Ashley Pierce is a political science freshman and Mustang Daily conservative columnist.
All hell broke loose last Tuesday. Adam Levine, a.k.a. the only famous member of Maroon 5, was caught muttering the words “I hate this country” on television’s “The Voice.”
The madness!
The audience of the show took to Twitter to voice its distaste for his words and Levine was forced to explain himself later through the social platform.
Levine claimed his comments were out of frustration when two of his teammates were voted off of the show by viewers as “The Voice’s” version of Ryan Seacrest said “America’s got two more saves and unfortunately two go home.”
Upset with how America voted, Levine voiced his anger in perhaps the wrong words — but that’s nothing to attack him for. I would take his statement as less of an anti-country statement and simply as one that displays disappointment with society. Or more so, he just really hated that “America” voted off his teammates.
I only defend Levine because society today becomes offended at the drop of a hat. One can hardly speak at all today without offending somebody in the room. Political correctness has gone to ridiculous depths to control what can and can’t be said anymore.
Mustang Daily, in fact, recently published an article about a white trash-themed party at a local bar that was drawing controversy. Personally, I just don’t see anything wrong with it. I see it as an attempt to have something different and original. It’s just for fun, not in an attempt to display hatred for those who might fulfill such a stereotype. What if it was a Honey Boo Boo-themed party? Arguably, that would require the same type of dress attire. Would that be OK since it is more focused on one person and not a stereotype?
I’m not denying that such things can be interpreted as mean-spirited. I wouldn’t be happy about a conservative-nut-jobs themed party; much less would I be pleased to hear about a liberal-hippie-themed party. Society has got to stop jumping, though, at any and every chance to find offense.
Not only has politically correct language made it impossible to speak in public without fear of upsetting someone in the crowd, it also has been used greatly by leftists as a tool against the conservative right.
The Associated Press, whose “AP Stylebook” basically dictates how journalists write and what titles are acceptable, “no longer sanctions” use of the term “illegal immigrant” or “illegal” applying to a person ever.
The journalist, Jose Antonio Vargas, who pushed for the change said the term “illegal” was dehumanizing.
OK, sure. I can see that. Except that is what they are. They’re immigrants who have come here illegally.
So often the immigration debate is twisted to have the public believe Republicans are evil white supremacists who don’t want other ethnicities here. No, for heaven’s sake, bring all the ethnicities. Immigrants rock. New citizens stimulate the economy; they bring new skills and a different worldview than Americans have.
Illegal immigrants, I mean, immigrants who didn’t come here legally, are screwing over the people who wait their turn and come into the country correctly. If that process takes too long, then it needs to be reviewed. But the answer isn’t to come in illegally while everyone else has to wait. That’s unjust.
The AP can say it’s shunning the phrase to end dehumanizing language, but I think it has way more of a political agenda than that. It’s making the statement that Republicans don’t view this group of people as, well, people, and more so they’re creating euphemisms to better the left’s arguments.
Whenever abortion or free birth control is discussed, the terms “reproductive health” and “women’s rights” are used instead. Nobody talks about the aborted child or the fact that birth control has never been a woman’s right. Calmer and nicer words are used to gain a better reception among voters.
Curbing and dictating what words can or cannot be said also just disguises true hatred in the world and changes history. For example, the censorship of the classic novel “Huckleberry Finn” took out a derogatory word and instead replaced it with “slave.”
I personally think use of that word is disrespectful and just shouldn’t be used at all. But deleting it from history can only cause such hateful acts and words to return in the future.
“Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it,” right? So let’s remember it. We need to stop censoring the past and stop “no longer sanctioning” words and phrases. Political correctness is doomed to create a world full of offended and wounded people.
Human beings are imperfect, we will always hurt and offend; there’s no reason to dictate which specific words people should find offense in. People can decide for themselves.