There is nothing more important than Tolerance, Diversity, and Multiculturalism! So we are told. Yet those who tout these traits lie.
This is easy to prove. Go to any person who claims to love the TDM troika and tell them one of the slogans below. If they do not become homicidal or frenzied and are still able to hear you speak, tell them that on the peril of falling into paradox they must tolerate your diverse, differently-cultured view. Their lie will at that moment become obvious—to bystanders. Your interlocutor will remain in his bliss of anger, of course.
Anyway, everybody knows TDM is a tool to enforce uniformity, so there is no point making this news. Nor is it unknown that the term politically correct means opposition to traditional Western culture and morality, and in particular Christianity. But there is tremendous fun to be had in trolling devotees of PC. Thus I announce the…
…First Annual Political Correctness Day!
Our initial task is to find an appropriate date. Fourth of July? Has reasonable rebellious connotations. First of September? All the kiddies are back in their campus safe spaces. Other suggestions? Something not too close so we have time to prepare.
After the date, it’s simple. We troll. Post the slogans below online. Perhaps even wear t-shirts (one of the rare, the very rare, instances where one can be worn outwardly). Hold up signs and post photos with the hashtag #PCDay”. Put posters up in campus halls.
We say/post things like, “If you believe in Tolerance, Diversity, and Multiculturalism, let us debate the proposition that feminism is harmful to women.” Or, “I support Tolerance, Diversity, and Multiculturalism and I think those religions that ban sodomy are right to do so.”
This will release a barrage of “insults”, such as “You are a racist!” or sexist, or x-aphobe (where x is a variable). To which your reply should be, “Fine, I’m a racist. And here is why affirmative action causes more harm than good…”
Discovering that you are immune to the most potent of modern spells will leave your audience bewildered. A PC maven will react like a LARPer, or D&D player, weakly wiggling her fingers at you, mystified that the magic doesn’t work like it has with everybody else.
Why a PC day now? I was inspired by Austin Ruse, “who wrote recently“:
…Political correctness is totalitarian. It takes place in more spots than Twittter, as the progressives want us to believe. It takes place in our daily interactions. Next time you are in your place of employment, say out loud that women with children ought to stay home with them. See what happens to you. Say out loud that children are better raised by their biological mother and father rather than two men and see what happens. Say out loud that abortion should be illegal and see what happens. Of course, you won’t, precisely because you know what would happen. You’d get a reprimand. You might be brought up on charges of creating a hostile work environment. You might get fired.
Or you might lose consulting gigs. But lost opportunities are the small price we pay to have a good laugh.
Beware! When your opponent hears one of these opinions, there may be actual fainting. Have smelling salts ready.
Here, in no particular order, are our slogans. Absolutely none is hateful or mean or insulting or in any way advocates violence. Indeed, the opposite is true. These are amusing debating points; simple ideas which may or may not be true. What’s the harm of discussing them?
- Men and women vary in their mental and physical capabilities such that it is insane not to treat the sexes differently.
- Race is not a social construct, but a real and meaningful biological characteristic.
- Homosexual behavior is disgusting.
- Christianity is preferable to Judaism, Islam and indeed to all other religions.
- Christianity is the one true religion.
- Two men cannot be married to one another.
- Equality is dangerous and dumb.
- Whites are no more inherently racist than any other race.
- A man is not ‘differently abled’, but unable.
- Government cannot define right and wrong.
- Feminism is harmful to women.
- Monarchy is preferable to democracy.
- The death penalty is a just punishment for the most heinous crimes.
- It would be better if women weren’t allowed to vote.
- Affirmative action causes more harm than good
- A man pretending to be a woman is still a man. Yes, he is.
- Society would be better if mothers stayed at home and raised their own children.
- The human mind is not infinitely malleable.
- Constrained immigration, giving preference to Christians, is a wise policy.
- The so-called rape culture on college campuses is a preposterous exaggeration.
- White men have contributed to the intellectual treasure chest of the world more than any other group.
- There are only two sexes.
- Divorce should be illegal.
- Sodomy should be illegal.
- Contraception should be illegal.
- Abortion should be illegal.
Add to these below in the comments. I’ll graduate those that make the cut to the official list (over the next week).
Update: 9 March. Our idea of a PC was thought of by others. See #TheTriggering on Twitter.
My life is as worthy of protection as any celebrity, therefore I should be as able to protect myself with my own gun, or other method of choosing, as they are to hire armed bodyguards so they don’t have to bother.
> 12. Monarchy is preferable to democracy.
I saw your recommendation for “Liberty or Equality: The Challenge of Our Time” on twitter, so I got the ebook from Mises (free!). So far, the case for that is strong.
Some smaller suggestions:
Parroting science doesn’t make you smart or important.
Women don’t make less than men, they make different choices
I’m ok as I am.
How about September 17th, Constitution Day, for PC day? The little darlings would be back in their safe haven by then.
12. No vote for welfare recipients.
13. Vote for Trump
The Constitution is a perfectly fine and up=to=date law of the land.
The Bill of Rights, too, is perfectly fine and up-to-date.
Presidents must faithfully adhere to the Constitution.
Every male citizen is a member of the US militia.
Suggested dates:
April 22 – also Earth Day and V.I. Lenin’s birthday. Although maybe that’s too much competition. Maybe go a day earlier? Or April 7 – Tell a Lie Day!
