Let's be honest about political correctness

I'm all for treating people with respect, but the PC police have gone haywire. I'm tired of it.

IMO hyper sensitivity is only making people more vulnerable. We treat everything we hear, as if it's equal to the worst we've ever heard.

If you go into a comedy club and get offended because a comedian made a joke about a group you belong to, you aren't being enlightened, you're being a self righteous prick! Most comedy is laughing at other people. Everyone else in that club was laughed at, but they didn't cry foul. They know their self worth.

Laughter is medicine for the soul. In my experience, laughter kills bigotry faster than outrage.

I hate the word faggot, but Eddie's gay stereotype is hilarious to me. He couldn't do this bit today, and that's a shame cause it's funny.

originally posted by: mahatche
He couldn't do this bit today, and that's a shame cause it's funny.

That is one thing I've noticed. That video was from 1987 and I laughed my ass off at RAW. I LOVED it! Eddie even said in his video that the gay people were upset about his jokes, and as I watched that skit today, I can see how people would have thought he was insensitive and crude. If you were a gay teen in 1987, in the closet, with no one to talk to about your feelings (which is how it was in 1987), maybe made fun of in school, picked on, maybe even beaten up, embarrassed and bullied in school, how would you have felt about Eddie's jokes and slurs?

Mathew Shepard was beaten and murdered in 1998. That was a wake-up call that got a lot of people thinking about how truly hurtful and tasteless it is to make fun of people like that. I think that since the country has become aware of people suffering so much for their sexuality, it's just not so funny anymore.

Joking is all fine and good, but is it worth the pain it causes others?

originally posted by: Benevolent Heretic

originally posted by: mahatche
He couldn't do this bit today, and that's a shame cause it's funny.

That is one thing I've noticed. That video was from 1987 and I laughed my ass off at RAW. I LOVED it! Eddie even said in his video that the gay people were upset about his jokes, and as I watched that skit today, I can see how people would have thought he was insensitive and crude. If you were a gay teen in 1987, in the closet, with no one to talk to about your feelings (which is how it was in 1987), maybe made fun of in school, picked on, maybe even beaten up, embarrassed and bullied in school, how would you have felt about Eddie's jokes and slurs?

Mathew Shepard was beaten and murdered in 1998. That was a wake-up call that got a lot of people thinking about how truly hurtful and tasteless it is to make fun of people like that. I think that since the country has become aware of people suffering so much for their sexuality, it's just not so funny anymore.

Joking is all fine and good, but is it worth the pain it causes others?

I'm bisexual, and I know gays who die laughing at that clip. The stereotyping doesn't bother me at all. I cringe over his use of faggot, but the gay cop gets me. All my straight friends make gay jokes to me too. Again, we can't treat everything as if it's equal to the worst we've ever heard. Every Jew joke isn't a call to genocide. The holocaust sucks, but off-limit people are no fun.

I belong to so many groups that comedians talk about. If you look at the top 10 list, I'm probably all 10. If I let it get to me I'd go crazy.

I'll laugh at races, genders, politics, religion, weight, sexuality, stupid people, farts etc... There are lines you shouldn't cross, but If we tell comedians that they can't laugh at people, what's left for them to talk about?

"hey my house burned down today, thank god no one was hurt" isn't as funny as a burnt up crack head.

People who can take jokes will laugh, people who can't won't. It will never change. Teaching people to take jokes means more to me than training hive minded people.

This is the type of stuff I'm talking about. When Doug Stanhope takes over for Alex Jones, there is a lady who gets angry because he use a Hispanic name while generalizing Hispanics. She isn't Hispanic, but she is convinced we want her to stand up for us. I'm more offended that she thinks my skin is that thin.

Did racism used to hurt less when this was filmed? Or did hyper sensitivity make us weaker?

originally posted by: sheepslayer247
a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

I think you hit the nail firmly on the head.

Common courtesy and a willingness to conduct ourselves in a certain manner is all too often considered to be PCness. If we want to do or say things outside of that unwritten code of conduct, you must be willing to "own it", as you said, and take responsibility for it.

I have found that many of those who cry about PCness are trying to divert attention from their ignorance, hatred or bigotry.

Seems to be that way most of the time, but there are some cases where PC does go overboard. I believe there was a story while back about a magazine (MAD I think) getting flak because they depicted Obama having a gigantic nose (which is considered a stereotype amongst blacks), even though they've done it to other public figures in the past.

originally posted by: mahatche
Again, we can't treat everything as if it's equal to the worst we've ever heard.

My husband and I tell AWFUL jokes in private - things I'd never say in public, so I get what you're saying. But what I say in private has no effect on that kid out there who's insecure and full of self-hatred. The social acceptance or normalization of homosexuality DOES have an effect on that kid. Telling jokes in private circles is one thing. I'm the least homophobic person on the planet and so is my husband, but as you said, we laugh at everything and everyone, including ourselves.

There are lines you shouldn't cross,

And that's what I'm saying. I think some in this thread are saying that there are no lines. Any lines mean political correctness.

but If we tell comedians that they can't laugh at people, what's left for them to talk about?

I don't think comedians are a good example. They're comedians and that's their job. I expect comedians NOT to be politically correct. I'm talking more about people like Commissioner Robert Copeland, Cliven Bundy and some others in the news, who faced tough consequences for their public comments and racial slurs. People don't think they should have faced any consequences because of "political correctness".

I'm not really talking about jokes. I'm talking about real life examples.

Maybe your skin is not that thin. That's GREAT. But that junior high school kid's skin IS that thin. He's been bashed and ridiculed his entire life for who he is. His parents want to dis-own him and his classmates bully him. How much can we expect from a 14-year-old gay kid?

originally posted by: Benevolent Heretic

Maybe your skin is not that thin. That's GREAT. But that junior high school kid's skin IS that thin. He's been bashed and ridiculed his entire life for who he is. His parents want to dis-own him and his classmates bully him. How much can we expect from a 14-year-old gay kid?

Obviously you gotta be careful, but I also think protective bubbles weaken immune systems.

It's counter productive to make every little twitter comment a national outrage. We are giving the impression that these opinions mean more than they really do. When these kids see the adults freaking out, they justify freaking out. Hypersensitivity makes more suffering, because it gives the suggestion that every comment is worth suffering over.

Loving arms are great, but knowing your self worth is a much better defense.

i'm in favor of speaking out against true homophobia, but our reactions should be more responsible. The boy who cries wolf only loses credibility.