Political Correctness, I believe, is doing more harm than good in this country…

For instance, that message you get when you call almost any business line that says,”Press one for English.” As an American, I understand that the native language is English. If there are those in this country who only speak Spanish, then let them press one for Spanish. If they came here to integrate, then it’s “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” It’s not that it’s all that profoundly inconvenient to press one, it’s that it’s aggravating because of what it represents.

This sort of thing goes on because everyone is trying so damn hard to be Politically Correct. It goes on because there is some misguided fear that we might hurt some feelings. We tippy-toe around things like fearful slaves. I’m not expecting anything from anyone I don’t also expect from myself. If I moved to France, I would expect to learn French in order to be there. I wouldn’t expect every public service to provide me with English Language options. I would respect that French was their native language and if I wanted to visit there, I should learn how to speak it.

I also think that our fear of not being Politically Correct keeps us from communicating in other ways. How can we discuss something fully, and gain any understanding, if we are censored in our speech? It’s counter-productive to the health of our country and the progression of us as a species. If we are always so overly concerned with offending someone, things don’t get discussed. And when they don’t get discussed, they don’t get solved. It’s like that old cliche, “you can’t see the forest for the trees.” Political Correctness can often serve to cloud the issues, rather than solve them.

For instance, when I say, “Those welfare mothers who continue to use children as pawns for their own sustenance should be booted off the system and made to make their own way more honestly,” I get blasted for being insensitive, prejudiced, and even racist. (Oh my god! don’t be racist–only black people can call each other nigger, you know. Maybe if black people spoke to each other with respect, white people would do that, too). Yet, this issue has profoundly affected our society and has done nothing to solve the real problems that sprout from it. It’s not about skin color. It’s not about me trying to feel superior. It’s about, “Here’s a problem that needs to be solved, here are behaviors that are counter-productive, and let’s make sure everyone has the opportunity to improve themselves, without handing all of it to them on a silver platter, so that they don’t have to do the work like the rest of us.” This issue is at the root of a need for Tort Reform, as well. If anyone can sue for any kind of thing said or done, no matter what, where does it all end? It clogs our courtrooms, it makes the right people poor and the wrong people rich.

People need to stop being such whiners and just do the right thing.