So over the last few weeks, it would seem that more and more, there is a backlash against this so-called "free speech" in America.
"Nappy-headed hos" got one guy completely fired, "bitch," "nigger," and "ho" are all being heavily scrutinized and some are calling for their complete removal from the rap scene. Even South Park last night was about "
nigger guys," guys who are ostracized for having slipped up and said the word "nigger."
I would love to be able to explain how this all works. I think it's something like this:
1 - The new minority generations are a product of people who had to fight for their rights
2 - the new majority generations are a product of people who got whacked with the "PC stick"
3 - Thus, the new generation of the majority is embittered that "equality" seems to mean "don't say or do X, Y, Z ...because of minorities"
4 - the new minority generations then, fighting a backlash of "PC =/= equality," must then fight again for basic rights and respect
5 - the majority sees this re-struggle, and says "you're already equal, quit bitching"
6 - the new minority responds "but that's not true, that's just what you keep saying"
7 - and then the entire Civil Rights Movement begins anew, this time on finer and much more subtle points than before.
I expect that this would repeat ever 20 or so years.
But that's beside the point - I
LIKE that people are getting pissed about misogyny and racism and are making a lot of noise about it: nothing gets done in the arena of Civil Liberties without lots of noise. I DISLIKE that so many people are oblivious to the fact that such injustices exist, institutionalized or otherwise, and will argue with you about it, even if they're REALLY white and male. (Sorry guys, but White men can't really say a whole lot on the issues of misogyny and racism - that's like a vegetarian telling someone how to season a steak - you're just
out of your element.)
But I also DISLIKE the fact that free speech
is being limited, even if it is not government-mandated limitation, and even if it is for a good reason. Jim Imus is an idiot, and his being firing was damage control. But ultimately, he still had the right to say it, and the station also had every right to air it. If you don't like it, don't listen. It's the same reason that music is not actively censored: ultimately, it is up to the individual what they expose themselves to, and it is up to them how they react.
I guess what really needs to happen is for people to understand the ideology behind such a statement as "I disagree with what you have to say, but will fight to the death to protect your right to say it." Yes, people need to learn when it is appropriate to use certain words - I only use the word "nigger" if I'm talking about the word, and I would hope that nobody would ever have issue with that. But people also need to realize that if we leap up the ass of every single person who misspeaks or fucks up, it's only going to fuel the bitterness of those who feel that the "political correctness" thing has been taken too far. Call out people that are overtly racist, or that are unknowingly stupid and bigoted. But sometimes people do things for shock, and attention, and in those cases, that's exactly what we give them.
Let's be nice, but let's also be thick-skinned.
the Political Correctifying of America
