[redwitch]

I plead guilty. I hijacked my own thread a couple of times. Actually, my original post really was not about PC but more about people using a dislike of PCness to justify saying something they know hurts another. But it certainly has become an interesting thread! Can't wait to see if it travels in another direction soon. (sorry, really not interested in Gloria, Lisa and the genetics of parent/child all that much.)

[redwitch]

actually, Gracie, slightly incorrect. I started the thread because I was offended at your statement about me taking offense to the phrase drinking the Kool Aid. I'm not offended by that phrase. It hurts! It brings back some very painful memories every time I see and hear it. I'm offended when someone yells at a child in public. I'm offended when someone publicly makes fun of another. I'm hurt when someone reminds me of the death of someone I loved by the simple turn of a phrase. Fortunately, those who personally know me respect that some phrases hurt me and don't use them around me.

I hate that the online news posts pictures and names of people arrested. They've not been tried nor convicted. Yet, they are publicly humiliated. As to the gentleman in New Orleans, the only reason his picture was posted was to make fun of him. That, to me, is inexcusable. he allegedly committed a crime. He was handcuffed and arrested. That should be punishment enough. As you yourself said, had this been a friend or neighbor, it would not have been amusing. Well, he is someone's friend, neighbor, relative. Sorry you don't get that.

[Rockyrd]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

What triggered this thread was a picture of a drunk guy with his drawers around his ankles arrested for peeing on a church steps in Texas. He looked sad and embarrassed.

Now I saw an equally worried and embarrassed look on the face of the woman postal worker who was arrested yesterday for feeding a dog on her route a meatball laced with nails.

I do not need to be told by anyone what is the appropriate reaction as long as I do no harm to either of these people. We respond as our life experiences have shaped us. One I thought was laughable and the other made me very angry. Other people might look at both faces differently. We are who we are. Political Correctness is like the rules of a new religion. Most of us agree not to harm another, to try to be compassionate, but sometimes laughter is admissible. Some folks think it is funny to call others a fat twit. What we think is funny probably defines us better than what we say we believe.

I did not ever see the picture you are referencing, and wondering how it got in THIS thread. I simply found the subject of PC to be interesting because so many seem to object strongly to THEIR INTERPETATION OF THAT TERM.

I thought the thread was interesting, even evolving into a discussion of "1984". I never asked the origin, nor cared.

Suddenly, someone has the need to make a strictly, easily spotted political statement, and from what else I can read, now a personal tiff that most knew nothing about, but you sure brought it back up.

Why these threads get diverted when they go in certain directions and diverted off subject is beyond me.

Obviously, many folks are still in election mode and from what I read are going to stay there.

The subject was good, the OP was good, and for the life of me, I do not get the diversion.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by redwitch

actually, Gracie, slightly incorrect. I started the thread because I was offended at your statement about me taking offense to the phrase drinking the Kool Aid. I'm not offended by that phrase. It hurts! It brings back some very painful memories every time I see and hear it. I'm offended when someone yells at a child in public. I'm offended when someone publicly makes fun of another. I'm hurt when someone reminds me of the death of someone I loved by the simple turn of a phrase. Fortunately, those who personally know me respect that some phrases hurt me and don't use them around me.

I hate that the online news posts pictures and names of people arrested. They've not been tried nor convicted. Yet, they are publicly humiliated. As to the gentleman in New Orleans, the only reason his picture was posted was to make fun of him. That, to me, is inexcusable. he allegedly committed a crime. He was handcuffed and arrested. That should be punishment enough. As you yourself said, had this been a friend or neighbor, it would not have been amusing. Well, he is someone's friend, neighbor, relative. Sorry you don't get that

.

I get it. Police aren't there to understand, they are there to uphold the law even if bleeding hearts are saddened. Without laws and people to uphold them we would have a mess. Sorry. We already have a mess.

I yelled at my children in public a time or two. So far they haven't been arrested, have decent jobs, pay their bills on time and are mannerly and nice. In Helene's case she is retired from a long career at McDonalds.

[Rockyrd]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I get it. Police aren't there to understand, they are there to uphold the law even if bleeding hearts are saddened. Without laws and people to uphold them we would have a mess. Sorry. We already have a mess.

I yelled at my children in public a time or two. So far they haven't been arrested, have decent jobs, pay their bills on time and are mannerly and nice. In Helene's case she is retired from a long career at McDonalds.

While your complete lack of empathy is noted, I am wondering what your comments regarding your children have to do with a thread begun to discuss PC ?

Sometimes, threads and conversations can actually be held without political lectures, without judgements, simply an expression of feelings. You obviously are more interested in PC THAN MOST.

