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Does "Political Correctness" violate "Free Speech"?

Does "Political Correctness" violate "Free Speech"?

  • Yes

    Votes: 18 40.9%

  • No

    Votes: 24 54.5%

  • I don't know

    Votes: 2 4.5%
  • Total voters
    44
Canell

Canell

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Howdy!

So, we have "freedom of speech" but can we use it? What do you think?

:)
 
In the end, In America, KKK public demonstrations are held in public under police protection last time I checked.

But the issue is not whether you have the right to say what you want, because largely in America it seems you`re allowed to say more than the other countries I`ve lived (South Africa, Britain and Canada) but there`s very little the government can do about how people react to what you say.

So if you go into public and talk about them "niggers" I have absolutely no reason to infringe on your right to say that, but I just won't in any way associate with you.
 
It is possible.
So only if it is allowed to.
 
Did he just use the N word ?

We know under political correctness only blacks and white beard scratching liberals are allowed to use that word.

Anyone else who says that word will is labeled a racist.
 
Last time I checked, Political Correctness was a tool used by the left to shut down discussion of uncomfortable truths, in plain, clear language. The left prefers code rather than honest language. "Reproductive rights" is used for "abortion" - "progressive" is used for "liberal" - "revenue enhancements" is used for "tax".

Freedom of speech is alive and well and subject to the strength of character of the speaker. If you're easily shouted down, you're easily shut out.
 
It kinda sounds like the real problem is words with more than 5 letters.

I dont use intentionally offensive terms as a rule because I am not a jerk, and it is just not appropriate decorum.

Which discussion do you think has been "shut down?" by political correctness.

If I may my favorite right wing rant on this topic is about the Left not calling Moslems names cause he is politically correct. It is supposedly because Obama is one of them and he is trying to futrther their cause in some secret way. THen the very next topic is aobut Obama using drones to kill them, oh, it just aint right.

CanadaJohn said:
Last time I checked, Political Correctness was a tool used by the left to shut down discussion of uncomfortable truths, in plain, clear language. The left prefers code rather than honest language. "Reproductive rights" is used for "abortion" - "progressive" is used for "liberal" - "revenue enhancements" is used for "tax".

Freedom of speech is alive and well and subject to the strength of character of the speaker. If you're easily shouted down, you're easily shut out.
Click to expand...
 
Political Correctness is the verbal version of Affirmative Action; both of which are unConstitutional by nature.
 
no. you're still permitted to be an asshole by law, and the rest of us are still permitted to decide you're an asshole when you say asshole things. a violation of free speech would be for us to throw you in jail for talking like an asshole.
 
No. Political correctness isn't enshrined in law.

People are free to criticize your language, and you're free to ignore them, or not.
 
Helix said:
no. you're still permitted to be an asshole by law, and the rest of us are still permitted to decide you're an asshole when you say asshole things. a violation of free speech would be for us to throw you in jail for talking like an asshole.
Click to expand...

There are worse things in life than being thrown in jail, Helix. The loss of a job, the loss of social standing in a community, etc... can often have much more extensive reprecussions than any jail time. As we say in the medieval group I'm part of.... "Laws can often by broken without any consequence, but a beloved tradition, if ignored, most often brings about swift and long lasting retribution upon one's head." That's my bigger problem with both Political Correctness in speech and Affirmative Action. At least in terms of the legal system, you get a trial. When it comes to the court of public opinion, sentences are generally handed out before the trial even begins.
 
Tigger said:
There are worse things in life than being thrown in jail, Helix. The loss of a job, the loss of social standing in a community, etc... can often have much more extensive reprecussions than any jail time. As we say in the medieval group I'm part of.... "Laws can often by broken without any consequence, but a beloved tradition, if ignored, most often brings about swift and long lasting retribution upon one's head." That's my bigger problem with both Political Correctness in speech and Affirmative Action. At least in terms of the legal system, you get a trial. When it comes to the court of public opinion, sentences are generally handed out before the trial even begins.
Click to expand...