June 14 – also Flag Day and Donald Trump’s birthday. The irony-impaired would be oblivious to the joke. JMJ, pay attention.
March 9 – Get Over It Day. Intended to help people get over their troubles and tribulations in humurous ways, but the name could be taken mockingly.
Check out https://www.daysoftheyear.com/ for other candidates.
No vote for anyone who receives a monetary benefit from the government.
Social security – No Vote.
Food Stamps – No Vote.
Welfare – No Vote.
Subsidized Housing – No Vote
Medicare – No Vote
Race, biologically, involves only 3 or 4 groups (Note: Hispanic is not a race. Hispanics are caucasians.) Which is why technically we are describing ethnicity, not race, today. So the discussion is over the improper use of the term race?
Other things to discuss: One of my relatives once complained that the gay and lesbian section of the office website was offensive. (This was before such statements could get you fired.)
Could the human mind be infinitely malleable if we added pharmaceuticals to the mix?
Is racism any different than the human tendency to dislike anything/anyone different from themselves? IE Racism is not special, just human.
The death penalty is not punishment, it’s self-defense on the part of society. It prevents a repeat of the crime.
There is a “rape culture” on campus, but it has nothing to do with males sexually violating females.
How can there be “hate” crimes? No one commits a crime, especially assault or murder, out of love. All crimes are hate crimes.
I agree and happen to be on Social Security and Medicare both of which should be means tested until they can be eliminated and replaced by each individual creating his own pension plan via some sort of private buy-in annuity scheme and catastrophic health insurance replacing Medicare. There would remain a safety net for the indigent.
I’ll hold your coats.
Gary:
.Is that the same as “I’m OK, You’re OK”?
Joy:
This is a Briggs event
There should be a hat check as well as a coat check>
That’s a pretty good list, Doc, and I can well imagine that the tolerant multiculturalists will welcome these diverse contributions to our vibrant intellectual culture. Here’s my suggested addition:
“Roman Catholic Christianity should be the established State Religion of the United States of America.”
Once people really think it through they’ll see it’s quite a good idea.
Meanwhile, in Russia, a man faces a prison sentence for ‘offending believers’ feelings’ on social media:
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russian-faces-year-prison-denying-existence-god-n530111
Sheri, certain cultures believe in honour killings that are supposedly committed out of love. But then again, they don’t consider them to be crimes either.
Mr. Briggs,
Your slogans!!! You are stranger and more insane than I though. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia would be a perfect place for you.
You are free to say anything you wish. Don’t be surprised if people judge you based on your speech, just like you do others.
One of my favorite quotes –
“Those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”
Mr. JH keeps his sanity partly by staying off the Internet.
Women should not be allowed in combat. I would make an exception for militant feminists.
27. There is no god but Allah and Mohammed is his prophet.
Wow. What a dopey list.
JMJ
“Wilderness” is a pernicious and hugely destructive myth founded on hatred of humanity, not biology or factual history.
“Global Warming” is a junk science scam ginned up by totalitarians.
How about “Progressives that say things like ‘what a dopey list’ and input nothing to the conversation? We could discuss in the same line the endless availability of cut and paste comebacks being called “discussion”.
Steve E: Maybe could try pointing this out and saying honour killings should be allowed in the US. After all, it’s rude to jail people for doing what they can do in their own country. Ask Europe and their immigrants.
JH: Try standing in the middle of the campus and shouting “Black lives don’t matter”. After you get out of the hospital and you get your burned down house rebuilt, get back to us on how free speech is in America. You might even get lucky and be jailed for “hate speech”.
John B()
The dastardly cartoon one or the fellow in the photo who always impersonates Mr Briggs? The real one’s on holiday.
I expect you Will all be wearing your 42nd St skimmers?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYf5YPNnfRY
JH,
It’s about freedom of expression! I disagree with two and a ?half of those but I’m not wearing the T-shirt! unless they come in pink, That’ll sort it.
Saudi? You wouldn’t be free to do what you do, wearing what you do, choosing to work, let alone in a male dominated profession over in Saudi JH.
Note: If we’re avoiding being “mean” or “insulting”, JH should subsistute “Black lives matter only as much white or any other lives.” However, since blacks will not allow us to say “White lives matter” or “All lives matter”, saying certain lives don’t matter is just being openly honest about what the blacks are actually saying….
With vaccines, risk may exceed benefit in many cases.
You can be a great biologist without believing that worms and man had a common ancestor.
Statutory rape is a heinous crime, and the age of consent for unmarried women ought to be raised to about 25, when the brain is likely to have matured.
Anal intercourse is more dangerous than cigarette smoking.
The earth’s temperature is now close to the 3,000-year average.
Sheri, as usual, your responses are out of no where!
Joy, yes, Briggs is free to say whatever he wants! Briggs is a male, isn’t he?
To whom it may concern, a quotation.
Marshall McLuhan’s dictum: “moral indignation is a standard strategy for endowing the idiot with dignity.”
If we are playing the troll…
Pluto is a planet. Who are you to denigrate my transplanetism?
John B(), I’m quite satisfied with things as they are.
Today that’s an outrageous attitude.
Quick – someone please hit me with the political correct hammer.
I need an issue for my T-shirt.
JH, You know I don’t think like that.
The truth does matter, I don’t care for any statement that deliberately sets out to hurt feelings with Only that purpose. What a way to spend your time.
