Posted: 02/28/07

In defense of freedom

Jake Dubuque | contributing columnist
jdubuque@smcvt.edu

I have an on going discussion with one of my friends about the use of the word retarded. It’s a word I’ve used since probably the first grade and have never thought anything of it. That is until this year, when he heard me say something like “that’s retarded.” He said he was upset because he found the word offensive and when I argued the point he got up and left the table in disgust. The argument got me thinking.

He accurately pointed out that what I meant was “that’s stupid,” but used retarded as a synonym. Since ‘retard’ is a slur for the mentally challenged, he told me that it was offensive to the mentally challenged and wanted me to stop using it. Of course we say things like that all the time. Even he says “that’s dumb.” But dumb was originally a word for people who didn’t speak, or didn’t speak well because they were deaf. Saying “that’s dumb” would offend dumb people. Another popular phrase is “that’s gay,” which offends gay people. He told me that I have a very extensive vocabulary and ought to use it respectfully — to think before I speak. So I did some thinking.

We once called people with genetic disorders stupid, or retarded or insane. Over time new identifications were established that sounded nicer and more accurately described their situation. “Mentally handicapped” was one such designation, but even this proved offensive. Now the proper term is mentally challenged. I don’t dwell on this because I want to offend or harass the inconveniently incapacitated but because it’s symbolic of a larger issue: political correctness.

It has become the quest of many to ban offensive words, mascots and thoughts from society. They consider themselves to be the vanguards of modernity and ambassadors of respect. In reality they are vultures circling the shoulders of giants. The hard fight was getting people to diagnose what was medically wrong with "retards," for purposes of treatment, or therapy or to understand how best to help the disadvantaged function at their maximum potential. The hard fight was to get society to accept people with differences and other persecuted minorities. That battle is still being waged — by giants.

Circling the giants are those obsessed with political correctness and stalk innocent individuals who would describe themselves compassionate and respectful. The vultures lurk, waiting to pounce on the innocent should they say or do the "wrong" thing. Their instinct is to harass and censor those who do not conform to their sanitized world view. They do not foster a culture of respect but an atmosphere of terror.

Compassionate, respectful individuals empower others to think for themselves and engage society on their terms. The disciples of political correctness are more concerned with appearances than substance. For them, using the ‘correct’ words matters more than how one actually engages society. They are too concerned about correctly identifying a vertically challenged, horizontally challenged, visually challenged, financially challenged, sexually dysfunctional, living impaired person to realize that this short, fat, blind, perverted, poor person is in fact dead.

Political correctness according to is second definition at the Urban Dictionary began as “a sort of moral common sense.” It makes sense not to go out of your way to insult someone. But unfortunately, the vultures took the concept beyond reason. In their vain attempts to insure that no one is ever offended, they have taken it upon themselves to terrorize the entire population. Today we live in a fearful society, where the majority fears offending anyone and everyone. And a climate of fear does not produce a productive environment for a vibrant society.

Whether around a table in Alliot or in the classroom, how often do you spend consciously thinking about how to engage an argument without offending anyone or any group? Or how often through casual conversation have you accidentally insulted someone who you weren’t even talking about? This is a form of oppression; most of the definitions available on the urban dictionary site agree that political correctness is a form of “organized Orwellian intolerance and stupidity” — a form of newspeak.

Oh vultures, it’s time to reform your ways before you push society so far down the path of totalitarian sanitization that we cannot escape. Prohibiting offense is not the same as respecting individuals. I am offended that you harass me, not allowing me to express myself as I see fit. Respect me for wanting to engage society positively!

A dynamic society is based on the principles of compassion and respect, on moral common sense. The distinction between moral common sense and political correctness may be a line in the sand, but the disciples of political correctness are so far over that line, they’re out to sea.