Political Correctness, and Why I Think It Sucks
Note: this posting is based off a LiveJournal entry my friend Charlotte put up. So, if you want to go back and read what she said about it...find her on LJ.
Dear USA,
I just wanted to let you know I'm offended. I'm offended by your trying so hard not to offend anybody that you change every little thing that may or may not be offensive just in case somebody does happen to get offended by it.
Watch this video http://www.news4jax.com/video/10948456/index.html , then proceed with this letter.
1. The word 'vagina' is not an offensive word. It is the anatomicly correct term for the female reproductive organ as a whole. If you find this word offensive, please talk to your family doctor and find out who named it such, and let him know. Also, if you're a woman, you might not want to look down or do anything at all related to your menstrual cycle. Because that deals with your v*****.
2. 'The Vagina Monologues' is a play that celebrates the female body. It's not about sex (well, parts of it are, but still...the vagina is used in sex anyway, so it makes sense). It's about being a woman and being OK with that. Changeing the name to 'The HooHaa Monologues' is sorta like changeing the name of the Holy Bible to 'The Really Big Book that Deals Heavily With Religious Overtones'.
3. If you can't explain to a child what a vagina is, you probably should not associate with children. Children like to ask questions, so if you happen to bring something up that they don't know about, they're going to ask what it is. This is a very important part about childhood; it's an age of exploration and learning, and parents are key in that learning process. If a parent (or guardian, as the case may be) cannot answer a child's question because they're uncomfortable with the nature of the question, it's harder for a child to grow up understanding the world around them. That's not to say children should be worldly, nor is it to say they should be extremely sheltered. There should be a healthy medium, sort of like knowing there is a bad guy out there, but not knowing him by name and address. Note: questions like "Mommy, what's a blowjob?" do not come under the category of 'learning questions'. If your daughter can't ask you to explain why she bleeds between her legs for a week once a month because you don't want to use the word 'vagina', which is a part of the body just like the penis is, you might want to rethink the whole 'let's start a family' idea.
USA, I'm going to level with you. This whole 'extreme tolerance' thing really isn't your scene. I mean, you're letting people go around doing stupid stuff because you don't want to say 'Hey, that's a stupid idea' for fear of offending them. Then, when people get hurt--or bett, erm, worse, killed--you wonder why nobody tried to warn them. This is not a healthy lifestyle, USA. It's not logical. Call me a vulcan, but it just doesn't make sense. You're not using your brains.
Therefore, I have come up with a simple list of ways you can stop from offending people.
1. Don't talk to anybody; words can be offensive.
2. Don't write to/about anybody/anything; see above.
3. Don't make eye contact with anybody; the wrong look can be offensive.
4. Don't take pictures, make films/TV shows, write/produce/perform music, write poetry/books that may or may not express human emptions; some emotions are offensive.
5. Don't communicate ideas in any way, shape or form; some ideas can be offensive (see entry under 'Hitler, Adolf).
6. Keep everything to yourself. Don't say a word, not even to you. Stay completely silent at all times, eyes focused on the ground, mind blank.
If you follow these simple steps, you will be guaranteed not to offend ANYBODY. At all. Ever. Then life will be peaceful and happy, and we can go on in our non offensiveness.
OR...
People can be allowed to say their opinions, however offensive they may or may not be, without the fear of offending everybody because it's impossible not to. Somebody's going to dissagree with somebody, and it's going to make somebody angry, and that's fine! Let them respond! It's a natural part of life.
USA, if this letter has offended you in any way, I'm sorry. I just needed to tell you the truth, and sometimes the truth hurts. I hope you can understand that I say this not to spite you but because I love you and I just want you to know that I care. Because I do.
Sincerely,
Heather Coates
Dear USA,
I just wanted to let you know I'm offended. I'm offended by your trying so hard not to offend anybody that you change every little thing that may or may not be offensive just in case somebody does happen to get offended by it.
Watch this video http://www.news4jax.com/video/10948456/index.html , then proceed with this letter.
1. The word 'vagina' is not an offensive word. It is the anatomicly correct term for the female reproductive organ as a whole. If you find this word offensive, please talk to your family doctor and find out who named it such, and let him know. Also, if you're a woman, you might not want to look down or do anything at all related to your menstrual cycle. Because that deals with your v*****.
2. 'The Vagina Monologues' is a play that celebrates the female body. It's not about sex (well, parts of it are, but still...the vagina is used in sex anyway, so it makes sense). It's about being a woman and being OK with that. Changeing the name to 'The HooHaa Monologues' is sorta like changeing the name of the Holy Bible to 'The Really Big Book that Deals Heavily With Religious Overtones'.
3. If you can't explain to a child what a vagina is, you probably should not associate with children. Children like to ask questions, so if you happen to bring something up that they don't know about, they're going to ask what it is. This is a very important part about childhood; it's an age of exploration and learning, and parents are key in that learning process. If a parent (or guardian, as the case may be) cannot answer a child's question because they're uncomfortable with the nature of the question, it's harder for a child to grow up understanding the world around them. That's not to say children should be worldly, nor is it to say they should be extremely sheltered. There should be a healthy medium, sort of like knowing there is a bad guy out there, but not knowing him by name and address. Note: questions like "Mommy, what's a blowjob?" do not come under the category of 'learning questions'. If your daughter can't ask you to explain why she bleeds between her legs for a week once a month because you don't want to use the word 'vagina', which is a part of the body just like the penis is, you might want to rethink the whole 'let's start a family' idea.
USA, I'm going to level with you. This whole 'extreme tolerance' thing really isn't your scene. I mean, you're letting people go around doing stupid stuff because you don't want to say 'Hey, that's a stupid idea' for fear of offending them. Then, when people get hurt--or bett, erm, worse, killed--you wonder why nobody tried to warn them. This is not a healthy lifestyle, USA. It's not logical. Call me a vulcan, but it just doesn't make sense. You're not using your brains.
Therefore, I have come up with a simple list of ways you can stop from offending people.
1. Don't talk to anybody; words can be offensive.
2. Don't write to/about anybody/anything; see above.
3. Don't make eye contact with anybody; the wrong look can be offensive.
4. Don't take pictures, make films/TV shows, write/produce/perform music, write poetry/books that may or may not express human emptions; some emotions are offensive.
5. Don't communicate ideas in any way, shape or form; some ideas can be offensive (see entry under 'Hitler, Adolf).
6. Keep everything to yourself. Don't say a word, not even to you. Stay completely silent at all times, eyes focused on the ground, mind blank.
If you follow these simple steps, you will be guaranteed not to offend ANYBODY. At all. Ever. Then life will be peaceful and happy, and we can go on in our non offensiveness.
OR...
People can be allowed to say their opinions, however offensive they may or may not be, without the fear of offending everybody because it's impossible not to. Somebody's going to dissagree with somebody, and it's going to make somebody angry, and that's fine! Let them respond! It's a natural part of life.
USA, if this letter has offended you in any way, I'm sorry. I just needed to tell you the truth, and sometimes the truth hurts. I hope you can understand that I say this not to spite you but because I love you and I just want you to know that I care. Because I do.
Sincerely,
Heather Coates