You are on the same side as the malcontents and the Establishment Right about Donald Trump. There are odious people on both sides of the fraying political spectrum.
Retorts are often funny so it’s always tricky, what offends one will make another laugh but JH some things which are true have become impossible to say without huge ructions.
With respect to free speech, if one says something unpleasant or wrong or even untruthful it is for others to show this to be wrong with normal discourse. If ideas can’t be expressed we are just being lead by committee which will tighten itself into such a ball it will implode in time anyway.
Nobody has a monopoly on hurt feelings. There should be no laws against hate which is an emotion. The law is trying to step into heads where people need to rely on their conscience. It is a cause of much irascibility and resentment.
If there’s one political point that matters more than anything it is this one. It governs everything else. JH, what do you think? How could you not agree with this?
– While I agree with the sentiment of the post, Mr. Briggs, you seem to be exactly the kind of person that you purport to criticize;
– You appear to desire a Roman Catholic version of Saudi Arabia with yourself as one of the overlords. The Quranic scholars spend their time justifying and believing in their religion just as much as you do in your blog. It is remarkable that of all the religions in the world – current and past – you have ended up in the correct religion;
– A number of the items on the list of suggestions use the word “illegal”. There may at best be a case for not using tax payer money, in other words, for not using the coercive power of the State;
– Virtue – however, defined – cannot be enforced through coercion.
berserker: The point of this posting was that tolerance requires all views to be allowed, not just special ones approved by the guardians of “tolerance”. Note that one commenter said we should add that Allah is God. That’s fine—it’s part of the discussion and everyone is allowed to agree or disagree. No microaggressions, no lawsuits for hurt feelings, no colleges not allowing right wing speakers because it scares the poor babies at the colleges, etc. No firing people who don’t believe in global warming. None of the PC restrictions on speech, which are by definition, intolerant. People can say what they want. Others can answer as they want.
How about these:
a) Most people who are on welfare do not like being on welfare, but due to circumstances beyond their control (ex. mental illness) have no choice in the matter.
b) Poor people have worth and value to society, and should not be treated like something that one may have stood in whilst walking on the grass.
c) The vast, overwhelming majority of welfare recipients are actually not ‘lazy’, and should not be stigmatised as such.
d) One of the central messages of the Christ was one of recognition and acceptance of the shortcomings that are an intrinsic aspect of being human.
e) One of the other central teachings of the Christ was that those who value material wealth to the detriment of their souls will end up losing both.
f) Roman Catholicism is an offshoot, and corruption of, the various pagan cults (ex. Sol Invictus, Mithraism, Zoroastrianism) that existed during the early centuries of the Christian era.
g) Secularism is the most fantastic development of modern times, for it has freed so many people who were bound by laws that had been based upon archaic precepts handed down from the Bronze Age.
h) N.A.T.O. is an instrument of American imperial control, and needs to be dissolved forthwith. Russia is humanity’s salvation.
i) Marcion was absolutely right – about everything.
“Wow. What a dopey list.” – JMJ
‘Dopey’ to the extent that it precisely reflects the mentality of theists who would wish for us to return to the good old days of the 12th century. At least Briggs and his followers here are honest and open about their true feelings towards those who do not fit into their nice, little, stunted view of humanity.
I suggest Victoria Day which is May 23 this year. On this day we should all recite “The Gods of the Copybook Headings” by Rudyard Kipling at the beginning of the festivities and “God Save the Queen” at the end. The festivities themselves can vary from year to year depending on the then current PC obsession. A vigorous debate of the same would be in order. Also as is often said of Christmas the spirit should extend throughout the year.
http://www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/poems_copybook.htm
http://www.lyricsfreak.com/u/uks+national+anthem/god+save+the+queen_20983467.html
Beware of rebellious Scots. 😉
‘“Roman Catholic Christianity should be the established State Religion of the United States of America.”
Once people really think it through they’ll see it’s quite a good idea.’ – Dean Ericson
Even though most Americans are actually Protestants? Even though Roman Catholicism is a false, pagan corruption of true Christianity (i.e. the Christianity preached by Marcion)? Even though the Roman Church gave us things like the Inquisition, Crusades and paedophilic priests? Even though they practice idolatry, which the entire Bible condemns, and so they don’t actually practice what it preaches? Even though they break just about every other rule too (ex. Matthew 23:9 – “And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.”)?
Seriously?!
Peter,
Clearly you haven’t really thought it through.
Best,
Dean
Dean –
Really? Why? Which of my comments are actually wrong?
The Palestinians, not Israel, are the Apartheid state.
I believe in science. Therefore I disbelieve in Anthropogenic global warming.
Peter A: In answer to your “seriously” question, maybe reread the post and try to understand the reason for the choosing of the proposed PC day statements. Your comments ARE PC, so using such suggestions would miss the point of the exercise. If a statement does not enrage you (or JMJ, JH and other progressives) it’s not really what is being looked for.
From the post: Or, “I support Tolerance, Diversity, and Multiculturalism and I think those religions that ban sodomy are right to do so.”
This will release a barrage of “insults”, such as “You are a racist!” or sexist, or x-aphobe (where x is a variable). To which your reply should be, “Fine, I’m a racist. And here is why affirmative action causes more harm than good…”
Note the idea is to use what is considered nonPC to point out the hypocrisy of the entire PC movement and to upset a few PC people while one is at it.
