un mérite diftingué, qui nous a rendu de grandes fervices fur mer pendant le cours de notre revolution ; il eft chargé de vous le préfenter et de le déposer dans le lieu que vous jugerez à propos de lui défigner. Acceptez donc ce pavillon, Citoyen président, comme un nouveau gage de la fensibilité avec laquelle le Peuple Américain reçoit toujours les preuves d’intérêt et d’amitié que lui donne fes bonnes et braves alliés, ainfi que du plaifir et de l’empreffement avec lequel il accueille confolider l’union et la concorde entre les deux Nations (On applaudit.)

Signé, JAMES MOUROE.

...

Many of the "f"s are in fact "s". The signature was James MONROE.

Free translation by Og:

The President. (of the French National Convention) I have just received a letter in English, of which the translation is attached, which tells me that the Plenipotentary Minister of the United States of America sends a flag to be displayed in our meeting hall next to the French flag. It has been brought by an American Officer.

The Convention ordered that (the officer) should be admitted.

The American Officer comes to the bar of the house surrounded by very animated applause. He carries a flag whose colours are the same as the standard of our liberty, except that there are also stars on the blue.

He presents the two following letters (Og only quotes one) which a secretary reads aloud.

From the Minister of the United States of America, to the President of the National Convention. - (dated from) Paris, the 23rd fructidor, the second year of the Republic one and indivisible. (9th October 1794)

Citizen President, the (National) Convention having decreed that the flags of the American and French Republics should be united and flown together whenever we are in session, in witness to the union and friendship which should exist eternally between our two peoples, I had thought that I could not better show the effect of the profound impression that I had felt as a result of this decree, and the sentiment of my constituents, other than by having their flag carefully made in the form recently decreed by Congress, and I have confided it to Captain Barney, an officer of distinguished merit, who had given great services at sea for us during the course of our revolution; he is charged to present it (the US flag) and to place it where you see fit to tell him. Accept this standard, Citizen President, as a new gage of the sensibility with which the American People always receives the proofs of interest and friendship which it gives to its good and brave allies, as well as the pleasure and impression with which it salutes the consolidation and concorde between the two nations. (They (rose to) applaud)

Og

PS: It didn't last "eternally"...

 

[NoJo]

I just love the date: Octidi the 28th of Fructidor.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Ogg, my love your papers deserve their own thread, instead of getting them stuck in a tawdry wrangle about whether it's truthful to call blacks n****rs, women sluts, Asians chinks, and so on.

 

[Stella_Omega]

You can't be politcaly correct and tell the truth!

Sure you can.

 

[cloudy]

Sure you can.

What does "politcaly" mean, anyway?

 

[oggbashan]

I just love the date: Octidi the 28th of Fructidor.

One of the transient changes introduced during the French Revolution was the 10-day week. Octidi was the eighth day. "Fructidor" - the month of fruitfulness. I like Pluviose - the rainy month.

Og

 

[oggbashan]

Ogg, my love your papers deserve their own thread, instead of getting them stuck in a tawdry wrangle about whether it's truthful to call blacks n****rs, women sluts, Asians chinks, and so on.

One of the permanent changes introduced by the French Revolution was that all became citizens - white, black, coffee-coloured, men and women - because The Rights of Man, by which they meant the rights of MANKIND were universal. Slavery in the French possessions in the West Indies was abolished overnight. Every adult person had a vote.

Og

 

[NoJo]

.....

 

[NoJo]

One of the transient changes introduced during the French Revolution was the 10-day week. Octidi was the eighth day. "Fructidor" - the month of fruitfulness. I like Pluviose - the rainy month.

Og

yes, but it was a decimalisation too far, sadly.

 

[Stella_Omega]

One of the permanent changes introduced by the French Revolution was that all became citizens - white, black, coffee-coloured, men and women - because The Rights of Man, by which they meant the rights of MANKIND were universal. Slavery in the French possessions in the West Indies was abolished overnight. Every adult person had a vote.

Og

When John Adams' wife asked him to think along those same lines, he said; "Aren't you the cutest little thing!"

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Spoken like a true white male...someone who has never been discriminated against in his entire life.

You should be so proud.

Funny, as a white male I have been discriminated against. I was told as much by an agency that I wanted very much to work for in Santa Barbara. It seemed that they had too many white males and needed a minority, and preferably a woman.

The irony was amusing. I chuckled all the way home.

 

[cloudy]

Funny, as a white male I have been discriminated against. I was told as much by an agency that I wanted very much to work for in Santa Barbara. It seemed that they had too many white males and needed a minority, and preferably a woman.

The irony was amusing. I chuckled all the way home.

DP lives in North Carolina. I doubt that that situation applies to him.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

How you feel about yourself is all that matters. Jesus proved that even the best of us get crucified. And youre not obligated to believe what any of us say. Oftentimes flattery hurts you worse than slander.