It is not uncommon for society to condemn some kinds of speech. Using foul language, for instance, is not acceptable in “polite society.” Neither is using speech that directly and immediately incites others to riot or advocates violence against persons or groups. Most reasonable people accept limiting verbal expression in this way.
For example, this is a Christian blog. Christ taught us:
All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. (Matthew 5:37 NIV)
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.(Matthew 5:21-22 NIV) [1]
I encourage everyone to add to the discussion by commenting on this blog. Your comments will be treated with respect. Following Our Lord’s teaching, however, any comment that contains foul language, advocates violence, or demeans others will be deleted.
Today, we are faced with political correctness on steroids. I began to notice it during the Clinton Administration, and I was opposed to it even then. One of the many reasons I was glad to see Bill and Hillary Clinton leave the White House was that political correctness seemed to leave with them. It came back, however, during the Obama years, and it seemed to have gained strength.
One of the reasons why Donald Trump is so popular among ordinary Americans is that he is the antithesis of political correctness. He says what he thinks, means what he says, and he doesn’t couch things in euphemistic doubletalk. You may not always agree with him, but you know where he stands.
There is a political, economic, educational, and social Progressive Movement that is backed by big money and the media, and it is openly bent on fundamentally altering the character, the very identity, of the United States of America. It is coercive and totalitarian in nature, and it seeks to compel our citizens to conform against their will. I seem to recall hearing someone say, "The Progressives believe that 'the ends justify the means,' and they will use any means to achieve their ends."
We use words to form our thoughts. We think in words. Therefore, if our language is changed, those
who control that process can attempt to control the way we think. There are long lists of words that are no
longer acceptable at our universities, in the media, and in a plethora of other
venues. Even the use of third-person
singular pronouns that are gender specific is being forbidden. *
Further, politically correct speech is changed frequently to keep us off balance. We all have been witnessing it on a daily basis, and most “Average Americans” wonder why? Here’s why - it is to control the way we think. If certain words are taboo, then we cannot use them to formulate and express our thoughts. If the political correctness of words keeps changing, we can never be certain that what we are saying is correct.
Historically, despots, dictators, and tyrants have sought to have absolute power and control over their subjects by controlling their behavior. A few have tried to control the way their people think. Mind control has been elusive. If attained at all, it has been temporary. As the old German song goes, “Die Gedanken sind frei,” (the thoughts are free). Persecution and oppression have never been able to permanently suppress “the human spirit.”
That does not stop the autocrats from trying. Therefore, we must never allow them to get away with it. We must never purposely and knowingly diminish our neighbor. We cannot, however, allow our freedoms to be eroded or destroyed by those who want to fraudulently misuse the quest for social justice to oppress us. We must use every legal means at our disposal to preserve the greatest nation the world has ever known.
The Holy Bible speaks to the issue of language manipulation:
Woe to those
who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter!
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,
and shrewd in their own sight!
(Isaiah 5:20-21 ESV) [2]
* We wonder, what do they intend to do with languages (like French, Spanish, Italian, and German) that have masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns?
