You know what I hate?

[conuly]

The phrase "politically correct". People use that phrase when they don't like something. Usually, however, the correct phrase for what they don't like is either closer to polite or to stupid than to "politically correct".

You don't like the name a group has picked for themselves? Calling them a name that they consider offensive isn't being un-PC, it's being rude. Call people what they want to be called. There's no crime in ignorance (does this person prefer "handicapped" or "disabled"? Is he black or African-American?) but when somebody tells you "I prefer this term", it's only polite to use that term. And, of course, some things we can guess are rude. Most people will automatically shy away from "crippled" or "nigger" without even thinking.

What about insults? You're so upset because your favorite insult is now a victim of the so-called PC police? You think that you should be able to say "gay means stupid" and "gyp and jew mean stealing"? Yeah, you need to knock it off. First of all, they're insults, they're rude anyway. Secondly, here's something important. Even though *you* think that you're not actually talking about gays or gypsies or Jews, nobody else knows that. Find a better word, one that doesn't imply that gays are stupid, or Jews and gypsies are thieves and stingy.

Some things derided as "politically correct" really *are* stupid, of course. I am too busy to list them, but I'm sure you can think of some. I still hate the term. Just say "that was stupid" not "OMG! THE PC POLICE ARE HERE!!!!" Please? It'll make you sound a lot less reactionary, and possibly more mature.

Course I can't stop you from saying what you will. I can just rant in my journal.

Comments

[threnody.livejournal.com]

I agree with part of what you said, but not all of it. If there's a perfectly good word to describe something, why change it?

I mean, when I see someone who's obviously of African descent, I'll say 'black' or 'coloured'. Those are two perfectly good terms, everyone knows what you're talking about, and they're not offensive words. I think African-American as it's used in general is really silly. I think it belongs to people who have immigrated here from Africa- whether they're black, white, brown, purple with yellow polka dots, whatever. People can call themselves what they want, but I still think it's silly. And also kidding yourself- if you're black and your family has been here for a couple of hundred years, I think you're as American as a white person who's been here a few hundred years. A white person who's been here two hundred years and calls themselve Anglo-American? I'll call them silly, too.

Similarly, I think 'Native American' is sort of silly. I was raised hearing 'Native', but I don't see the harm of 'Indian', except that it makes it really confusing when you could be talking about either Natives or Indians from India.

And I don't think 'retard' in itself is a bad term, but I recognise that usage has turned it into something offensive. I use 'retarded' among family/close friends, but I gave in to the 'mentally handicapped' thing long ago, when talking to people who don't know me well.

And then you have the fact that a lot of this has had an effect on history and how we view it. I love history, warts and all. Some parts of it are ugly, but that's the way things are. *shrug*

I guess, bottom line (since I'm being all random now)? I don't believe in sugar-coating things so no one is offended. I really hate the PCness of society. I recognise and accept that some things need to change. It's not right to be calling someone something that is offensive, no matter if it's 'nigger' or 'gay' (if gay=stupid) or 'asshat' (if we're going to get technical). But if a suitable (accurate, not offensive) name/label/term is already in place, why feel the need to use something perhaps *not* all that accurate, just to make people 'feel' better? I say to the world: grow up.

[conuly]

Except that words grow to take on offensive connotations. It doesn't hurt you to call somebody African-American if that's what they wish to be called. There is no harm done. So why not simply do so? It is polite to call people by the terms they prefer, to do otherwise is rudeness.

[feralkoala.livejournal.com]

Colored certainly isn't polite/pc/whateverthehellwordwewanttousenow. It implies all sorts of negative things about the person using it and for most people I know it's about this --> <-- far away from saying nigger.

Um...yeah. I don't have anythinng else to add.

[neurotica0.livejournal.com]

Seconded.

In my Sociology class last year, my professor frequently used the term "people of color," (which is generally not considered offensived) and actually had to make a speech about the wide, wide difference between that term and the term "colored" when people began using the later in their essays.

As far as I've ever known, "colored" had been an offensive term.

[threnody.livejournal.com]

Dude, who decided that? I've never heard anyone say it was offensive. Ever. I don't use the term often, granted- I'm about ten times more likely to say 'black'- but I've never once gotten the hint that 'coloured' was offensive.

[conuly]

WHere are you? This is *old* news.

[threnody.livejournal.com]

Um, in the wilds of northern NY state. For the last ten years, anyway. I'm Canadian.

I'm a simple creature. I'm also ignorant about a lot of the weight behind words in the US (which spreads to Canada, sometimes). To me, 'coloured' is just a descriptive term, like 'blue-eyed' or 'tattoo'd'. Nothing mean behind it at all.

I'm glad you told me, though, so I don't make some horrible blunder without knowing about it. In all honesty, I don't normally make a skintone distinction unless it somehow applies to a story I'm telling about that person, but I'm glad to know anyhow.

[conuly]

I can't explain why "coloured" is a no-no, it just is. Probably because it's associated with Jim Crow and modern racists.