The Agenda of Political Correctness

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Vietnam War was already over. Peace talks were promoted as a way for the U. S. to declare victory and withdraw. I was on the verge of being drafted and desperately wanted to see Peace. Much to my chagrin, the first year of the talks were spent discussing the shape of the table. My future was in the balance and these clowns were talking about furniture. I was drafted.

Only in retrospect do I realize that the debate was not about house furnishings but rather was about who controlled the language, the agenda, and the terms of debate.

Today we are engaged in two foreign wars and two “civil” wars. Afghanistan and Iraq occupy our troops. The war of red states and blue states occupy our political resources and the cultural wars of government entitlements versus individual opportunities and personal responsibility challenge our hearts, minds, and spirits.

History and current events have shown the failure of central planning, socialism, and communism. The USSR is gone, Cuba is in disarray, and the Great Society’s crown jewel of “welfare” proved noble in intent but unworkable in practice. Even our homeboy - Huey Long and his “Every Man a King” did not deliver success.

Our county was and is dependent upon a strong military and a stronger still population - independent, pioneering in spirit, filled with faith and hope, and free to chase their dreams, fail initially only to stand back up and try again. We must be certain that politicians in the government positions they strive for never forget that “we the people” are this country’s hope. They are not the answer but are merely the “temporary staffing” we send to the Capitol or the State House since we’re too busy working for our living, chasing our dreams and raising our families.

In spite of history and the independence we enjoy - many in the U. S. believe that government and its intervention in our lives are the answer not merely a tool for the people to use. They have lost the war for the hearts and minds of the “silent majority” so now they work to appease the masses with promises versus results. Their TABLE to control the agenda, debate, and language is “political correctness.”

The following is the 2007 winning entry from an annual contest at Texas
A&M University calling for the most appropriate definition of a
contemporary term. This year's term was ' Political Correctness '.

The winner wrote: 'Political Correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional,
illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media,
which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a
”turd” by the clean end.' (This was on the Internet - its origin is not confirmed.)

Understand that Political Correctness - no matter how it’s packaged, promoted, or embraced - is still “crap.” Don’t try to pick it up. Seek the truth - no sh_t!

Copyright - Michael G. Manes (August 2008)
All rights reserved