Larry Geiger and Michael Dowd re Social Security and Medicare:
When I started working 50 years ago I could not opt our of Social Security. I worked and built up benefits and planned my retirement based on what I expected to receive. I aready have to pay taxes on my SS “benefits,” now you want to prevent me from voting and do needs testing? That’s absurd. Similar argument for Medicare.
Thus it worked Sheri and the usual suspects swallowed the bait hook, line, and sinker. McLuhan was smarter than I thought.
Scotian: I have no idea what you are talking about. I have not expressed moral indignation. I pointed out what the post was looking for, made suggestions along those lines, and nothing more. I didn’t even stick to things I believe, but rather ideas that would fit with upsetting the “tolerant”. Please explain why my comments involve “moral indignation”. It’s not clear at all what you are referring to.
Scotian: I love the Kipling but you fooled me with the God Save the Queen. I was expecting this: http://www.plyrics.com/lyrics/sexpistols/godsavethequeen.html
Joy,
You think like what? I said nothing about how you think.
As a male, the majority of Briggs’ slogans would do well in the male-dominated KSA, except the ones pertaining to Christianity. Let me put it in a slightly different way, if he were born in KSA, he and his slogans would probably received astounding approvals, Islam would be the only true religion to him though. (I don’t know what “true religion” means, but it seems an oxymoron term to me. ).
Isn’t Briggs exercising his freedom of speech by writing this post? Again, with facts or not, with logic or not, truthfully or not, Briggs is free to say and write and judge whatever he wishes, so are other people.
However, in the same way you judge others, you will be judged. Part of the package when playing in the Internet/media bickering game. Consequences, good or bad, may ensue, in fact, for many things we choose to do and say.
I’d think the reason that people, who repeatedly espouse the same thing, probably believe truth is on their side. Plenty of people in the Internet are like that. KKK also comes to mind. All exercising their freedom of speech to speak the truth.
Sheri,
“Don’t go simple on me George”: a quote from The Time Machine. It is odd what will stick in my mind. I was referring to your previous comment to Peter and was supporting your position. You don’t really consider yourself a usual suspect do you?
Steve, really? I need a shower now.
Sheri,
I’d love to know when and where this exact incident has happened.
And,
Enrage me? Progressive (Is this supposed to be as bad as racist?)? So, are you on some kind of medication that can cause side effects such as confusion and hallucination?
Scotian: I hope I’m not a usual suspect, but I’m not really sure. I think it’s much to late in the evening to be trying to comment. Thanks for clarifying.
JH: No medication. I find that attempting to communicate with certain people does cause headaches, probably from hitting my head on the keyboard. Progressive is worst than racist, yes.
You appear to desire a Roman Catholic version of Saudi Arabia with yourself as one of the overlords.
Not exactly. Guessing, I say he probably has in mind an ideal Holy Roman Empire: a limited monarchy (elected?) with aristocratic and democratic elements at the lower levels. The state would be offically Catholic in belief and approach, but not a puppet of the Bishops (the Bishops are infallible when it comes to doctrine, but not when it comes to practical application of doctrine). Other religions could be tolerated in as much as the religion conforms to natural theology and natural law.
The Quranic scholars spend their time justifying and believing in their religion just as much as you do in your blog. It is remarkable that of all the religions in the world – current and past – you have ended up in the correct religion
This ignores that Mr. Briggs has actually reasons and arguments for the Truth of Catholicism.
Furthermore, you have an implicit assumption that the plurality of religious views demostrates that all such views are wrong, which might be a logical error.
Virtue – however, defined – cannot be enforced through coercion.
In many ways, it actually can, at least imperfectly. Robbery rates are lower when robbery is illegal.
St. Thomas argues that the law is meant to promote virtue. Ultimately Grace is necessary for virtue, but the law promoting virtue helps facilitate Grace.
Christi pax.
“Your comments ARE PC, so using such suggestions would miss the point of the exercise.” – Sheri
Actually, the examples I gave that I listed from a) to i) one will not find expressed within the mainstream, Murdoch-controlled media machine, so technically they are also ‘politically incorrect’. When was the last time you heard anyone on T.V. state that perhaps we shouldn’t just castigate the poor and homeless, that maybe their dire situation was not always their fault, that perhaps we should try to see things from their perspective? I cannot recall the last time that happened. I don’t think it ever has.
Slogans:
Socialism is inherently genocidal.
The Union and the Confederacy were both wrong. About everything.
What Would Jesus Do? Call people liars, murderers, and children of the devil. But only because it’s true.
JH,
Wait a minute! My attendance is in a non executive capacity, If the others misbehave I want nothing to do with it.
This is why it’s so important to have a sensible argument and not play into the hands of the media left wing. JH you should be pleased. It is possible to debate a topic without resorting to unnecessary insults or should I say it used to be? Everybody’s grumpy.
JH,
You’re an Islamaphobe.
How about:
– I am Islamaphobic, and you should be too.
Note: The point to this exercise is apparently not understood. Saying “you appear to desire a Roman Catholic version of Saudi Arabia” has little to do with the question at hand though it might work if used to point out that the speaker is not tolerant of religion. The question/exercise says the TDM’s are preaching that we MUST tolerate all views. Yet, when confronted with an opposing view, they turn red, scream and go off the deep need, need counseling (as in colleges visited by Ben Shapiro and Milo Yiannopoulos needing counseling due to the mere presence of these people), and exhibit all the behaviours they claim to be against. Opposing views are what are being requested. I don’t think one actually has to believe the views, the views just have to point out the extreme hypocrisy of the PC crowd.
