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Subject:Re: Political Correctness-OED def. From:Michael LaTorra <mikel -at- ACCUGRAPH -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 6 Jun 1995 09:28:34 MDT
Douglas Thayer wrote wrote about the OED definition of
Political Correctness, and presumed that anyone who is against
it is intentionally insulting.
I beg to differ. The problem with PC is that it is much more
than the OED indicates. I may not intend to insult anyone, but
anyone who chooses to "deconstruct" my speech in such a way that
they deem it offensive, may take offense. Believe me, it happens.
Many US universities have created "speech codes" that limit free
speech on campus to anything that is not considered insulting by
the most hypersensitive offense-taker. Many of these rules have
already been struck down by the courts as unconstitutional
abridgements of the First Amendment.
The situation has gotten so bad that even liberal stalwarts like
TIME magazine have taken to jibing at the PC content of many
communications (books, theatre, movies, TV). Nat Hentoff of the
Village Voice has even written a book, "Free Speech for Me But Not
for Thee" about the problem of PC-imposed censorship.
I believe in respecting people and treating them as I wish to be
treated. But I also consider myself to be Politically Incorrect
because, like Hentoff, I do not hold myself responsible for how
other people may misinterpret my words.
Live long & prosper,
Mike LaTorra
Documentation Supervisor
Accugraph Inc.
mikel -at- accugraph -dot- com
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The opinions expressed are my own, ][ "The superstitions of intellectuals
and not necessarily those of my ][ are still superstitions -- and they
company -- but they probably ][ have a lot of them. The real ques-
should be. ][ tion is why we keep listening to
][ them after their nostrums have
][ failed time and time again."
][ -- Thomas Sowell
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