Judging Truth

Let me first state that this article may use language that some will find offensive. I suggest that if you are easily offended by things that others may say, you stop reading now. Otherwise, enjoy.

While browsing through the news articles today, I was struck with the sense of absurdity from what has become of political correctness. It seems today that we must walk around on eggshells in a vain attempt to not offend any one EVER. We are almost expected to be respectful of others no matter the cost and no matter the disrespect received. So many times I have heard people make comments about how you can’t say this or you can’t say that because it might offend someone.

I have had enough. This is absolutely ridiculous. When I began looking into this phenomenon today, I noticed that it tends to be very one sided a great deal of the time. I found some excellent examples of recent event to illustrate just how insane this idea is that no one should ever have to hear or see something that might offend them.

Let us first talk discuss racial terminology. Why is it acceptable for a person of one color to use racially derogatory language and not a person of another color? I thought color was not supposed to matter. I mean after all, isn’t the setting of different standards based on the color of ones skin the very definition of racism? My examples for this were plentiful, but here are a few I found.

Recently when Michael Richards went on a racial tirade and use the word nigger multiple times during a stand up comedy routine, the public backlash over his hostile tirade was enormous. Yet, when black comedians such Chris Rock refer to white people as cracka, honky, white bread or whigger, nothing is said about the use of obviously racial and derogatory terms. (Those definitions are from a highly offensive website called Urban Dictionary. It is not meant as a literal definition, but is comprised individuals describing the terms. Just read them.) Do not misunderstand my sentiment here, I think that Richards was way out of line and deserved every bit of what he got. However, I think the same holds true in reverse. The very next time a predominant black comedian uses racially derogatory words, they should be practically destroyed by an out lash of disapproval.

It is to the point now that Jesse Jackson is attempting to have Congress ban the ‘n-word’ (what it is so offensive that you cannot even say it period?) and states that it does not fall under free speech as it is an ‘unprotected’ word. Whoa, wait just one minute. Free speech is free speech. It means you can say what ever the hell you want to and no one can tell you otherwise. So if you ban this word, why not all the derogatory words period? What about fag, chink, spic, cracka? Where does it stop? Can I no longer refer to a female dog as a bitch, for fear of some feminist filing suit on me for using a banned word? Is this going to be the Demolition Man model of the future where I will hear, “John Spartan, you are fined one credit for a violation of the verbal morality…” No, for God’s sake! Oh wait can I even say God any more? Will that be banned as well? I mean it could offend someone. There is no such thing as ‘hate speech’. It is either free speech or it is not. While speech of one type may be offensive and deemed as hateful by one group, it is not that group’s right to seek to silence those whom they disagree with. You are guaranteed the right to free speech by the Constitution of the United States. You are not guaranteed the right to never be offended by anything you hear or see. While I personally abhor groups like the Ku Klux Klan and the Black Panthers their rights to exist or to free speech cannot be denied.

In the race arena, I do find in disturbing that there are such things still as affirmative action, racial consideration for admittance into schools and racial segregation of individuals by group or organization. If a white person were to attempt to form a White Comedy tour or insist on a White History month, they would bee immediately cast down as a racist. Maybe that is appropriate, but if so, then all groups, organizations or any entities that are based around race should be immediately and summarily disbanded.

It is not just a racial issue. Why is it that when Mel Gibson says something stupid and racially insensitive, then adamantly apologizes for it, he is shunned, people refuse to accept his apology and say that he has not done enough to make up for it, yet when a Senator John Kerry says something stupid and insulting to our military and refuses to apologize, we should just move on an deal with it? The level of hypocrisy in this country is paramount.

