During this campaign season, political correctness has remained a hot topic. Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized those who err on the side of political correctness. He has taken pride in being a candidate who doesn’t abide by those rules. In fact, his speeches and comments are almost designed to illustrate why we need it.
Why do we need Political Correctness?
As Steve Hughes explains above, being offended is indeed an individual experience. We all come from different backgrounds, neighborhoods, societies, and cultures. So what’s deemed offensive to one person may easily roll off the back of another.
But this shouldn’t be a free-for-all to say whatever we want. Though political correctness may not be a law on the books, it is an important part of civility. There are many things that most people agree are offensive. Though Donald Trump‘s statements have challenged where we draw that line.
Where is “the line” that should not be crossed?
We believe it’s inappropriate to discriminate against someone because of their race. A racist person is free to harbor socially unacceptable thoughts. But he or she understands that it’s not okay to voice them out loud.
But what if we intend no racism, yet a racist interpretation is easy to hear, even hard to miss? And what if the racism is obvious? One of the quotes in the article above is of Trump saying, “Laziness is a trait in blacks. It really is, I believe that.” To me, that’s a purely racist thing to say.
To me, every (or almost every?) human is lazy at times, so there’s a grain of truth in it. I can picture a scene of Chicago on a humid summer day, and a bunch of people hanging around outside, shooting the breeze, not working, being “lazy.” Should we hang Trump if he imagines, in his mind’s eye, that they’re black and then give words to it?
What happens without Political Correctness?
Trump has thrown politeness and consideration to the wayside. Whether it’s his negative generalizations of Mexican immigrants, disrespectful remarks about women, or stereotyping of Jewish people, he has navigated political waters in a tumultuous manner.
On the one hand, it’s not evil to make a mistake, to say something politically incorrect. We shouldn’t damn someone for it. It’s just a mistake, an imperfection. Apologize for the slip and move on.
Ignoring Political Correctness is bad
On the other hand, Trump doesn’t apologize. He rarely admits to mistakes. Like Bush in Iraq. Like Johnson and Nixon in Viet Nam. Like the American South during slavery. Like Christians during the Salem Witch Trials. Like Catholics during the Inquisitions and the Crusades. Like radical Muslims today in Al Qaeda and the Taliban, in Isis, in Saudi Arabia and many more places. Trumpeting his own righteousness and not admitting mistakes is pride, a sin. It opens the door to evil.
A candidate that’s offended by political correctness is dangerous. With their offensive language, they can stir up ill-will toward a minority. That can be dangerous, like we saw when a Trump supporter sucker-punched a black protestor at a rally. And it can motivate some of them to fight back, becoming dangerous to others, as we saw when some anti-Trump demonstrators turned violent in San Jose, California.
Political Correctness Is part of America’s strength
Political correctness doesn’t exist to mute opinions or censor people. It exists to forge good will and maintain harmony. It exists to cast people and organizations in a positive light. It exists to build trust. These are all important goals for political candidates.
We need political candidates who understand and represent all of us. He or she needs to elevate every American citizen. Politicians shouldn’t seek to enhance the lives of particular groups at the expense of others.
The bottom line: Political correctness exists in order for us to respect each other. One of the things that makes America great is our embrace of all kinds of people. We exhibit a mutual respect for our differences. Political correctness isn’t just a simple courtesy. It unites us and makes our nation stronger.