Seriously, that is Reb Bradley's argument in his latest article, "Politically Correct Christmas."
Really. I'm not kidding.
Merry Christmas everyone! I mean, Happy Holidays! Oh, wait – holiday means "holy day." We can't say that either, lest the irreligious take offense.
We're called atheists. "Irreligious" is kinda hard to say. While I suppose I knew that holiday is holy day, I've never really thought about it. It's not only religious people that celebrate holidays, anyway. (The word has lost its original meaning, after all.) Independence Day is a holiday. You don't need religion for that one. How about Memorial Day or Labor Day? Cinco de Mayo?
Is "Winter Greetings" safe, or might that make summer-lovers distressed? Again, just stupid. Is there anyone offended by a naturally occurring season? I hate winter, I'm not offended by Winter Greetings. Not that I've ever been offered Winter Greeting. How about "Season's Greetings"? I like that one. You can take it to mean any season you want. Christmas, Hannukah, Ramadan, Festivus, covers them all. That's an old standby that is probably innocuous enough.
I'm sure, like me, you find it ridiculous that store clerks are afraid to wish anyone a Merry Christmas anymore. No, I don't find it ridiculous. Stores these days are required to offer their services to people of all backgrounds and faiths. Not like the good ole days, huh, Reb? Anyway, store clerks aren't afraid to mention Christmas, they just don't want to lose their minimum wage jobs for saying what the manager told them not to say. Atheist, Jewish and Muslim money is green, too! Frankly, I feel political correctness is robbing me of traditions treasured since childhood! Really? How? Hearing strangers say "merry christmas" is a treasured childhoold tradition? Uh-huh. You know, you can still say merry christmas all you want. Your family and friends can still say it.
I find it downright depressing when I drive through town and see fewer Christmas decorations every year really? do you mean less decorations, or less nativities? my city, and all the cities in my area, have ditched the nativities, but greatly increased pretty lights. Totally works for me. – all because business owners and city governments fear they might offend those who are emotionally weak. No. Business owners know that atheists/jews/muslims/etc. can shop anywhere they want. We are free to take our money to companies that don't discriminate against us. Therefore, it makes good economic sense not to discriminate by pushing christmas uber alles.
As for city governments, I pay taxes, too. Public land, therefore, is as much my land as it is your land. For that reason, a christian holiday display on public land is innapropriate. I pay for it, and I sure as hell don't want it. That's not emotionally weak. That's demanding that my government represent me as much as anyone else.
You heard me right. At the very core of political correctness is weakness. Being polite and including all groups into our social fabric is weakness. Probably womanly, too. You're not being strong until you're oppressing someone.
Find out how to rescue America from moral decline. Get Reb Bradley's "Born Liberal Raised Right" – on sale for only $19.95. Don't try to click the link, it's broken. Besides, you don't want to buy that. I understand you've hit the point of I'll-buy-anything-I-can-wrap-I-just-can't-take-the-shopping-anymore, but not this. You don't want to go here. It'll be ok. Just breathe.
If you have never thought of this before, because it's ridiculous then consider that political correctness is based on the premise that people – certain people jews! atheists! the spanish inquisition! (nobody expects the spanish inquisition) – need to be protected from harm. no, that's not the point of political correctness. that's the purpose of the police. the purpose of political correctness (and, yes, it absolutely does get carried to stupid extremes) is to recognize that not everyone is exactly the same as you. the whole world isn't a white anglo-saxon protestant. our country includes peoples of all backgrounds and religions and to shove one particular tradition down their throat for a month at a time is to display a breathtaking amount of paternalistic self absorption. "I celebrate Christmas, therefore everyone in the world must celebrate with me." Get over yourself. To identify who those certain people are, we need only determine who or what in nature needs protection. The answer is obvious – it is the weak that need protection. The few also need protection, unless this asshat thinks white tigers and polar bears are weak. The strong certainly do not need it. Absolutely, so stop whining about how the clear minority of USians is ruining your precious traditions. Propriety teaches us that the strong, in fact, are expected to be sensitive to the vulnerabilities of the weak and protect them. By converting them into being the majority. Saves time.
