Gillard, what the hell!?

[logansrogue]

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/pm-wants-refugee-debate-without-borders-20100704-zvo3.html

When I hear people say, "Oh, let's not have to worry about political correctness" or "This is political correctness gone mad", I want to PUNCH FACES. I find that very distressing, because I'm a pacifist and I do not hit people.

Political Correctness = NOT BEING AN ASSHOLE.

So when you say, Ms. Gillard, "Let's not worry about political correctness," you're saying, "Let's exercise our institutional, long-standing white privilege in this discussion, regardless of the feelings of those that need our help or may already be here after seeking our help, for the benefit of those that are uncomfortable being confronted with that privilege or having that privilege challenged in the first place," or, basically, "HEY, FREE PASS TO BE A RACIST ASSHOLE, ONLY, YOU'RE NOT ACTUALLY RACIST IF YOU'RE SCARED OF BROWN PEOPLE, LOL!"

I am so annoyed by this. I'd be disappointed, but I was more hopeful about Julia Gillard rather than convinced of her Leftness and expecting definite improvements in policy. She's doing what she can to keep Labor in government, I understand that. She's savvy and shit. I just wish people weren't such small-minded turdburgers that that sort of thing was necessary.

Looks like I'm hopelessly voting for Greens again.

Comments

[drbunsen.livejournal.com]

I'm not convinced it is necessary. A principled asylum seeker policy ought to be an easy sell for any party with the balls to sell it.

I'm also not convinced voting Green is "hopeless".

As to that loathsome trope, "political correctness", I've only ~ever~ heard it used by assholes whining when their license to be an asshole is challenged.

[holly-go-noor.livejournal.com]

So ridiculous - and so worldwide. IDK how much press Arizona's KRAXY new laws have gotten in other countries but uhhhhhhhhhhh they're pretty bad. In fact, this has nothing to do with said laws (at least not officially), but it goes to show you how people think:

http://wonkette.com/415809/arizona-school-demands-black-latino-students-faces-on-mural-be-changed-to-white

Nice.

I actually had a girl arguing with me over illegal immigration and why illegals had no right to social security because, "the drug cartels do not deserve any more American money!"

I loled, and defriended her.

[mirrorred-star.livejournal.com]

I don't get why a lot of people are so hung up about refugees, to the point where both parties feel the need to have a policy on them. They're just running away from bad places, after all.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

Now you're going to get MY rantlet *G*

Political correctness is supposed to be about not being an asshole in using privilege-laden offensive terms. Unfortunately, both P.C. and words are human constructs and, as such, people can be assholes about both. For example: When I see someone crying that the phrase "chink in his armor" offends her, I want to beat her over the head with a book of etymology. "Chink" in the context of a weak spot goes back nearly five centuries, long before it was ever used as a derogatory term for a Chinese person. Context is everything. Likewise, "to call a spade a spade" was around long before some racist dumbass thought to use "spade" for black people, and it involved the digging implement anyway, not the card symbol. In contrast, I stopped using the word "gypped" years ago when I thought about how it came about and what it means - I'm reasonably sure the vast majority of people who use it don't think where it comes from or why it's offensive, they only know what it means. Likewise, I haven't used "retard" since I was a kid (unless I'm referring to something being "retardant" such as flameproof, in the sense of an inanimate object that has a quality of repelling damage; and even then I usually use another word).

Words matter to me. I don't know everything, but I will look it up if somebody says "hey, that's offensive" and I don't already know it. If I learn it is offensive and has no other quality of meaning, I stop using it (obviously there are words that are offensive that I still use, simply because there are people who deserve to be offended sometimes, and the word itself doesn't insult another source - I mean, I guess donkeys could be upset by "dumbass" but I don't really care *G*). BUT - if it isn't and it's a legitimate word with a meaning that didn't originate as a slur, I reserve the right to continue to use it within proper context. And not be made to feel like a monster about it.