I can't speak for everyone, but I can tell you that I'm just sick and tired of the pervasive political correctness that drives almost everything today. It seems that everyone spends nearly as much time vetting their words to insure that they are politically correct as they do assembling them to be politically important. I'm sure that you're thinking, what did Nabor Dan see or hear from the campaign trail that raised his ire this time? Guess again... it didn't have anything to do with the campaign season. This diatribe was generated by a link I was sent to a video that perfectly expressed my view of the nature of our PC society. Have a quick watch...
This is not about Islam, it's about the perversion of beliefs. A perversion that has run rampant in our society, and for that matter, all of the western world. The belief that we must choose to tread on no one has made western culture the doormat of society. By believing that we must be sensitive to all cultures, we lose the very value that our culture is founded on. Yes, we must embrace tolerance of others beliefs and values. That is a point that I will not disagree with. But we must keep a watchful eye that we don't sacrifice our dearly held beliefs in granting that tolerance. We become the worst kind of people when we fail to acknowledge the ills of others because we fear offending their sensibilities. These same people who we are so careful to not offend are the first to criticize our culture as offensive.
We need to open our eyes. We need to see that both ends are being played against the middle. We either need to drop our PC attitudes and address things in the open, or admit that we are a culture in decline.
- ND
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15 comments:
You are a downright brilliant mick. And this dego, agrees with you 100%. PC is just a veil for prejudice.Plus, it takes all the colour out of writing. It has insulted the flavor of the melting pot of America. And my Jewish ass is going to pray for an end to it.
I think PC was an overreaction to people who cried foul that someone's beliefs somehow infringed on theirs because they are different.
One person's belief in (blank) does not invalidate your belief in (something different).
For example, my belief that you look like Tom Arnold (everywhere except the eyes, I will add) does not invalidate your belief that you look nothing like him. We can agree to disagree, and still be respectful. See how easy it is?
I will not write volumes on political correctness. However, I believe that the concept of "political correctness" has become as much of a subject of intolerance as the abhorance of intolerance itself.
To agree with Nordy, we should have respect for other's beliefs and persuasions. But we should avoid over reaction.
We often hear about Islamofacists, but seldom the Christian equivalent.
The more we experience other cultures, the less intolerant we become of their lives, beliefs and cultural mores.
Not to get mired in any kind of a word game with any of my readers but... I would say that tolerance is exactly what we should give to those who have differing opinions or practices. I can't, or won't, use the term respect. Respect implies raising a practice to a level of protection beyond what I think what we should offer. I don't necessarily revere a practice, but I tolerate it.
Forgive me for being perhaps too literal.
To Bro. Dave's point on Islamofacists, I completely disagree. I get where you are going, but I think it's a red herring to use one group to compare the other.
I'm not a fundamentalist Christian, and don't share anything but the most basic set of values with them, but to compare them to those practicing radical Islam is not fair. I may not like what they preach, or necessarily agree with how they preach it, but they aren't hell bent on conversion or jihad. With the fundamentalists their hope for your conversion doesn't come at the end of the barrel a gun, or at the controls of an airplane.
I can tolerate someone trying to save my soul. I can't tolerate someone giving me the option of conversion or death.
I do agree that experience of other cultures is important. I think if people could experience more of the world then we would have less hatred and intolerance.
Let's hope that one day it is possible for all of us to live in harmony. For now, I think it's prudent to keep certain people at arms length.
- ND
Bro. Dave,
Forgive me if you were referencing Christians and the crusades. I admit that that was an act of incredible folly. An excellent example of intolerance. However that was nearly 1000 years ago, and I would hope we had learned something since then.
- ND
I disagree ND. What about the Christian extremists that bomb abortion clinics? That is an act of terrorism. Perhaps, because we do live in a democracy the extremist in our nation don't go to the extremes of jihad. Or perhaps the fat american christian radical is too comfortable and ignorant to get off his/her ass and make a kamikaze style attack on another nation with differing political views.
Word game? It's on! I PULLED OUT THE DICTIONARY!
First my assumptions: I said "respect" another's beliefs, as in, 'you are free to hold that belief, no matter how crazy, offensive, (il)logical, or otherwise it may be.' I had also written some junk that I decided to delete before posting in which I can respect (see above), but not tolerate another's beliefs, because I associate acceptance with tolerance.
Now, to Mr Webster.
Respect: (a) to consider worthy of high regard, (b) to refrain from interferring with, (c) to have reference to.
Tolerance: (a) sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing or conflicting with one's own (b) the act of allowing something
So my use of "respect" for another's beliefs is of the (b) variety; you can believe what you want and allow me the same. But I was right on tolerance. Even if I 'respect' the view of another, I can find it personally unacceptible.
I would finish here by saying that maybe I really ought to get a job, but then I remember all of you have jobs and it doesn't prevent you from posting, so I might as well have my time free when not hosting vocabulary lessons.
Mr. Webster is a dwarf black kid from the 80's. If I recall correctly he used to hang around with an ex-football player or something.
Sorry to have ruffled your feathers.
And... don't get a job. In the big picture they put a really bad dent in your personal time. I'm talking really big.
- ND
I'm with Alice.
I wasn't referring to the Crusades. I was referring exactly to the type of fundamentalism that leads to believing killing abortion providers saves lives.
The Muslims I've met are much more serious about their faith than most other "believers" I've met. (Although, I admit that my impression is far from "evidence" of anything.)
Humans have long revised their social standards as cultural mores have changed. This has been good for societies. And, there are far too many examples to note them here.
We usually, we look back as societies and wonder how we could have tolerated these behaviors.
Value systems that exclude are good for building a clan mentality, but ultimately remain stunted by their limited understanding and allocation of "truth."
As for Webster, I always though Gary Coleman was the funnier semi-dwarf.
Too serious?
Bro. Dave
Not at all.
It's just hard to argue the Drummond vs. Webster thing. Webster wins "the cute because of his size thing" hands down, where Drummond won the "better catch phrase" battle.
Either way... their careers pretty ended in the same place. The agent that calls with the great opportunity on a reality show where they need a dwarf ex-actor.
- ND
whatchu talkin about willis?
or should I say,
whatchu talking about tom arnold?
oh come ON!
It's Good Friday!
Did you really go to stations of the cross, and that's why you didn't have time for a new posting? Not that I'm not proud and impressed with your 92.5 days of smoke free living (props, ND, props), but I can only watch fox news for so long without a different perspective.
Maybe ND has been busy dyeing eggs with semi-dwarfs?
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