Peter A: Virtually all US left-wing papers and media will proclaim loudly that people do not want to be on welfare and it’s not their fault they are on welfare. This includes the MSM media in the USA. Now, even the perpetrator of the crime is the victim in the US. The same holds for b and c. D and e are religious based and the mainstream media rarely touches on that unless discussing refusal to agree that gay is okay. G is more by action than words—as in trying to tell people that religion is wrong and bad when tolerance is what is preached. H is obviously a view held outside the US so I doubt I’d see that in the news. Russia unfortunately does seem more rational than the US right now. For how long and how much is hard to say. i—I have never heard PC people or the media discuss or comment on Marcion. Again, that is a very specific religious idea and not one most people would have interest in unless discussing theology. However, your saying this to a PC person might work because you are claiming there is a right belief and that is definately not PC. So i would qualify, as far as I can tell. (Briggs is writing on American PC concepts which may not hold in other countries, I believe.)
JH: Try http://abc7.com/news/ben-shapiro-escorted-from-csula-due-to-angry-protesters/1219358/ Seems college students will not allow certain veiwpoints (right wing, to be specific) and will riot to try and stop the speech. This is the ultimate in tolerant people being intolerant.
No one under the age of 35 should be eligable to vote in a Republic, active millitary excluded.
Briggs, I am afraid of all religious zealots, Muslims or not. Phobia? Nope, I have never had a panic attack (nor attacked others). I have the same attitude towards the religions Islam and Christianity. Say whatever you wish (I got your point), but you know what, your speech is a reflection on you but it doesn’t change the truth or my reality.
Joy, this is why it’s so important to have a sensible argument and not play into the hands of the media right wing!
Sheri, the case is not about religions banning sodomy! Anyway, where is the evidence that the students claim to be tolerant people? Also being tolerant doesn’t mean that one should stay silent when they believe their life security is in danger. Why complaining about being called racist when you are constantly calling others progressive, which is worse than racist to you? Labeling others is not your patent right.
JH: Labeling others is my patent right. Everyone labels, one way or another. Everyone judges, one way or another. I have never met anyone who did not judge or label in one way or another. If my label is incorrect, feel free to enlighten me as to why it’s wrong and I will alter the label if your argument is convincing. For now, your comments are in the progressive direction as far as I can see.
Colleges claim to teach tolerance and embrace it:
http://www.tolerance.org/blog/teaching-movement-whitman-college
http://www.upt.pitt.edu/site/activities/docs/Student_Handbook.pdf listed on page 5 under core values is “Tolerance”.
One could argue, of course, that the students don’t learn or don’t care. No one’s life was in danger except perhaps the students that wanted to hear Ben Shapiro and were blocked by the students who didn’t think anyone should hear Ben Shapiro. There is no evidence that any threat by Shapiro has ever been made. It’s pretty much all behaviour devoid of evidence and reality, embraced by the University. It’s like a small child that fears the monster under the bed.
No one should be forced to participate in your personal delusion(s).
I would suggest May 1st aka International Workers Freedom Day as appropriate.
Sheri, “patented” right, I meant. Life security – I was not clear. I mean things such as the place in the world and respects from others. Is it possible for you and Briggs to say anything positive about minority or see things from their perspective? Probably not. Why? Don’t matter to me.
JH, You have used the word respect in a rather strange way. The word means:
a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements.
Why do you think that minorities require such close scrutiny? I would think that they would want to be judged as individuals and earn respect. I know that this has always been my position. It is also odd that a person who hides behind the anonymous JH feels free to lecture Briggs on ethical behaviour. I have trouble respecting that.
Wm Sears
JH: One EARNS respect. It’s not a right. If a minority does something good, I say so. If they do something bad I say so. I don’t care if the person is a minority or not. Being a minority does not give one a free ride or special privilege. I don’t owe people for what others did in the past. I have no animosity toward minorities per se, only people who behave badly and are trying to make everyone a victim or claim victimhood themselves. I don’t like people who would enslave others by calling them victims or enslave themselves by claiming to be victims. Minorities are no different than any other people. They are people. Majority/minority makes no difference whatsoever.
Scotian,
I am anonymous to you, but Briggs and I know each other. His PhD advisor and mine are buddies like brothers.
Yes, respect is to be earned, but people still want to feel and be respected. People also want to be judge fairly. Think of Trump’s reaction when he felt that he was attacked.
Why are you asking me this question? What scrutiny? Maybe my Chinglish writing is getting the way.
Do I lecture Briggs on ethical behavior? (Oh… so you agree with what I said?!) Yes, I do feel free to express my own attitudes toward many things, which again all are reflection of my own prejudices, good and bad.
I don’t need respect or hate or praise from anyone I don’t know (hence one reason to stay anonymous).
“Virtually all US left-wing papers and media will proclaim loudly that people do not want to be on welfare and it’s not their fault they are on welfare. This includes the MSM media in the USA. Now, even the perpetrator of the crime is the victim in the US.” – Sheri
Well, that’s news to me, because I DO NOT LIVE IN THE U.S.! Why do so many on the internet just ASSUME that every reader is a United Statesian?
You may be right about what you say here, but I wouldn’t know, now would I.
