Why Political Correctness?

In my astounding travels through cyberspace, or more correctly, my sitting in front of my computer participating in the ragged shouting that characterizes the internet community, I stumble across what I would like to call "the Phenomenon of the Anonymous." This Phenomenon manifests itself as a willingness of posters on the internet to say anything at all, to anyone, in any terms. Vitriolic, obscene, stupid. Anything goes. In a dispassionate intellectual sense, I think there is something positive to be gained by this ranting and raving. Tensions can sometimes be relieved in a safe way. That is probably good.

I am less than enthusiastic, however, about internet speech that is demeaning to groups or that advocates or at least pretends to advocate violence toward certain groups. This occurs with regularity and messiness and poisoning of the electronic pond that we tad about in. Once in a while I or some other poster will dare to comment on the ugliness. Typically, the response is this: "I am so tired of this Politically Correct crap!! I can't believe that I am expected to just never say anything against (insert your preferred race, sect, political party)." The responses follow such a common pattern that you could almost just use my two sentences all over the internet. Just cut and paste them into your own rant and then type in who it is you hate today.

When these gripes against Political Correctness are posted, or blogged, or otherwise disseminated, I can almost picture the poster at his/her computer. Peering eagerly at their monitor as if they were Dorothy and their statement a bucket of water; waiting for me to cry into the ether: "I'm melting!!!"

But that doesn't happen. I don't melt. The reason I don't melt, is that I have a strong belief in what Political Correctness tries to achieve.

Like it or not, when we are out in the wide world, whether in person, or in print, or just fleetingly having our thoughts noted on the web, we are creating not only an idea, but also a representation of ourselves. In most cases there is not so large a body of our writing out there that someone could make a decent judgment regarding our views and our character. Just little disjointed out of context comments. We can't see each other helping old ladies across the street or working with the homeless or handing a dollar to street person or appreciating the art and culture of various races...

When you are ranting and end up saying something that could be construed as an 'ism', whether it is racism, sexism, class-ism, or jingo-ism, you are leaving a portrayal of yourself lying around that indicates that you hold these views.

Why is this of any importance?

Because there are real racists. Because there are real sexists. Because there are real people out there who espouse all manner of intolerance and hate. The kind of people that used to form lynch mobs and band together to perpetuate and spread their hate.

Notice that I used the phrase 'band together.' These cowards normally run in packs. They gain power from their rhetoric and from belonging to a group.

When you allow yourself to sound like them, they gain power from seeing your views and saying to themselves: "See? I knew it. Everyone believes the same as me."