The pros of being the first sitting president to appear on The Tonight Show: you seem more personable. The cons: more opportunity for a slip-up.
I’m extremely torn on the issue of political correctness. On the one hand, offhanded slurs can be demeaning and insulting, sometimes leading to a diminished sense of self-worth. On the other hand, politically incorrect statements are often made in good humor, and often spark disproportionate outrage. That is not to say that no one has ever made a politically incorrect comment with the sole purpose of insulting a certain group. Prejudice, despite all attempts at its elimination, is still alive and thriving. It is not difficult, however, to discern the difference between a joke and an intentional insult.
For example, the difference between:
“Nigger, please.”
And
“Damn dirty Nigger.”
Which brings me to the issue of double standards. Why is it that African Americans can call each other “Nigger”, but its wrong for someone of a different race to do so? I can understand taking offense to the word used in a derogatory manner, but when someone repeats a song lyrics (someone who would otherwise have no problem speaking in obscenities) and censors “Nigger” with “N-word” for fear of being called racist, political correctness is moving toward extremity.
I have witnessed many instances of the aforementioned example. Perhaps that is only because of the area I live in. Living in a predominately Asian area, words such as “chinky” and “fob” fly out of everyone’s mouth with no qualms, and followed by no backlash. I might be wrong, but I can imagine that this is not necessarily the case in other parts of the country.
I will readily admit that I’m a hypocrite when it comes to political correctness. At work, I join in on criticizing the store’s owner for being a “cheap Jew” but I would never even think of uttering such a phrase in front of my Jewish grandmother. I frequently use the word “retarded” to describe something negatively, yet I feel the need to stand up for my LGBT friends and relatives when someone uses the word “gay” in the same manner. (Ironically, my gay friends could care less.)
Obama’s situation is a little different. Not all Special Olympics competitors can stand up for themselves in the same way that Asians, Jews, and gays can. Yes, he apologized, yet, I still can’t decide what my feelings are on the situation. Was his slip-up a thoughtless, demeaning, disgusting thing for such a powerful man to say, or is the public overreacting, too wrapped up in what is and what is not “PC”?
i'm an obama fan (really im a michelle fan) and i was saddened and ticked off by wut he said, he wasn't trying to be demeaning, and i seriously doubt he has any kind of disdain for people with special needs, but he has a super high position, he's influential, hes a role model, he sets a tone... and for him to marginalize a people, to compare their abilities to the LACK of his talents in bowling... was way INAPPROPRIATE, i'm surprised he hasn't gotten more backlash. people are giving him the benefit of the doubt, and that's good, but i kinda wish more people were ticked about it openly in the media, just to teach him a lesson and make sure he never does it again, he's always been a think what comes out of his mouth kind of guy, i think he's slackin up since he won the election... shame on you OB but you're still in my favor...lucky dog...
i dont think political correctness can go too far, if anyone says most those things you said in your blog, i would call em out on it, but that's all you can do, is say "hey who the hell are you?" or "you need to watch what you say around people" and if they heed what you say, best and if they dont, fuck 'em... for everyone who tries to express upstanding PC there are 10 people who are lousy and offensive, so be PC when dealing with people bc perhaps all the other fools they had to deal with that day have been... well fools
if you are singing a song and the n word comes up, and you edit it, good for you, it shows respect, and a higher sensibility you have
and each group has the right to use denigrating terms for their group and no one else... its not a double standard cuz everyone can do it, but only about their own group... i'd never ever say dirty jew, or even jew town, but i know jews that do, ok, even cute when they do it, they live it, so more power to them, i live my shit, i think chink is horrid, but if you are asian, and that's a term of endearment for you, well then do what you do... if it comes out of a non asian persons mouth, you might not know how they mean it, so just avoid it
be cool
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http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/mai
Peace & Blessings
i'm surprised he hasn't gotten more backlash. people are giving him the benefit of the doubt, and that's good, but i kinda wish more people were ticked about it openly in the media, just to teach him a lesson and make sure he never does it again, he's always been a think what comes out of his mouth kind of guy, i think he's slackin up since he won the election... shame on you OB but you're still in my favor...lucky dog...
I'm not surprised he hasn't gotten more backlash, just disgusted. He is a god to most of the media and they have yet to stop kissing his feet and look up at him and see him for the scumbag that he is. Do you really think an ultra liberal Democrat would get backlash for making such an ignorant remark about people with special needs? Now if G.W. Bush said something that stupid, we would never stop hearing about how stupid, arrogant, intolerant, and ignorant he is.
and each group has the right to use denigrating terms for their group and no one else... its not a double standard cuz everyone can do it, but only about their own group... i'd never ever say dirty jew, or even jew town, but i know jews that do, ok, even cute when they do it, they live it, so more power to them, i live my shit, i think chink is horrid, but if you are asian, and that's a term of endearment for you, well then do what you do... if it comes out of a non asian persons mouth, you might not know how they mean it, so just avoid it .
Are you serious. It's okay to say offensive terms for your own "group" but no other "groups"? What "group" do I belong in? What "group" do you belong in? It's hard to believe that you advocate such concepts that divide people based on race or religion. I don't belong to any racial "group" and I reject using race to group people and decide when, where and who can say offensive things. What a sick way of looking at the world. I am a Caucasian I guess but I don't see how that defines who I am in any way other than the color of my skin. When will we have a world were one's race will not determine what "group" you belong in. When I look at the people around me in college and in stores, etc. I don't divide people into groups and I don't censor myself depending on the particular race of an individual I'm talking to. I don't consciously think about people's race when talking to them because there's so many other things to think about that are of value. Racial information regarding and individual is not valuable and shouldn't determine how I talk to or treat that individual. I feel like the oddball here but I honestly think the world would be less stressful, less violent, and more friendly if we didn't needlessly think about race and instead saw everybody as the same yet beautifully different as individuals.
