Political Correctness

Those of us who have long since mastered the terms that accommodate both Christmas and Hanukkah must remember that there are those who celebrate the Winter Solstice. The great debate over political correctness is interesting. It stirs strong emotions on both sides. My concern is not who is right and who is wrong. It's how to keep up. It is not clear in today's lexicon whether one says Afro-American or person of color or Black. Is it Hispanic, Mexican-American or Latino? Or are all the above hopelessly passe? Is Native American still OK? Developmentally Disabled is preferable to mentally retarded, but proper usage requires one to say "people with developmental disabilities". Handicap may refer to golf, polo or horse racing but not to people. People can be retired persons or senior citizens or elderly, but calling someone aged is bad form. There was a bill in the Texas legislature last session that sought to end job discrimination against overweight people (Other-sized People? People with overweight?) There are vast areas of linguistic fuzziness. Fortunately, there are courses which are not just available but mandatory in many government agencies. I'm just not sure whether I need Diversity Training or Cultural Competence or Cultural Literacy. Perhaps Cultural Literacy is the prerequisite for Cultural Competence. One of these courses notes that the Golden Rule is no longer sufficient. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is not adequately other-oriented. The Platinum rule requires that we do unto others as they would have us do.The problem is knowing what that is. It requires new powers of perception. Nevertheless, there is much to be said for what author Robert Hughes calls America's "sugary taste for euphemism". Language wounds as surely as blows. Offensive words, racial slurs and ethnic epithets have no place in civilized conversation. Good manners have always decreed attention to the feelings of others, regardless of race, religion or sexual persuasion. But there is a need for some tolerance for those of us who may not have gotten the latest word. Russell Baker notes in one of his columns that the goal of political correctness is high-minded-ridding the national mind of evil ways of thinking.