We live in a society where many will find something ‘offensive’. What is ‘offensive’ to someone could be seen as simple banter or a joke to another person. But, what is merely a personal opinion could potentially be blown out of epic proportions, comparable to that of a post-apocalyptic nuclear fallout.
The list of things you aren’t ‘allowed’ to say in this easily offended generation of feminists, liberals and social justice warriors is just as long as the labels that are thrown around as a deterrent to prevent you from having an opinion either way, shape or form, that does not conform to a carefully selected structure and context.
Racist, Homophobic, Sexiest, Ageist, Transphobic, Islamophobic, all associated with seemingly supposed fear, prejudice, hatred or dislike and all often spouted out of the mouths of liberal lefties throwing temper tantrums after hearing a view they don’t like and disagree with, or worse yet being unfriended on Facebook. Lefties love their labels, and they aren’t afraid to use them.
Photo Credit: © Sorsillo | Dreamstime.com – Black and white mouth duct taped shut
With that in mind is it possible that people are throwing around these labels a bit too much? Are people making willy-nilly accusations just because they don’t get their own way? And are these labels overused and misinterpreted in situations in which they simply do not belong?
When it comes to debate or sharing of opinions why are some people so quick to drop the ‘racist’ or ‘sexist’ bomb on people who simply disagree with them? To answer this question, it is necessary to understand the powerful negative connotations with these terms. Let’s take racism for example, because of the complex racial history of the western world there are few things worse to be called than a ‘racist’ especially if you are far from one. The term ‘racist’ conjures up images of bigots in white hoods and robes burning crosses in the yards of black families, lynching’s, segregation and slaves in shackles and chains. Who in their right mind wants to be associated with that? Not for someone who isn’t a racist, that’s for sure.
So, when is the right time to use the ‘racist’ term in the appropriate and correct context? Is it ‘racist’ to blatantly discriminate based on a skin colour? Yes. Is it ‘racist’ to have an opinion on social commentary? No, and there is the difference that is being exploited by a deceitful few with their own bias and political agenda (I’m looking at you Black Lives Matter).
Just recently in the UK a story popped up in the news of a local shop keeper being accused of being a ‘racist’ simply because his British themed novelty store, aptly titled ‘Really British’ based in Muswell Hill, north west London sold only British-themed products and had Union Jack flags hanging from outside. The shop had been criticised by passers-by and in online forums for selling Union flag socks, chair and telephones. Patriotic? Yes. Racist? Absolutely not and any intelligent and logical thinking person would know this, but yet the accusations of ‘racism’ were thrown and someone out there claimed to be ‘offended’ over something that in hindsight is non offendable.
Was this a case of political correctness gone mad or just stupid overly sensitive whiners making a multicultural mountain out of a molehill? Both and this is where the issue arises yet again. We live in the generation of the easily offended and the overly politically correct, where everyone is walking on eggshells trying not to offend the latest batch of man-child migrants arriving illegally by boat and where the sight of a western women causes offensive or rape tendencies, because women are merely just walking ‘glory holes’, apparently.
We sadly live in a generation where being a proud ‘Brexiteer’ during the recent E.U referendum is seen as ‘racist’ and being a pro ‘Trump’ supporter somehow means you hate all Mexicans, Muslims and homosexuals. Everything is ‘racist’ these days seemingly, a person could simply innocently comment on the weather being ‘too dark’ and someone out there would claim ‘offence’, stating ‘’too dark’’ as being a form of discrimination, as well. Yes, it really has got that ridiculous.
The many pieces of Political Correctness in Britain, it’s like a puzzle. Photo Credit: PeteLinforth – Pixabay
In the UK, recently the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is looking to scrap the words ‘ladies and gentlemen’ from transport announcements after a transgender woman was confused with sounding like a man, while on the phone to the Transport for London’s Oyster helpline and was told she “didn’t sound like a Miss”. To be fair to the phone operator, the transgendered person in question probably may have sounded a bit like a geezer, which is an easy mistake, but as a result, Sadiq Khan was forced to apologise for the “inappropriate” remark and said the TfL would investigate, as well as promising to take action to boost transgender awareness.
So due to hypersensitivity and political correctness of a transgendered woman (who just so happens to be a spokesperson for the Green Party) will the new public transport announcements sound like ‘’ Ladies, Gentlemen, Transgenders and Non Binary travellers, we are sorry to announce that the next non gender specific Northern line service has been cancelled due to non-gender specific leaves laying out on the line’’.
It seems when these people cannot debate on the basis of facts, logic, reason or simply disagree with a view, they simply opt for the nuclear option and drop the ‘that’s racist’ or ‘you are homophobic’ bomb on bedazzled opponents. It’s the easy way out if you are losing an argument, or seemly find offence to a view or opinion that does not suit their own agenda or deluded bias.
You’re a ‘racist’, that’s ‘sexist’; everything is apparently a form of ‘prejudice’ in its many illumined ways. It is so easy to throw the ‘prejudice’ label around, but when a label is so misinterpreted, misconstrued, filled with double standards and over used in unnecessary situations, it loses its real meaning and importance and even becomes redundant.
Redundant, that is exactly the best term in describing those that cry liberal tears and sulk like whining babies when their heroine Hilary Clinton lost the recent United States election, or the tantrums of extreme feminists whom claim offence and ‘sexism’ over something so trivial, petty and juvenile as ‘’Grab her by the pussy’’ gate, because women don’t ever talk about the size of men’s private parts, in private, when nobody is listening, right? Isn’t that sexist then too?
Well, with all this talk of pussy, at least we no longer have a political correct pussy as President of the United States in Barack Obama any more, right?
And yes, someone somewhere out there will find this article ‘offensive’ on the grounds of hyper sensitivity and moral grounds. Are you offended by this? So, fucking what!
Story by Michael Lee
Featured Photo Credit: Geralt – Pixabay