I thought you were an authoritarian. just consider your job an authoritarian regime.
 
Technically, it would take government intervention to ban or punish speech for there to be a freedom of speech infringement, not simply social pressure. Polilitical correctness DOES however violate the spirit of free speech and open dialog. I use to think Americans were sophisticated enough to tolerate any open dialog and then also have the maturity the talk our our differences. I was wrong.

Once we have political correctness on the social level, there's a slippery slope to that being enforced with punity in corporate America as well as government. It's actually normal at this point for people who have 'public' vocations to be expected to lose their jobs if they ever violate the rules of political correctness. This applies to speech made on the job as well as shockingly speech made that had nothing to do with their job. And don't blame this on liberism; conservatives are just as guilty. The only difference is what they consider politically correct. Shirley Sherrod, David Letterman and Rahm Emanuel were all targeted by CONSERVATIVES to lose thir jobs over speech.
 
Political correctness aside:
- blacks need to shut up about slavery and racism
- gays need to get back in the closet
- feminists need to shut up and let the females be "ladies"
- illegals need to get tossed out and suspended 5 years from applying for entry
 
Smeagol said:
Technically, it would take government intervention to ban or punish speech for there to be a freedom of speech infringement, not simply social pressure. Polilitical correctness DOES however violate the spirit of free speech and open dialog. I use to think Americans were sophisticated enough to tolerate any open dialog and then also have the maturity the talk our our differences. I was wrong.

Once we have political correctness on the social level, there's a slippery slope to that being enforced with punity in corporate America as well as government. It's actually normal at this point for people who have 'public' vocations to be expected to lose their jobs if they ever violate the rules of political correctness. This applies to speech made on the job as well as shockingly speech made that had nothing to do with their job. And don't blame this on liberism; conservatives are just as guilty. The only difference is what they consider politically correct. Shirley Sherrod, David Letterman and Rahm Emanuel were all targeted by CONSERVATIVES to lose thir jobs over speech.
Click to expand...

It does not take a government to ban speech, they do it all the time in institutes of higher learning, i.e. universities and colleges. How many times have we read that a small group of malcontents shut down a speaker at a university or college campus because they fear, "hate speech?" It happens all the time, many in fact have speech codes in which you must follow and if you don't off to sensitivity training you go, or are expelled. High schools are doing much the same. Heaven forbid you have a different philosophy than those in charge.

And although you say conservatives are just as guilty, I would say, no you are mistaken. When conservative point to someone who should lose their job over an issue they are just maintaining the same standards at which liberals hold conservatives. With the exception of Shirley Sherrod no one got fired, (Shirley resigned, but should not have had to). But, look at what happens to conservatives. Rush Limbaugh got fired from ESPN. Don Imus got fired from his show, and Ann Coulter got booted from one of her jobs as well because of political correctness.

Political correctness rears its ugly head on a daily basis and in every facet of life, and no government needed to pass any laws. :soap
 
about slavery...maybe, but do you think we have attained a truly post racist society? I really dont. I dont think gays should have to live their live secretely and dishonestly. Ladies should be able to deicide how they are, and we created the illegal immigrant mess, tossing them after allowing them to create a life here and stay for years and years is not exactly a civilized answer to a group that have contributed so much to our society.

Mathematician said:
Political correctness aside:
- blacks need to shut up about slavery and racism
- gays need to get back in the closet
- feminists need to shut up and let the females be "ladies"
- illegals need to get tossed out and suspended 5 years from applying for entry
Click to expand...
 