(You’ve got “left-wing” media in the U.S.? Wow, judging by the garbage we get from your country – like CNN – I never would have guessed)
Anyway, enough with picking on Sheri, she is too easy a target. I understand what was intended here, but the central underlying premise is wrong – that is, an opinion or belief needs to be ‘right-wing’ in order for it to be considered to be politically incorrect. I gave a few examples of LEFT-wing views that are largely ignored (at least where I live anyway, which is not in the U.S.), and what we now hear from the ‘Left’ is largely irrelevant junk like global warming, poofter ‘marriages’, moral relativism and multiculturalism, to give just four notorious examples. The Left at one time actually stood for the oppressed working class, but they don’t anymore.
This is a fun idea.. Ok, here are come more contributions:
The University is an institution intended to promote the free exchange of ideas. All students should be prepared to be exposed to a wide variety of ideas, including those they may think are wrong. Any student demanding that a speaker be excluded, a safe space provided, etc. shall therefore be deemed unfit for university life and expelled.
No Representation without Taxation is just as important as the more popular formulation.
Democracy is a bad idea, and the Founding Fathers tried their best to prevent this evil from taking root.
Hitler was a Socialist, own it you guys. Other than the antisemitism his platform would be applauded at a Sanders rally.
Peter A: (Briggs is writing on American PC concepts which may not hold in other countries, I believe.)—Hint: This was in there for your benefit, because I know you don’t live in the US.
Interesting that you would not know the things I mentioned, yet you get CNN. CNN should provide a clue to how PC works in the US. Now I’m confused since you said you wouldn’t know about the US and then you said you get CNN. Mmmmmm……..
I am assuming it’s a secret where you live since you did not identify the country. Makes it easy for you to say anything and no one can object, right?
Glad to be an easy target.
“Socialism is inherently genocidal.” – J. Allen
Replace the word ‘socialism’ with ‘capitalism’ and you have a true statement.
(Yes, I know, that’s not the purpose of this excercise)
How about these then:
a) Australian aboriginies actually have no culture or history, because when the British colonised Australia they liberated it from Stone-Age barbarism.
b) The Ku Klux Klan are simply misunderstood.
c) ‘Mein Kampf’ is a wonderful book, full of useful ideas.
d) Every Muslim on the face of this Earth is a dangerous, radical lunatic, and we need to BOMB, BOMB, BOMB them into non-existence wherever we may find them.
e) The Holocaust never happened, it being the fabrication of Zionist bankers who want our sympathy whenever the state of Israel commits a war crime against the Palestinians.
Your number 6 – “Two men cannot be married to one another” – I would expand to include the observation that two women cannot marry each other either. I mean… what the hell? Ewww. Yuck. Disgusting. We should do to people like that what they do in Saudi Arabia and Iran – execute them! Yes, we need to bring back the death penalty for ALL forms of deviance, like eating ham, worshipping the wrong god, disbelieving in the existence of the True God, and speaking back to one’s parents. That IS what you people want, isn’t it? It must be, because the Old Testament itself commands these, and much more.
You see, can you understand why some people may be upset over some of the batty things the extreme Right comes out with, and that the expression “freedom of speech” does not include the right to be a complete douchebag and offend people just for the sake of offending them? With free expression comes responsibility, which I guess is something that the Right has never understood, preferring to believe that they really do have the “right” to scream “Fire” in a crowded theatre.
“Hitler was a Socialist, own it you guys. Other than the antisemitism his platform would be applauded at a Sanders rally.” – John Morris
I can’t tell if this is just sarcasm. Hmmm… oh, that’s right, because his party was called the National Socialist German Worker’s Party, it MUST have been what the title said it was, even though the vast majority of political parties have over the course of their lives had titles that did not reflect – at all – their true nature. For example, in my own country ‘The Liberal Party’ is actually a conservative party, and ‘The Labour Party’ does not represent the interests of workers at all.
North Korea is known as ‘The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’, so going by your ‘logic’ it really must be democratic.
Hitler wasn’t a socialist. What a profoundly stupid thing to say. Go back to school, study history (European, not U.S. history) and actually learn something this time!
It’s often so hard to tell in print when someone isn’t being serious. I’ll probably be castigated once again for not getting into the spirit of this excercise 🙁
J. Morris, if you weren’t being serious about Hitler being a socialist, just ignore the above message. (It’s a shame we can’t delete messages we post here). On the other hand, if you were serious… oh boy.
“Interesting that you would not know the things I mentioned, yet you get CNN. CNN should provide a clue to how PC works in the US. Now I’m confused since you said you wouldn’t know about the US and then you said you get CNN. Mmmmmm……..” – Sheri
We get U.S. news programmes, but I don’t watch them. For news I watch “Russia Today” (also just known as ‘RT’) on YouTube. I have no choice in this matter, because the Devil himself – R. Murdoch – owns half the media in this country.
JH, there is nothing wrong about being anonymous as long as one accepts the responsibility that goes with it. There are many understandable reasons that one would wish to avoid the repercussions of expressing unpopular opinions but with every advantage there comes a cost. The main one is that you can never gain the respect that is more naturally given to one, such as Briggs, who lays it all on the line. For most topics that involve questions of logic this is not important but when you decide to lecture someone else on behaviour, people will laugh at you and you will not be taken seriously. Even before the internet there was an expression for this – poison pen letter. Thus I believe that it is the responsibility of the anonymous to be more polite than normal. Much too often the opposite is the case.