I found my self shopping on Kemah Boardwalk this weekend while we were visiting Houston. When entering a shop I was greeted with a warm, Merry Christmas. While in this same shop I was commenting on the fine products they had there and that I though they were charging way too little for some of the metal work they sold. I was more than mildly surprised by the answer I got from the owner of the shop. She told me that God had blessed her with a good business that made her a decent living and that she believed he would not approve of her charging some of the outrageous amounts she had seen for similar products. Trust me, she certainly could have, she was selling items for $90 that I have seen for well over $300 in my area and it was every bit as fine of work. What surprised me was that she was so forward with her reasoning and her offering of Merry Christmas. Why should this surprise me? Why was I almost shocked to hear a woman professing her faith openly to a stranger? Why? Because it has become so socially unacceptable to do so that it is uncommon. This stigma over religion has gotten to the point of lurid stupidity.

Recently, the City of Chicago decided that it would not allow advertising for the New Line Cinema film “The Nativity Story” to be displayed at a German Christkindlmarket event to be held in Daley Plaza, citing that “Our guidance was that this very prominently placed advertisement would not only be insensitive to the many people of different faiths who come to enjoy the market for its food and unique gifts, but also it would be contrary to acceptable advertising standards suggested to the many festivals holding events on Daley Plaza.”

Uhm, what? The word Christkindlmarket literally translates to “Christ child market” and the entire event is themed to celebrate the Christmas season and the birth of Christ. So to think that anyone coming to such an event would be offended by an advertisement for a movie depicting the birth of Christ is nonsense. If people offended by the mention or representation of Christ are attending a celebration of his birth, then that is their own damn problem. If you do not wish to be offended by representations of the birth of Christ, do not go to a Christmas themed event.

The list of ridiculous incidents goes way beyond the scope of this article, but includes the six imans thrown off of a US Airways flight for acting very suspicious and making the passengers and crew nervous. These jerks were moving around continuously, harassing the crew for seatbelt extensions and chanting prayers to Allah the whole time. In a post 9/11 world, they should be thankful that the only thing that happened was their removal from the plane. They are now seeking an out of court settlement because they were embarrassed and offended. They are even encouraging other Muslims to file suits if they are harassed. No. I hope US Airways tells them to go take a flying horse ride to the Antarctic.

Another recent story depicts a Muslim woman suing Fitness USA because they failed to resolve an incident to her satisfaction. Apparently this woman was praying in the locker room when another woman interrupted her and asked her to move out of the way of her loc

ker. An incident followed and being offended at being interrupted, the Muslim woman complained to management. When she was told that she had to respect the rights of the other patrons, but that they were not required to respect her religion. She decided to file suit and claim discrimination. I see no issue here. She has the right to pray and express her religion, as long as it does not interfere with the rights of others. In this case, she was interfering with the rights of another to get to her possessions. The management was right, no matter what religion it was. They can enforce someone respecting the right of an individual to get to their things. They have no business telling one individual to respect the religion of another. She is now filing suit because she felt humiliated and ashamed. I am sorry. I agree with your right to pray. Maybe you should have found a place out of the way of other patrons to do so. That way you would not be interrupted.

In both of these example you will note that when the latter were displaying their religious behavior, they were infringing on the rights of others. The imans by causing a disturbance on the plane, thus delaying the flight, and the woman by blocking access to the other parton’s locker. In the Christkindlmarket example, no one rights would have been directly affected. Yet, the Christians are told to shut up and deal with it when their religion is supressed and the other religions are outraged to the point of suing for violations of their rights. (By the way, the Constitution does not state that business shall make no rules governing religion or the free exercise there of, it lays that solely on the government.)

This political correctness has gone too far. No one has the exclusive right not to be inconvenienced or offended. I agree with respecting the rights of other, but not at the cost of sacrificing free speech. As an American citizen you have the right to say what you choose, when you choose and no one can take that away form you. You may have to deal with the consequences of your statement, but that is your choice. We start banning words and images, then what is next? If you start labeling things hate speech and censoring it to protect peoples sensibilities, you start down a dangerous slippery slope.

What of hate crimes? Should the murder of an individual based or race, be worse than the murder of someone because of greed? No. To judge anything, speech, rights, crime, inclusion or exclusion based on race or religion is racism and religious oppression respectively. There are no excuses.