Political Correctness is one of those terms that has expanded in its scope, due to usage, to the point that the term has lost some of its meaning. It seems that often, the term is used to convey the speaker's frustration at some cultural change or neologism whose purpose (s)he doesn't understand but is forced to accept, nonetheless.

In the early 1990s, when that term first started to be widely used in the media, it referred to the demands of various activist groups to discard terms for people that carried any negative innuendo--as defined by the activists. I'm not sure which group led the charge in that early 1990s wave of activism, but there were a lot of copycats. In some cases, the innuendo that some of these groups claimed was so arcane, or the demands seemed so outlandish to the general population, that the efforts failed, resulting only in parody and ridicule:

* Feminist student groups demanded the use of the term "womyn" instead of "woman" or "women" because they saw the letters "man" or "men" in the latter two as symbolic of the idea that a women can't be independent of men. To the best of my knowledge, such activists did exist.

* Some feminists claimed that the term "Latino" should be used in place of "Hispanic" because the latter represents "patriarchal oppression." The reason for this is that the first three letters in "Hispanic" spell "His!" I am not absolutely sure whether this example was really true or just rumor.

The only thing that I see as being truly "political" about political correctness is that political tactics and pressure were used to try to change the lexicon. In a few cases, the activists were successful:

* African-American was introduced as a replacement for Black.
* Asian, or alternately, Asian-American was introduced as a replacement for Oriental (thank you, Andrew).
* LGBT replaced the terms "gay" or "homosexual" in many contexts.
* Disabled replaced handicapped.
* Visually impaired replaced blind.
* Hearing impaired replaced deaf.

Some critics refer to this evolution of terms as the "euphemism treadmill." What makes me uneasy about this changing of terms due to past innuendo, is that I don't think that it solves any problems, and just demonstrates that our society lacks the maturity to handle the underlying issues.

I fully intend to be as politically incorrect as I can be. I'll leave political correctness to the stupid.

Well, I am a few revisions behind... Too bad microsoft does not provide updates: "your list of politically correct terms needs to be updated... Hit return to install version 3.02.05".

I actually was surprised by the "Oriental" comments, and thought that LGBT is some sort of Blackberry cell-phone.

I don't see how not using the latest term hurts anybody... but I guess I am starting to sound like "an old* white** guy" (for good reason ).

* Chronologically challenged
** Pigment impaired

I'll leave political correctness to the stupid.

Whatever you say grandpa.

Now just turn over so I can get that bedpan.

Skep, I'm surprised you identified so openly with that statement.

Well you gotcher whites and yer unwhites
Whitey includes yer Pollacks, Bo-hunks, Slopeheads, Hillbillys, drunken Irish, and yer spaghetti benders. Include the Frenchies, Russkies, Limey's and that spanish race car driver, or portuguese... they're pretty much the same.

then there's yer

Hispanics.... herspanics... themspanics.
Blacks, replaced many terms....
Woman=man with womb...I liked Tomato or dame.
Asian replaced dirty Jap and Chink. Look how far we've come.
Then there's yer A-rabs rather than camel jockeys, and yer Native Americans rather than Injuns or redskins.......
Yer blind, deaf, crippled and retarded are now challenged to the extent of their impairment and

That's about all except for yer gays and yer lebanese.

No matter how you change the name, they are all still labels that denote the old bugaboo "SEPARATE BUT EQUAL" possibly an unsolveable problem.

>>Whatever you say grandpa
I resemble that remark...
>>society lacks the maturity to handle the underlying issues.
and the stupid notion that we can't offend anyone ever...stupid...

I'm with Deanne. I work hard to be as politically incorrect as possible.

As long as the term isn't derogatory or used in a defaming way, I'll call it as I see it.

By the way for all those that want to be politically correct, I'm not fat. I'm gravitationally challenged.

I hate the term "Politically Correct" because it implies that showing basic, simple respect is something you "have" to do.

Whenever someone uses the term, they go down a notch in my view.

Just treat people with respect, it's that simple.

"By the way for all those that want to be politically correct, I'm not fat. I'm gravitationally challenged."

LOL!

