In this day and age of
PC behavior, we have become so consumed with avoiding offending other people that we have forgotten some of the key principles on which this nation was founded. The
freedom of speech and press stated in the
Bill of Rights (aka Amendments 1-10 of the
US Constitution) can hardly be seen today. Today, everything we say, and everything everyone else says is a product of carefully edited clips and phrases.
While the social amity implied by this sort of self-censorship can hardly be criticized, what can be criticized is the stifling control our own moderation demands. I could be walking down the street humming a song and cast a sideways glance at someone and all of a sudden be targeted as a racist or a sexist who objectifies women simply because of the (mostly) involuntary reaction elicited by the passing of an attractive woman.
Further, now our own personal opinions are so carefully guarded that now noone can, or is willing to express their true opinions for fear of offending someone. Those that do find the chutzpah to do so are most frequently branded as instigators with no purpose but to cause trouble and gather attention, when it is in fact society poo-pooing the idea of individual voice, a voice walking a separate line from what everyone else expects.
In a more relevant case, it seems that the American people hardly know who it is they're voting for President due to the fact that 99% of what the see or hear of a candidate is totally scripted and thought out in such a way as to reflect a position that pleases the most number, or the most valuable voters.
We also see the demise of one of America's most prized art forms, the novel, with the rising up of Christian Fundamentalist groups who object, essentially, to the reality of books such as Catcher in the Rye, Bridge to Terabithia and The Giver, all classics which also happened to make the list of the century's top 100 banned books. So, we teach our children that reality is, in fact, bad, and that our kids shouldn't have to learn about death, and the truth of life. Anyone willing to argue that any of the above 3 books are devoid of life facts can go ahead and try, but they'll fail.
So, this process continues into the children of the current generation. Unless we can teach the young to open up their minds and make their own decisions, we'll be stuck with PC for a long time yet to come. In conclusion, Damn the Man, peace, love and respect.