An expression of sympathy for some victims is not a condemnation of police; it is simply an expression of sympathy and nothing more.

Making it Political always, and judging based on YOUR life is not only not fair, it is terribly shortsighted and mean.

You are an individual and should be judged like that, not based on me or my family. You should be able to feel sorry, even as you mete out justice.

[ColdNoMore]

Originally Posted by Rockyrd

I did not ever see the picture you are referencing, and wondering how it got in THIS thread. I simply found the subject of PC to be interesting because so many seem to object strongly to THEIR INTERPETATION OF THAT TERM.

I thought the thread was interesting, even evolving into a discussion of "1984". I never asked the origin, nor cared.

Suddenly, someone has the need to make a strictly, easily spotted political statement, and from what else I can read, now a personal tiff that most knew nothing about, but you sure brought it back up.

Why these threads get diverted when they go in certain directions and diverted off subject is beyond me.

Obviously, many folks are still in election mode and from what I read are going to stay there.

The subject was good, the OP was good, and for the life of me, I do not get the diversion.

It was started by the OP for a very laudable and admirable goal.

It turned political in Post #11 and the usual suspects...took it and ran from there.

[ColdNoMore]

Originally Posted by Rockyrd

While your complete lack of empathy is noted, I am wondering what your comments regarding your children have to do with a thread begun to discuss PC ?

Sometimes, threads and conversations can actually be held without political lectures, without judgements, simply an expression of feelings. You obviously are more interested in PC THAN MOST.

An expression of sympathy for some victims is not a condemnation of police; it is simply an expression of sympathy and nothing more.

Making it Political always, and judging based on YOUR life is not only not fair, it is terribly shortsighted and mean.

You are an individual and should be judged like that, not based on me or my family. You should be able to feel sorry, even as you mete out justice.

Very well stated.

[dillywho]

I have always respected and loved RedWitch. That being said, I do have to disagree in some respects of her post.

Everyone here does not know everyone else, personally, and some may inadvertently say something (such as the Kool-Aid remark) that they will find hurtful or offensive. Hurtful words are not always intended to hurt. The Kool-Aid remark is simply defined to those who used it as "following blindly without reason or consequences, just acceptance without question". I would never INTENTIONALLY say something to hurt another. It hurts me when someone starts a comment with "Jesus Christ", but I just simply ask them to please not do it. Decent people will honor a civil request. Those who won't........well.

I grew up in Texas and could easily take offense at the term "redneck", but I don't. What is perfectly normal in one part of the country is often not in another. We refer to anyone north of the Mason-Dixon line as Yankees and the fact that they don't always see things like we do. That doesn't make them bad or good. I was once married to a "Yankee". He always just laughed and said the he was from "Southern Connecticut" because he had been in Texas for so long. People in Oklahoma are called Okies. People who attend Texas A&M are called Aggies. Amarillo has a school whose sports teams are the Rebels, with the majority of the athletes black, and they are not offended.

I can remember when the "n" word was common and NOT derogatory. It was simply descriptive of color. I remember MLK talking about the Negroes, because the term African-American had not yet been coined. Now Negro is no longer considered "PC" and is "offensive". I remember the days of segregation and didn't agree with it then and don't now. I don't agree with anyone segregating based on race be it white, black, brown, red, or any other.

I am part Indian but am not "offended" by Redskin, either. I don't care about your sexual orientation; only how you treat me as another human being. I'm still waiting to see how the PC world is going to handle the birth of babies, human or otherwise, regarding the designation of male or female at the time of birth.

I still say Merry Christmas and am comfortable doing so. I am not offended if someone wishes me a Happy Hanukkah or whatever they celebrate.

I just would like to see a return to the days when we were not expected to walk on eggshells for fear of "offending or the possibility of hurting someone".

Maybe I'm just "redneck" enough not to know I'm supposed to take offense at being white, female, heterosexual, and believe in God.

[Rockyrd]

Originally Posted by dillywho

I have always respected and loved RedWitch. That being said, I do have to disagree in some respects of her post.

Everyone here does not know everyone else, personally, and some may inadvertently say something (such as the Kool-Aid remark) that they will find hurtful or offensive. Hurtful words are not always intended to hurt. The Kool-Aid remark is simply defined to those who used it as "following blindly without reason or consequences, just acceptance without question". I would never INTENTIONALLY say something to hurt another. It hurts me when someone starts a comment with "Jesus Christ", but I just simply ask them to please not do it. Decent people will honor a civil request. Those who won't........well.