“Yes, respect is to be earned, but people still want to feel and be respected.”
This is a very odd statement. It seems to be devoid of meaning.
“What scrutiny?”
You brought the topic up. I am wondering why, or are you just posturing?
Dear Mr. Morris:
The University is an institution intended to promote the free exchange of ideas.
I think you definition is a good one overall, but I would clarify that the free exchange of ideas is itself a means to an end: the truth.
Many of my peers would agree to your definition, but would understand the plurality of ideas, in theory at least, as an end in itself (In practice they tend to be blindly dogmatic).
Christi pax.
Peter A,
So darn politically incorrect! More…
Hitler is a Catholic.
Hitler is white.
KKK is a Christian organization.
I am just being honest and truthful. 🙂
Peter,
“Hitler wasn’t a socialist. What a profoundly stupid thing to say. Go back to school, study history (European, not U.S. history) and actually learn something this time!”
I take it you have nothing to offer except your own anonymous opinion which we are all somehow supposed to be impressed with. Thus I offer this scholarly link:
http://ray-dox.blogspot.ca/2006/05/american-roots-of-fascism-american.html
It is long but worth the read if you are indeed interested in the history of the topic. Note how intertwined American and European history are.
Peter A: You’re getting the idea now.
Except your last paragraph, where you drop back into PC. If the extreme Left can prescribe death for believing in global warming, run people out of business because they refuse to call your behaviour moral, etc. how then can the Right be any more scary? However, you do help make the point of the whole exercise, so good going.
Okay, you get CNN but you don’t watch it. Still confused as to why you mentioned it and its content, but hey, it’s late and I’m not up for further exploration of this. I have noticed that many countries seem to have only one or two news outlets, unlike the US where we have several, some on cable, some on internet.
Reading the comments about US versus European ideas about Hitler and remembering the use of the term “war of northern aggression”, it seems clear that history is not a record of what happened, but rather how people viewed what was happening.
Hold your own coats. What a complete dog’s breakfast.
I had some people read your list at the end of the post, and all thought that it was written by an Islamic extremists.
Salam allekoum mr Briggs
“I take it you have nothing to offer except your own anonymous opinion which we are all somehow supposed to be impressed with. Thus I offer this scholarly link:
http://ray-dox.blogspot.ca/2006/05/american-roots-of-fascism-american.html” – Scotian
The article that is linked is hardly impartial. At the side, it says:
“Postings from Brisbane, Australia by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.) — former member of the Australia-Soviet Friendship Society, former anarcho-capitalist and former member of the British Conservative party.
Leftism is fundamentally authoritarian. Whether by revolution or by legislation, Leftists aim to change what people can and must do. When in 2008 Obama said that he wanted to “fundamentally transform” America, he was not talking about America’s geography or topography but rather about American people. He wanted them to stop doing things that they wanted to do and make them do things that they did not want to do. Can you get a better definition of authoritarianism than that?
And note that an American President is elected to administer the law, not make it. That seems to have escaped Mr Obama.
Conservatives adapt to the world they live in. Leftists want to change the world to suit themselves.”
He doesn’t even try to hide his bias. He fully supports the State of Israel. No, I can’t take someone like that seriously, because he is allowing his own personal feelings to colour his beliefs, to distort his view of the past.
He praises the repressive policies of Pinochet:
“R.I.P. Augusto Pinochet. Pinochet deposed a law-defying Marxist President at the express and desperate invitation of the Chilean parliament. He pioneered the free-market reforms which Reagan and Thatcher later unleashed to world-changing effect. That he used far-Leftist methods to suppress far-Leftist violence is reasonable if not ideal. The Leftist view that they should have a monopoly of violence and that others should follow the law is a total absurdity which shows only that their hate overcomes their reason
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a war criminal. Both British and American codebreakers had cracked the Japanese naval code so FDR knew what was coming at Pearl Harbor.”
A rabid, Right-wing conspiracy theorist, who doesn’t even yet realise that the old “FDR knew the attack on Pearl Harbour was coming” myth has been THOROUGHLY debunked by legitimate historians (ex. the author of “At Dawn We Slept”, Gordon Prange – a very long book that requires a great deal of interest and dedication to get through, unlike the “long” – your word – article you link to).
Scotian, can you do better than this? I’m not at all impressed.
More from John Ray (M.A., PhD – in what, exactly? Pseudoscience and pseudohistory?)
“People who mention differences in black vs. white IQ are these days almost universally howled down and subjected to the most extreme abuse. I am a psychometrician, however, so I feel obliged to defend the scientific truth of the matter: The average African adult has about the same IQ as an average white 11-year-old and African Americans (who are partly white in ancestry) average out at a mental age of 14. The American Psychological Association is generally Left-leaning but it is the world’s most prestigious body of academic psychologists. And even they have had to concede that sort of gap (one SD) in black vs. white average IQ. 11-year olds can do a lot of things but they also have their limits and there are times when such limits need to be allowed for.”
There are so many things wrong here with this, that I don’t even know where to begin. In the first sentence he mentions an apparent difference in I.Q. between blacks and whites, without mentioning the crucial fact that I.Q. tests measure almost nothing more than one’s ability to perform I.Q. tests. They are NOT a genuine and reliable guide to measuring intelligence, if only because there are so many different forms of intelligence that one can measure (ex. creative intelligence is not measured via the use of I.Q. tests, and neither is creative thinking or being able to see a common situation from an uncommon angle).
