The First Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees Americans, among other liberties, the freedom of speech.
The right to express oneself without fear of repression or being sent away for re-education is a basic tenet, not only of this country, but should be a basic right of mankind.
“Wait a minute,” you might say. Did the writer just say “mankind?” Is that inclusive? What about women? Did that thought just go through your head?
That is the effect of the linguistic fascism of political correctness.
The term “mankind” has been used for thousands of years under the common knowledge the term is equivalent to “human kind.” It is an all-encompassing term, but lately, such terms have been under attack. Why?
The roots of the term, “Political Correctness,” are from the Marxist ideology.
Marxism is a political ideology which seeks division to gain power. It also seeks complete annihilation of opposition and in doing so must reverse opposing thought.
People must be divided into groups. The “us against them” strategy. Isolate, divide and demonize.
The poor must be poor because they are oppressed by the not-so-poor. The rich are demons number one.
Other ideologies that got in the way included Christianity and capitalism. The aim of political correctness was cloaked in the guise that any conversation in opposition to Marxist ideology was evil, harmful and offensive.
Opposing thoughts were not to be tolerated as debate is not the goal of Marxism. Destroying completely the opposing view point is the goal of Marxist thought.
The Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin helped to coin the term and he sent millions to their deaths in camps in Siberia for violating “Political Correctness.”
Political Correctness is the exact opposite of freedom of expression. Political correctness does not seek the truth, but wishes to bury it.
I believe deep down this is not a left nor right issue. I don’t believe only conservatives love freedom.
Liberal commentator Juan Williams has said, “The critical importance of honest journalism and a free flowing, respectful national conversation needs to be had in our country. But it is being buried as collateral damage in a war whose battles include political correctness and ideological orthodoxy.”
People never gain freedom by suppressing others freedom. People must be free to speak.
Yes, even to be offensive. And we are free to reject those people out of hand.
And we have. This American desire to worship as we choose, and not have a state church, is an example.
The freedom not to call the President “Dear Leader” or live in fear of being sent to a re-education camp for our speech is a tenet of American freedom.
So what does it mean when someone speaks their mind and instead of debating, we want to send that person off to “sensitivity training?”
One thing the Constitution does not guarantee is your right not to be offended. Freedom cannot be censored or monitored.
Freedom involves courage and personal fortitude. If you feel offended, you have the right to speak out as well.
“If you don’t like other people’s signs, make up your own signs,” to paraphrase John Lennon.
The Sixties movement was all about getting big brother off the backs of the people.
Today, many want big brother to enforce punitive laws against anyone who offends us. That is the inverse of freedom.
