The Power of Political Correctness

Today, we live in an era of "political correctness" (PC, also for
politically correct). We have heard this characterization used many
times in the last 30 or so years; much more frequently in recent
years. Have you ever wondered what exactly PC is, and what are the
ramifications of this so called movement? What I have noticed is that
if one is in the minority, every bad thing that happens to them
is because someone or some branch of government acted in a
politically incorrect way toward them. Have you noticed that the
minorities who ignore PC succeed or are in the process of succeeding?
PC has become a cancer on our society. It is anti-capitalist in its very
nature. It rewards bad behavior. It has caused many companies to
unnecessarily re-evaluate how they do business; usually at a higher
cost. It is an attack on conservatism. (When I use conservatism here,
it is not a political thing I'm writing about. It is those of you out there
who run their families and finances in a conservative manner; in
other words, about 70% of Americans.) We used to call this "having
common sense". I am older than most of you on my mailing list, and
I can remember vividly having the idea of common sense preached
to me by my parents, and the concept of common sense taught to
me in school. You can't do it today though, it would be politically incorrect.

During the aftermath of 9-11, President Bush created one of the
largest government agencies, and one of the least needed in our
Great Nation's history: Airport Security. For those of you who have
traveled recently or travel frequently, you know what a mess it is
going through security. Its sole purpose is PC. We can't use common
sense to determine that ALL the terrorists on 9-11 were Arab men
between 18 and 30 years of age, so we have to check everyone
boarding a flight. If we were allowed to profile, our lines would be
much shorter with less hassle. By the way; profiling is one of the
necessary tools our policemen and women (trying to be PC here) use
to solve crimes. Too bad we aren't allowed to apply that same
common sense approach to the airport.

PC has moved into our schools as well. We can't do or say anything
that may offend people. As most of you know, my wife, Harriet,
retired from teaching this year. She tells me of the things that go on
in our government indoctrination centers we call public schools. If it
weren't so sad, it would be funny. At one point teachers weren't
allowed to take up homework. They had to provide a basket in which
students could voluntarily put their homework. Why? Because those
students who didn't do their homework may be embarrassed by being
singled out or accidentally noticed by their classmates. I don't
know about you, but fear of embarrassment was a motivator for me in school.

Another spin-off of the PC movement is the "zero tolerance" policy
adopted by almost every school in America. Zero tolerance is for
those who have zero common sense. You have all heard the stories
about students getting suspended from school for, in many cases,
accidentally violating the zero tolerance policy. A girl was suspended
in '06 for having a knife on her charm bracelet. I'm sure she posed a
threat to her fellow students. Also in '06 a 3rd grader was suspended
for drawing a gun during art class. In '08 a boy was suspended for
having a table knife in the trunk of his car: a car used the previous day
to carry table supplies to a family reunion. Zero common sense is
what was used to decide whether these notorious people were worthy
of staying in school. After all, you can't stop a child from bringing a
weapon into school when you let a girl wear a bracelet with a knife
charm on it. That would be politically incorrect! That would be
stereotyping! Not in our schools!

One thing that we are all feeling the brunt of lately is the financial
decline. How did it happen? What was behind this market meltdown?
One doesn't have to go far to find that the culprit is PC. Finance
companies and banks were told by Congress to lower their
qualifications for loans so that more people could own their own
homes. This all sounds delightful; so PC, but look at what has
happened since lending institutions suspended common sense. There
is a tried and true reason for the requirements on a loan application.
Also, I realize that there are some who deserve a chance when ALL
the qualifications aren't met. This is where common sense of the loan
officer comes into play. We are now finding out that the loan officers
KNEW full well that a large percentage of those receiving high risk
home loans would eventually default. And who do we have to blame
for this? Look in the mirror! We continue to put people in congress
who are more concerned with buying votes than doing the job we put
them there to do: and we keep sending the same people back. After
all, everyone else's congressmen and women (trying to be PC) is the
problem, but definitely not mine. Is this using common sense?

The Bible speaks to us about finances. There are way too many
instructions concerning finances to include here, but I am including
a few. These are from the book of Common Sense, AKA Proverbs.

Proverbs 6:1-3, 1 My son, if you have put up security for your
neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge for another, 2 if
you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words
of your mouth, 3 then do this, my son, to free yourself, since you
have fallen into your neighbor's hands: Go and humble yourself;
press your plea with your neighbor!

Proverbs 11:15, 15 He who puts up security for another will surely
suffer, but whoever refuses to strike hands in pledge is safe.

Proverbs 17:18, 18 A man lacking in judgment strikes hands in
pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.

Proverbs 22:26-27, 26 Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge
or puts up security for debts; 27 if you lack the means to pay,
your very bed will be snatched from under you.
(from the NIV)

You are only as good as the security you provide. Your neighbor,
having no security, is only as good as that which he has provided.
Those defaulting on their homes lacked the necessary security.
Owning a home is not a right, it is a privilege; a privilege we must
earn. We do not deserve it just because we see others owning their
homes. Thus the financial problems of today.

One of my favorite books of the Bible is The Revelation. In The
Revelation, Jesus speaks to the seven churches of that day. He
tells them what they are doing wrong and what they are doing right.
The letter to the Church of Laodicea is one I like to tie to the PC
movement. Laodicea was a city with many things going for it. It was
a banking center. It had a medical school. And it manufactured
much sought after purple dye for fabrics. If we look around us
today, we are in that city. We have financial institutions, medical
schools, and industry. We too, like the people of Laodicea, have
become complacent in our ways. We are willing to "leave well
enough alone". We are neither hot or cold. We are middle of the
road. We are Politically Correct!

Rev. 3:14-22, 14"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the
ruler of God's creation. 15I know your deeds, that you are neither
cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16So, because
you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out
of my mouth. 17You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do
not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched,
pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18I counsel you to buy from me gold
refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to
wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put
on your eyes, so you can see. 19Those whom I love I rebuke and
discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20Here I am! I stand at the
door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will
come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21To him who overcomes,
I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame
and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22He who has an ear, let
him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
(from the NIV)

It is not "OK" if people are acting in an immoral way. They must be
called to task for their actions: lovingly called to task. We look at
people and wonder how they can help us. We don't want to offend
them because they might take their business elsewhere. We must be
PC in our dealings with them. Common sense is an obsolete theory; it
has been replaced by the much fairer Political Correct movement.
Aren't we lucky!