Scotian, where on Earth did you find this charlatan?
Peter A: The guy has a PhD, published articles in peer-reviewed journals, everything required in an expert. Except you don’t agree with him. So the criteria for experts and opinions is the only valid ones are yours? That’s what I thought.
You do realize that you too are responding due to your political biases, just like you say others are. You are in no way exempt from the phenomena. Virtually everything you have presented is easily refuted from many sources. It’s a matter of dueling PhD’s and journal articles. A case can be made from all sides. That’s the problem with science now—people rarely actually find anything definitive. It shifts from study to study, sometimes hour to hour. In politics, there is little if any objective truth and there never was. Some people like living under the care of a nanny state. Some do not. That’s fine. Live under what you like. The only problem that arises is in ruthless dictators, whom only a few, like the North Koreans, seem to find enjoyable. Well, not all of them—the ones that escaped are not so thrilled. Not one ever gets everything they want in any system. Anyway, everyone introduces their own biases—yes, I do too, however, I admit it. For some reason, people think I’m conservative and/or Republican, but I am not. My world view also affects my politics. Again, the nanny state versus freedom and the possibility of failure—I don’t like people treated like children. So, there you have it. That’s my bias—what it is yours and how has it affected your political views. Also, if you can present a convincing argument that humans should be treated like children all their lives and the government should encourage dependency, I can reconsider my view. Understand though, that is basically advocating voluntary enslavement. While adults have the right to make any choice they want, they also are going to have to deal with the consequences. Consequences cannot be avoided. That’s very important to remember.
As for Hitler, as I said, he was a ruthless dictator, pure and simple. There were changes in Germany that allowed this to happen, but even if the changes are occurring here, the results most likely will differ since the US is far larger and more diverse than Germany with a different history.
A few more slogans for the OP:
1. Rap music is Satanic and ought to be banned from the radio.
2. The metric system is not “scientific”… it’s based on finger counting.
3. Fornication is a crime. College dormitories should be sex-segregated and lock the doors at night. Hotels should not allow unmarried men and women to lodge together.
4. Having reviewed the results of the experiment, it is pretty clear that “freedom of religion” wasn’t that good of an idea.
5. Greedo shot first. It is clearly within George Lucas’s authority as the writer to say so.
JoeClark
What is the difference between you and theposition of ISIS?
Christians are equal to ISIS is logically and factually equivalent to Liberals are equal to Hilter.
Sylvain: ISIS believes in the metric system, and would not let George Lucas live.
“Statutory rape is a heinous crime, and the age of consent for unmarried women ought to be raised to about 25, when the brain is likely to have matured.” – Jane Orient
The age of consent should be lowered to 12, for both males and females.
Some people display more maturity at the age of 8 than most 80-year olds do.
“1. Rap music is Satanic and ought to be banned from the radio.
2. The metric system is not “scientific”… it’s based on finger counting.
3. Fornication is a crime. College dormitories should be sex-segregated and lock the doors at night. Hotels should not allow unmarried men and women to lodge together.
4. Having reviewed the results of the experiment, it is pretty clear that “freedom of religion” wasn’t that good of an idea.
5. Greedo shot first. It is clearly within George Lucas’s authority as the writer to say so.” – Joe Clark, who is 77
Oh boy, you people really do believe some weird and crazy s@#$. No, don’t tell me this is nothing more than an exercise in coming up with original ways to annoy the commissars of political correctness; you people actually BELIEVE rubbish like this! Go on, admit it, you do.
This space has become an area where the ultra-Right-conservo-fascists (yes, I just made up that expression now – it sums up most here so well) can get together and share extreme ideas. The metric system is not “scientific”?! Gawd Almighty, some here are clueless! The S.I. (Systeme Internationale) unit of length is the metre, unit of weight the kg, and so on – standard units of scientific measurement that were agreed upon back in 1960 in Paris.
Well, I’ve had enough. Coming here is like being a paleontologist – digging up old fossils, finding trilobites.
By the way, Greedo did not shoot first! It was Han. See the original Star Wars, as it was made originally in 1977.
“Christians are equal to ISIS is logically and factually equivalent to Liberals are equal to Hilter.” – Sheri
“Hilter”?
Sheri, I didn’t claim that Christians were equivalent to ISIS. Read that comment of mine again, and this time without seeing what you want to see there. Read it literally, and without any belief in some hidden message underlying it.
(Yes, I know that I said I would leave, but leaving this place is like leaving the scene of a train wreck – too easy to ‘rubberneck’ and hang on – ooh, there’s a dead body).
Consensus has nothing to do with science and is often wrong
Peter A., I actually don’t believe that Greedo shot first. That one was just a suggestion for Briggs’s list. The other items could be argued.
The metric system is not “scientific” and it doesn’t make you “scientific” to use it. It came out of the French Revolution (like other modern marvels such as atheism, fascism, and genocide). It appeals to people of low intelligence as “scientific” because it doesn’t require any conversion more complex than counting by tens, i.e., finger arithmetic. And also because they believe it’s European and sophisticated to mock Americans as “backward”. Let me ask you this: how many nations that adopted the metric system ever put a man on the moon?
JoeC,
I used Han shot first on Twitter. Thanks.
Has someone shot your eyes out, WMB?
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