I grew up in Texas and could easily take offense at the term "redneck", but I don't. What is perfectly normal in one part of the country is often not in another. We refer to anyone north of the Mason-Dixon line as Yankees and the fact that they don't always see things like we do. That doesn't make them bad or good. I was once married to a "Yankee". He always just laughed and said the he was from "Southern Connecticut" because he had been in Texas for so long. People in Oklahoma are called Okies. People who attend Texas A&M are called Aggies. Amarillo has a school whose sports teams are the Rebels, with the majority of the athletes black, and they are not offended.

I can remember when the "n" word was common and NOT derogatory. It was simply descriptive of color. I remember MLK talking about the Negroes, because the term African-American had not yet been coined. Now Negro is no longer considered "PC" and is "offensive". I remember the days of segregation and didn't agree with it then and don't now. I don't agree with anyone segregating based on race be it white, black, brown, red, or any other.

I am part Indian but am not "offended" by Redskin, either. I don't care about your sexual orientation; only how you treat me as another human being. I'm still waiting to see how the PC world is going to handle the birth of babies, human or otherwise, regarding the designation of male or female at the time of birth.

I still say Merry Christmas and am comfortable doing so. I am not offended if someone wishes me a Happy Hanukkah or whatever they celebrate.

I just would like to see a return to the days when we were not expected to walk on eggshells for fear of "offending or the possibility of hurting someone".

Maybe I'm just "redneck" enough not to know I'm supposed to take offense at being white, female, heterosexual, and believe in God.

I must be lucky or stupid.

I never ever have felt the need to be PC. I think that is a "political" condition and people tell you that.

I grew up in the 40s and 50s when younsay the N word was acceptable...well, I never used it. I grew up around blacks, Spanish and a host of races and religions. I coached basketball and had every race play for me. I never needed to have anyone tell me what was PC. I never had to even think about it frankly, but I tended to shut out labels, and still do. Make no mistake..PC is another label.

Unless we allow others to tell us we shouldn't say or not say, we are innately good people. Time has not changed anything, we just have a sped up communications and nothing is different. Those who tell you there is a PC problem want us to have a PC problem. Most of our problems are NOT racial, NOT religious and we simply refuse to engage with each other to solve the issues.

[Rapscallion St Croix]

PC is really just a bunch of non-feminine bovine ejected digestive by-product.

[Carl in Tampa]

Originally Posted by xNYer

Is the most watched corporate news station, Fox, the mainstream media? Or is the mainstream media news that you find biased because you do not like what it reports?

The Main Stream Media (MSM) are those TV networks with the highest number of viewers (ABC, CBS, NBC) and those newspapers with the greatest readership (Washington Post rather than Washington Times; New York Times rather than New York Post, etc.)

Note that these are the broadcast TV networks (although they can be seen on cable) in contrast to the Cable networks. Regardless what Fox News Channel (cable) says about it's viewership compared to CNN, MSNBC, and other cable channels, Fox's viewership is minuscule compared to the viewership of the major broadcast networks.

It is generally thought that the MSM reporting tends to be Liberal, while Fox News Channel is the flagship of Conservative reporting. That may be changing, with the departure of Bill O'Reilly, and the frequent acerbic Liberal remarks of Shepherd Smith. There are hints that Sean Hannity may not be at Fox much longer. A new Conservative news cable channel may be coming soon.

[Allegiance]

Lucky or stupid.

There is another choice.


Mark Fuhrman's racist tapes show witness in OJ Simpson case saying N-word 41 TIMES | Daily Mail Online

[Carl in Tampa]

Originally Posted by EnglishJW

Since books have found their way into this discussion, I would like to suggest a set of books - no fiction involved: The Story of Civilization by Will & Ariel Durant ( The Story of Civilization (11 Volume Set) by Will Durant — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists). The detailed descriptions concerning the rise and fall of the world's great civilizations is informative. There are many parallels with our own situation.

I sampled some readings in The Story of Civilization, and in Gibbons' Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, as well. I never could get very involved in the narrative.

Perhaps I was too immature and inexperienced at the time to appreciate what I was reading.

(Click on cartoon for larger image.)

[Carl in Tampa]

Originally Posted by Rockyrd

This thread has sort of been hijacked !!!

I thought a discussion of Political correctness and news was on target.

Once created, threads take on a life of their own, and often veer off on all sorts of side paths. If the Moderator feels a thread has gotten seriously off point, a course correction is directed.

And, of course, on occasion the Moderator will remove a post when the post is objectionable due to abusive language or perhaps when the posting seems irrational.

[LuckySevens]

I love this line from Dillywho...........
Maybe I'm just "redneck" enough not to know I'm supposed to take offense at being white, female, heterosexual, and believe in God.