You have a LONG ways to catch up to me Bill, and you've seen me.

I use horizontally challenged ... seems catchy, and it is true.

> I hate the term "Politically Correct" because it implies that showing basic, simple respect is
> something you "have" to do.

I think that it goes without saying that treating people with courtesy and respect is a key ingredient to living in a civilized society. However, I think that there is a certain fakeness to this changing of the lexicon that happened in the '90s, despite the fact that some people pushing for it might have had good intentions. You can still say a lot of mean things about a lot of people, all while using the "up-to-date" terminology.

"Just treat people with respect, it's that simple."

Even liberals?

Well, come on now. Let's not push it.

horizontally challenged

That would be for short people, I mean under height, I mean.....Oh the heck with it!!!

Skep--shame on you. making fun of mature people. are you P.C. or only when you want to be LOL

I think [country]+American is just stupid.

If you are born here, you are simply American. You then have a race --or not, depending on your mix and need to self-identify.

So that's black, asian, hispanic, etc...

Nobody who knows black people well, says "African American", unless they also are going to up and say European-American, or something equally foolish.

The others are just replacements in my mind. I see little value in them.

+2 right on to warner.

+4 Funny to Skybill

"horizontally challenged

That would be for short people, I mean under height, I mean.....Oh the heck with it!!!"

Nooo ... short people are VERTICALLY challenged. Us fat people are horizontally challenged.

"Even liberals?"

ESPECIALLY liberals! We are very sensitive individuals.

You are correct Brian. I got my polarities reversed!

I know several people that pretty much exhibit circular polarization... same dimension in all directions.

I guess they are aspect ratio challenged !

is it actually Obamunism????

Jr - you just described me! LOL

I think the political correctness is getting ridiculous. Today I overheard a little boy say he was going to go play a game of Cattle Management Specialists and Native Americans.

Good one!

is it actually Obamunism????

62ism is more like it...

Deane_johnson:
I fully intend to be as politically incorrect as I can be. I'll leave political correctness to the stupid.

Wasn't it your buddies in the Bush Administration who after 9/11 said people better watch what they say? Sounds like political correctness. Wasn't it your side at the beginning of the Iraq War who said it was unpatriotic to say anything against the war or Bush. How was your political correctness then? If you don't like me pointing our your hypocricy, stop being a hypocrite.

I'm glad to know you feel this way and will get as well as you give........or will you?

Aok, I don't have a side.

" I fully intend to be as politically incorrect as I can be."

Why? I mean, taking that at face value reads like you will go out of your way to do things and use terms that you know will upset people. Just, simply, because you can.

In fact, as I say that out loud like this, I realize something; I do not believe you will.

Sorry. I just don't believe you would do that.

CJ, I have no intention of allowing people to tell me what I can and cannot do. I don't plan to go along with the crowd. Why should I let others define what I do.

<<i>>

When someone calls and takes a survey, they ask for nationality. I say "American". They ask me if I mean "Native American", and I reply, "No".
"American", I repeat. They want clarification. I tell them I was born here, therefore I am a native of America. I am an American first. Period.

" CJ, I have no intention of allowing people to tell me what I can and cannot do. I don't plan to go along with the crowd. Why should I let others define what I do."

I see a big difference between that and " I fully intend to be as politically incorrect as I can be."

Maybe it would help if I had an example of your most politicaly incorrect choice that you've made ( besides actual politics-related issues. Because I do not think that's the kind of thing we are talking about here. Agreed? A difference in political values does not make you or me politically incorrect in the traditional sense. ) and what the result has been. I mean, what politically incorrect stance do you hold that makes you such a rebel anyway? Specifially.

The category is " People who annoy you."

N _ G G E R S.

NAGGERS? OOOOH, I hate them. My mother was a NAGGER. Anything I did wasn't right Is it supposed to go like that, did you take out the trash..... NAG NAG NAG!!!!

"I mean, what politically incorrect stance do you hold that makes you such a rebel anyway?"

You miss the point. The only stance is that I object to a few in society telling me what I should say and think. I refuse to follow the crowd.