How bout some examples? I teach in a couple of colleges, I am not aware of any opinion I am not allowed to have. I have never heard of a co worked being sent to sensitivity training. A small group of malcontents? Remember those town hall meetings? In the second paragragh that sounds a lot like the They do it too defense often heard in 3rd grade. Rush Limbaugh hurt their ratings, I beleive that was a buisness decision. Imus was so far out of line I can't even think of a defense for his statement. Ann Coulter is offensive to anyone not of the far far right, again a buisness decision.
MrLiberty said:
It does not take a government to ban speech, they do it all the time in institutes of higher learning, i.e. universities and colleges. How many times have we read that a small group of malcontents shut down a speaker at a university or college campus because they fear, "hate speech?" It happens all the time, many in fact have speech codes in which you must follow and if you don't off to sensitivity training you go, or are expelled. High schools are doing much the same. Heaven forbid you have a different philosophy than those in charge.

And although you say conservatives are just as guilty, I would say, no you are mistaken. When conservative point to someone who should lose their job over an issue they are just maintaining the same standards at which liberals hold conservatives. With the exception of Shirley Sherrod no one got fired, (Shirley resigned, but should not have had to). But, look at what happens to conservatives. Rush Limbaugh got fired from ESPN. Don Imus got fired from his show, and Ann Coulter got booted from one of her jobs as well because of political correctness.

Political correctness rears its ugly head on a daily basis and in every facet of life, and no government needed to pass any laws. :soap
Click to expand...
 
CanadaJohn said:
Last time I checked, Political Correctness was a tool used by the left to shut down discussion of uncomfortable truths, in plain, clear language. The left prefers code rather than honest language. "Reproductive rights" is used for "abortion" - "progressive" is used for "liberal" - "revenue enhancements" is used for "tax".

Freedom of speech is alive and well and subject to the strength of character of the speaker. If you're easily shouted down, you're easily shut out.
Click to expand...

Liberal was at one point the cover up word for progressive. Talk about coming around full circle.
 
Helix said:
I thought you were an authoritarian. just consider your job an authoritarian regime.
Click to expand...

I'm not as upset with the idea of losing the job as I am the social issues that go with being accused of political incorrectness or failing to live up to the ideals of affirmative action. Obviously a private employer has the right to do whatever they want. However, I do not feel that there is a need for a bank manager to insult me and be extremely rude to me, in quite a loud voice when I inform him (quite politely) that I'm moving my accounts out of his bank because there are no male tellers left in any of their branches. I didn't offer the information as to why until he asked the third third (trying to be polite). Then he goes off on me about it. That was entirely unnecessary and quite rude.
 
Don't know about the US, but my impression about Germany is that "political correctness" is a discoursive weapon term used by far-right chauvinists to counter the justified moral outrage triggered by their chauvinistic statements.

If you want to say something racist i.e., you'll usually earn emotional disagreement from the majority, so you better say it's "political correctness" that somehow delegitimizes this disagreement. It's almost as good as godwining the debate.
 
German guy said:
Don't know about the US, but my impression about Germany is that "political correctness" is a discoursive weapon term used by far-right chauvinists to counter the justified moral outrage triggered by their chauvinistic statements.

If you want to say something racist i.e., you'll usually earn emotional disagreement from the majority, so you better say it's "political correctness" that somehow delegitimizes this disagreement. It's almost as good as godwining the debate.
Click to expand...

Do you have a article to prove your statment
 
One is free to pretty much say what they will in this country.... if they are willing to carry the consequences for such.
 
Tigger said:
Political Correctness is the verbal version of Affirmative Action; both of which are unConstitutional by nature.
Click to expand...

I agree, politically correct language should be banned in the name of free speech.
 
Un biased said:
Do you have a article to prove your statment
Click to expand...

No, I don't feel like digging any of it up now.