There you have it. At the root of political correctness is the assumption that some people are emotionally and socially weak, and, therefore, uniquely vulnerable to getting their feelings hurt. Liberals expect the strong to be sensitive to the emotional vulnerabilities of the weak, lest they suffer hurt feelings beyond their ability to bear. You are such a jackass, Reb.
It is a wonder to me that no one in a "protected group" has complained of being insulted by politically correct protection. Everyone makes fun of political correctness. I'm pretty sure I'm vertically challenged or something. Who in these protected groups would want to be thought of as weak or vulnerable? How demeaning! You're the one who brought up weak and vulnerable, Reb. You're being demeaning. Not that I'm surprised or anything. That, however, is exactly what political correctness is based upon. It says certain people lack the emotional resilience to handle another person's words or opinions. IOne more time: political correctness states that you cannot call jews names like k***s, you can't call blacks n*****rs and you can't demand that atheists and hindus celebrate the birth of a savior they don't believe in. Sticks and stones may break their bones, but apparently words will kill them. That's right, words never hurt anyone. That's why you're all bent out of shape that nobody says "merry christmas" anymore.
The PC police strive to shield the weak from hurt feelings by placing restrictions on the strong. But is that wise? No, of course we should allow the strong to oppress the weak. Screw the polar bears, too.
Don't we learn from nature that it is best to strengthen the weak rather than shield them forever? Depends on what you mean by that. I am weak due to porphyria. You can try to make me stronger by making me lift weights and run marathons. It won't work. I have to rest to get up one flight of stairs. If nobody "protected" me with elevators and such, I'd be fucked. I'm sure that would be fine with Reb. An athlete grows stronger and better prepared for challenges by constantly facing them. Stupid analogy. How does having christianity constantly shoved in my atheistic face make me better prepared for anything? Our bodies only develop antibodies to disease by encountering germs. If your immune system is normal. If it's depressed or missing a chunk, this could kill you. Calluses only form to protect our soft tissue because of constant abrasion. mmm-hmmmm. where you got calluses, Reb? Are we not harming the "vulnerable" in our society – weakening their immune systems, you might say – by merely sheltering them from influences that can make them grow? christianity can only make you better. in fact, if everyone in the world is exposed to enough christianity, everyone's problems will melt away. Isn't it obvious that the protectiveness of political correctness makes the weak weaker and preoccupies a culture with its wounds? apparently not.
Those who own political correctness – liberals – are weak and lack emotional resilience. uh-huh. i bet Reb didn't ever work a real job. I bet he didn't have an abusive father and then run right out and marry an abusive husband and then leave that husband, figure out what the hell was wrong with himself, and eventually get better. the fact that i'm here says i'm stronger than most. This is because when they were young, their parents obviously came to the rescue whenever another child upset them, my dad didn't come to the rescue when i cut my arm to the tendon and nearly bled out in front of him (it was an accident) and they were defended from anyone in authority who tried to hold them accountable. if my teachers had beat me with a cat o' nine tails, my dad wouldn't have stopped them. Instead of growing up emotionally resilient and socially strong, they grew up with a huge chip on their shoulder, hypersensitive to any perceived offenses. nope.
So, is it best to protect the weak or strengthen them? Let's help them grow strong. This December, let's take every opportunity to publicly wish someone Merry Christmas. Who knows, maybe they're just waiting for permission to say what's on their heart, also.
Follow this logic to its natural conclusion. By not calling blacks the "n" word, we're making them weak. Go ahead, be kind to the black community. You know what you have to do.
Merry Christmas! Happy nothing happens when you die!
fortunately, I do not have sound on my computer at work!
ReplyDeleteSee, I understand that blacks use the "n" word. I even get why. I get why they can and I can't. (Although my black nephew did give me permission once to use it in front of him, but I couldn't do it. It's not like I was waiting all my life for that moment.)
My point isn't really the "n" word and it's use or misuse, it's that the many oppressing the few isn't acceptable no matter how you dress it up.
I assume you knew that.