That doesn't mean I'm a rebel. It means I'm not a lemming. It means I think this PC stuff is a bunch of crap.

If I want to refer to a Chinese person as an Oriental instead of Asian, I'll do it. I'll use the term Indian instead of Native American if I choose.

Those who want to be social lemmings can go ahead and do so. Just leave me out.

You're right. I did miss the point. I actually thought that you would go out of your way to pick the most offensive term that you could find and use it, to their face, just to prove that nobody can get you to do otherwise.

You can at least understand why I felt a tinge of disbelief when I read " I fully intend to be as politically incorrect as I can be." And as it turns out, I wasn't too far off base in not believing that. It's not that you would be the MOST politically incorrect as you can be. It's that you don't believe that Asians have any reason to be offended by being called Oriental. Therefore, you will call them Oriental. Even if they ask you not to. Or Indian, if they are Asian.

I think you are a big softie. I bet, although there is no way to prove it, but I bet that if you were speaking to a group of Asians, and you called them Oriental a bunch of times, and someone came up to you and said " Say, would you mind using the term " Asian " instead? " that you would oblige. But you wouldn't like it.

I don't know why you would be speaking to a bunch of Orientals. But it's just a guess.

Out of curiosity, how DO you refer to Orientals and Asians and Indians and Native Americans? Do you EVER use the term that they prefer? I'm younger than you so I just grew up using the term Asians and Native Americans. Not becausde I feel pressure to - it's just the most natural term I know. But maybe you already do too. And if you do, that is because you choose to. Ladies with moustaches prefer to be called Italian Americans. That's just the way I grew up.

I mean, what else do you do that shows you go out of your way to be politically incorrect? What else COULD you do?

"I fully intend to be as politically incorrect as I can be. I'll leave political correctness to the stupid."

Ok Deane, then I guess I don't have to say you are mentally handicapped. You are just a retard.

Nah, Deane is a gummer.

Back in the early 1990s, people with Korean, Japanese, and Chinese heritage probably wouldn't have cared whether the term Asian or Oriental was used. The activists somehow managed to change the rules so that now using the term Oriental seems out-of-step. I think that your heart (Deane) is in the right place in saying that the actions of these activists were trivial BS. However, it is futile for you to protest against the change by deliberately using the old language because that just causes you to be perceived as the "bad guy," regardless of what you have to say.

"Out of curiosity, how DO you refer to Orientals and Asians and Indians and Native Americans? "

Actually, whatever comes to mind. I would be least likely to use the term Native Americans of those in the question above.

"that just causes you to be perceived as the "bad guy,"

Alfredo, I've reached a point in life where I don't need to care what people think of me.

Yup. Having someone do a bed pan change will do that to a person.

"Alfredo, I've reached a point in life where I don't need to care what people think of me."

OK, Deane, I retract my statement. You show you are mature.

You may not care what others think about you, but you are stuck living with the consequences of your actions, nonetheless.

Alfredo, I've reached a point in life where I don't need to care what people think of me.

Your a HARDline neo-CONer I'm sure that you've NEVER cared what people think.... It's your nature....

A secretary or receptionist is now a "director of first impressions". A clerk or anyone who helps you at a business is a "customer care associate". On the other hand, I still hear people use the word "stewardess" on airplanes!

We still call the cocktailwaitress "Honey" here in Vegas. God I love this town.

> On the other hand, I still hear people use the word "stewardess" on airplanes!

But, the proper term is "flight attendant."

Of course it is. But in the past several years I have actually heard passengers call flight attendants "male stewardesses". I suppose that will go away eventually!

I was just reminded of another "politically correct" idea from the early 1990s: members of racial minorities cannot be racist. That is arrived at by defining racism as the systematic oppression of racial minorities by the dominant racial group in a society. When I first ran across this idea, I would have considered myself a lot more liberal than I am now, and even then, it made me cringe! My first impression was, "somebody is going to use this as an excuse to be a jerk. They're going to say, 'Gee, I can say and do all sorts of nasty things to people of other races, and it won't be racism on my part because I'm not White!!'" I'm glad that this particular idea didn't get much traction.