last a bit more on query on Flames of Nazi Oblivion

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: "Robert M. McClure" <rmm () unidot com>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2003 14:51:18 -0700
To: dave () farber net
Subject: Re: [IP] a bit more on query on Flames of Nazi Oblivion

At 02:46 PM 5/12/03 -0400, you wrote:

> ------ Forwarded Message
> From: Peter Boothe <peter () cs uoregon edu>
> Date: Mon, 12 May 2003 11:42:46 -0700 (PDT)
> To: Einar Stefferud <Stef () thor nma com>
> Cc: dave () farber net
> Subject: Re: FW: [IP] query on Flames of Nazi Oblivion
>
> On Sun, 11 May 2003, Einar Stefferud wrote:
>
> > Well, just answer one aspect of the question -- Are [political
> > correctness and Nazi book burning] the same or different?
>
> Different.
>
> > Then if different, please explain how;
>
> Nobody is getting sent to death camps.  Nobody is advocating the
> extermination of another race.  The government is not expunging those who
> are not politically correct (see recent issues with Sen. Lott and Sen.
> I-Hate-Gay-Sex whose name I forget, both of whom are still senators).  The
> government is not forcing everyone to be politically correct.

The original query was with regard to a comparison between political
correctness and book burning.  The response above jumped to the
position of sending people to death camps.  I assume that the point
is that if book burning leads to death camps, then political incorrectness
leads to evil as well.

The last sentence of that paragraph is also naive.  The government might
not be coercing by threatening jail, but it is coercing nevertheless.

> Except for a few much-lambasted cases, political correctness is being
> driven by market forces.  It's arising naturally out of people's desire to
> not offend others.  Nobody is required to be PC, it's just considered
> gauche not to be in some circles.

I don't think Mr. Boothe has tuned in to some of the political correctness
codes at some of our major university, and has certainly not watched
the pressures being applied on behalf of political correctness in many
other venues.

> You have the right to shout racial slurs at the top of your lungs, but I
> have the right to then think you are an asshole and ignore everything you
> say and not buy your products.  Not only that, but I also have the right
> to tell all my friends to do the same.  If you were a company, and not
> desirous of such negative popularity, then you would probably come around.
> You are welcome to start your own "we're not PC!" company (and it seems
> that many have), but I don't have to patronize it.
>
> The best discussion of this issue I have found was an essay entitled
>     "Decrying political correctness without an understanding of its
>     causes and intended consequences is little more than racism
>     muttered under one's breath"

It is another error to believe that political correctness is related only to
racial slurs.  As in many other fields, if PCdom had stopped there few
would complain, but our entire vocabulary is being shaped into a
euphemistic mold that impedes, rather that promotes, mutual understanding.
One may no longer speak of someone being retarded, short, fat, or
crippled.

It has been observed that almost every cause, worthy or unworthy, is
eventually coopted by zealots.  Political correctness is one of them.
I am all for not hurting people's feelings, but I also believe in calling
spades spades instead of manually activated digging implements.

Bob McClure


------ End of Forwarded Message

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