...the reason we never stopped hearing about the stupid things Bush said is that he never stopped saying stupid things.
"Never go with a hippy to a second location."
~Jack Donaghy
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
Once would be a slip. But Obama was just coming off the controversy of wanting to strip disabled war veterans of their VA medical benefits. Two slaps at disabled people in one week start to make it seems like Obama does not hold the disabled in very high regards,
1st. Why do soooo many people want to say the word nigger. I'll make you a deal, if anyone has ever called you a nigger while they beat you, burned down your home while calling you a nigger, bombed your church while calling you a nigger, shot you in the neck while calling you a nigger, tapped your phone while calling you a nigger, or raped your mother/sister/father or you while calling you a nigger then feel free to sing along to Kanye West's Gold Digger censorship free, until then don't say nigger cuz no one should say it and let black people deal with what black people do.
2nd. I am highly disappointed in Obama, but it's clear that as Americans we seem to think our intentions matter, that if we weren't trying to be offensive what we did couldn't possibly be offensive. We need to stop thinking that racism, sexism, and all the other izms and schizms of bigotry are reserved for evil people and realize that we are all playing apart in it in our bad daily habits. We have to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, and that includes Obama.
3rd. The media clearly loves Obama because it helps sell airtime. When it becomes popular for them to hate him, they will. Until then conservatives get to play the underdog, and good for y'all. enjoy it while it last.
Love-Health-Awareness-Wealth
Mjh
I'm not gonna lie. Obama used a poor choice of words, but I think the media is blowing things out of proportion and so is Maria Shriver. Hell, even her husband the Govenator thinks Obama is sorry and thinks we should move one. She says millions of people were hurt. Sorry, not buying it. A special olympian bowler even came up and said that Obama doesn't bowl like him because he bowls better than Obama. It was an honest mistake and people need to stop getting offended so easily. Move on people.
What if a Republican said such an ignorant and offensive phrase? Would you have a different attitude about it then? The media is going easy on him because he's a left wing Democrat. Say John McCain said something like that, what do you thin the response would be then? The media would crucify him for being so politically incorrect. And many people (possibly including you) would demand bigger nails be used to do it. Oh the double standards.
What if you looked at my profile and saw that I'm an anarcho-capitalist, neither a Democrat nor Republican. Wait to look foolish. I wouldn't care if McCain or Obama said it, I'd say the same thing either way.
So once again, thank you for pointing out my nonexistent double standard and showing your own. Good job.
I was waiting to see what your response to that would be!
I'm glad to see you coming around again, BTW!
"Never go with a hippy to a second location."
~Jack Donaghy
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
:D
told ya'll I'd be coming back from time to time. Unless this site gets shut down(which i really hope never happens), I'll always be rearing my head from time to time. Especially since summer is coming.
“You cannot wean away an addict from the drug. It is not possible for me to walk away from Ranjha. If it is our destiny to be together then who, other than God, can change it?”
she's a spaceman, no walker, dreamer...maybe
What you said would be similar to what an ultra-liberal would say. I never assumed anything about you personally. I asked questions instead of drawing conclusions. When I made a conclusive statement about what the media and left wing lunatics would do. I said this group possibly included you. I didn't say definitely or probably. I never pointed out "your nonexistent double standard." The comment about double standards, like the rest of the comment, was not directed toward you. I don't make rash judgments and I don't draw conclusions about one's politics from a comment like yours. I am an independent myself and depending on which comment you choose to evaluate me upon, I could be inaccurately placed anywhere on the political spectrum. Sorry for the misunderstanding but I was pretty clear that I did not know or assume exactly what your point of view is.
It's the same thing an Ultra-Conservative if the roles were reversed. I chose to not evaluate.
...when politicians try to be funny. A comedian could have got away with comparing his bowling scores to the Special Olympics. The President of the United States should have known better. As far as gaffs go, however, I would say that this is a pretty minor one. Obama's "stimulus" package contained something like $13 billion in funding for special education, so I think its hard to make the case that our President is truly insensitive about the needs of mentally and physically challenged children. Obama is currently enduring a well earned slap on the political wrist for his ill-considered comment, but that's really all that it is.
TTFN,
Blackout
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A question of love.
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Check out Progressive PRIDE, a Gay-Straight Alliance for the Progressive U community.
My cousin's best friend was told by me that I don't like her, I know this was wrong of me but I had to tell her how I felt about her because the girl was giving me totally the wrong vibes, and not respecting me at all. Maybe I read her wrong but I knew I was right when the next few words out of her mouth were that "people don't like me because I act a certain way," I told her...."Stop acting that way."
Now this is not language...it's more in depth when I had to explain to my cousin who of course blew this out of proportion. She told me I had no right to tell her friend that. That's wrong, I Know no one asked me for an opinion but I am allowed to give one anyways since this is a free country. I also had to explain to my cousin that her friend is what we call a bitch, and the nice term is diva but what she is, she is.
Now there comes the story about slang. I told my cousin right off the bat that her friend is not exactly the most nicest person but she needs to be because it doesn't hurt to be nice. Of course me calling her a bitch also blew up in my face because she told the rest of the family that I curse and the family got on my case.
Everything is just a word until it used with the intention to hurt.
My intention was to tell her friend to change herself but she took it the wrong way. I can't help it if people take my advice the wrong way. I don't take back words that fall out of my mouth, I keep to what I have said and that' s why I won't apologize...it's also that I feel that in this discussion, I am right and they were wrong to hate on me for giving my opinion.
“You cannot wean away an addict from the drug. It is not possible for me to walk away from Ranjha. If it is our destiny to be together then who, other than God, can change it?”
she's a spaceman, no walker, dreamer...maybe