But rest assured, there is nothing as "trendy" among far-right people than whining about alleged "political correctness". Which basically just means they're upset the mainstream is less right-wing than they are and they can't deal with constant disagreement, so they have to construct a conspiracy.
 
mak2 said:
How bout some examples? I teach in a couple of colleges, I am not aware of any opinion I am not allowed to have. I have never heard of a co worked being sent to sensitivity training. A small group of malcontents? Remember those town hall meetings? In the second paragragh that sounds a lot like the They do it too defense often heard in 3rd grade. Rush Limbaugh hurt their ratings, I beleive that was a buisness decision. Imus was so far out of line I can't even think of a defense for his statement. Ann Coulter is offensive to anyone not of the far far right, again a buisness decision.
Click to expand...

USATODAY.com - On campus: Free speech for you but not for me?

On campuses large and small, public and private, students describe a culture in which freshmen are encouraged, if not required, to attend diversity programs that portray white males as oppressors. It's a culture in which students can be punished if their choice of words offends a classmate, and campus groups must promise they won't discriminate on the basis of religion or sexual orientation — even if theirs is a Christian club that doesn't condone homosexuality.
Click to expand...

Shaming Students into Silence: Fordham University, Ann Coulter, and the Speech Code Mentality |

Our latest newsletter highlights the prevalence of university speech codes and the “you can’t say that” atmosphere they create on campus. These speech codes—which about 65% of public universities have on the books—forbid students from saying anything that university administrators deem offensive, intolerant, or emotionally upsetting. Taken literally and applied across the board, these policies would shut down virtually all discourse on campus (including even presidential debates), turning the “marketplace of ideas” into a ghost town. But they are only enforced selectively to silence particular viewpoints, usually conservative and Christian ones. To university administrators, secular or leftist speech is “provocative” or “challenging” and thus celebrated as essential to the academy. But conservative or Christian ideas are “offensive” or even “hateful,” threaten the university community, and so the students espousing them must either be silenced or sanctioned. So in practice, speech codes allow university officials to decide what ideas can be expressed on campus and to punish anyone who says anything that they do not want students to hear.
Click to expand...

These are just two examples of many. A quick search of Google can yield many many more. Also what you call business decisions I call political correctness. Had the progressives not applied pressure they would not have gotten fired, although Rush resign before the axe fell. And whether or not you find Ann Coulter offensive is not the point. She has been invited to many campuses around the country by conservative college groups, only to have universities rescind the invitation, because a left wing progressive organization protested claiming hate speech.

Political correctness is out of control on college campuses around the country whether you see it or not. And at institutions of higher learning I would expect a diversity of ideas would be welcome, not shouted down by small bands of malcontents, or by weak kneed administrators who are afraid of ideas different from their own.
 
MrLiberty said:
USATODAY.com - On campus: Free speech for you but not for me?



Shaming Students into Silence: Fordham University, Ann Coulter, and the Speech Code Mentality |



These are just two examples of many. A quick search of Google can yield many many more. Also what you call business decisions I call political correctness. Had the progressives not applied pressure they would not have gotten fired, although Rush resign before the axe fell. And whether or not you find Ann Coulter offensive is not the point. She has been invited to many campuses around the country by conservative college groups, only to have universities rescind the invitation, because a left wing progressive organization protested claiming hate speech.

Political correctness is out of control on college campuses around the country whether you see it or not. And at institutions of higher learning I would expect a diversity of ideas would be welcome, not shouted down by small bands of malcontents, or by weak kneed administrators who are afraid of ideas different from their own.
Click to expand...

I think it's normal that you will face massive, even emotional disagreement by a majority, when you voice opinions that are in crass contrast to basic convictions the respective majority holds dear. Naturally, the opinions that trigger such a reaction differ with the respective group of people you're speaking to; naturally, other opinions will enrage the common liberal college student than, say, a veteran meeting, a KKK meeting or a church group.

Why this is "political correctness" and exclusive to the left will remain the secret of Ann Coulter and her friends. As there is such a thing as a right-wing "political correctness" too: Just dare saying to a random group of patriots that America committed war crimes, that war is evil or that America is not the greatest country on the planet, and the reaction you'll face will not be different than the one you describe. The only difference being that you disagree with one group, but agree with the other.
 
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