Is Political Correctness Destroying Us?
After taking a quick look at Gabrielle Cusumano’s TownHall.Com blog page my brain went into writing mode.
What got my attention was the mention of Clint Eastwood and his comments on Political Correctness. So, I searched out the article that was linked through The Drudge Report website to Yahoo India News. Why this only showed up in India is beyond me.
Anyway, Eastwood is quoted:
“People have lost their sense of humour. In former times we constantly made jokes about different races. You can only tell them today with one hand over your mouth or you will be insulted as a racist,” the Daily Express quoted him as saying.
“I find that ridiculous. In those earlier days every friendly clique had a ‘Sam the Jew’ or ‘Jose the Mexican’ – but we didn’t think anything of it or have a racist thought. It was just normal that we made jokes based on our nationality or ethnicity. That was never a problem. I don’t want to be politically correct.
We’re all spending too much time and energy trying to be politically correct about everything,” he added. (ANI)
Eastwood, at 79, has had an accomplished career as actor, director, writer and producer. He is by far one of my favorites and has taken on subjects in his movies that most would not venture into. He has made many movies of his own, and financed on his own, that were not box office hits but to his fans. He has truthfully portrayed the jazz sciene with the movie Bird, a docudrama based on the life of Charlie Parker and the jazz underground of the 50’s and 60’s. He has brought the reality of war to the screen with Flags of our Fathers and Letters from IwoJima. And, his latest flick, Gran Torino depicts life in an urban neighborhood and the power struggle on the streets.
Political correctness and the Hollywood elite obviously found Gran Torino offensive. This movie grossed $139 million in it’s debut weekend and garnered rave reviews from many who wandered into theaters to take in Eastwood’s latest offering. Is it politically correct? No, but it is accurate, as is Eastwood’s other, latest endeavors for the big screen.
Political correctness is destroying our freedoms, our society. Gran Torino received no nominations from within the academy, to no real surprise. But, the reason is not because it wasn’t a good flick, it was politically incorrect. Eastwood’s role as Walt was very good Eastwood, almost like an aging Dirty Harry.
This post isn’t about the film industry, it’s about where our society is headed. We are becoming an overly sensitive bunch of mealy mouthed drones. We have gotten away from calling a spade a spade (not a black comment). Our freedom of speech has been curbed like a dog with a full bladder. We are lambasted for using the term “illegal immigrant” and corrected to the term “undocumented alien” by bleeding heart liberals. They are, what they are, ILLEGAL! We are criticized when we use the term “black” when referring to our neighbors of color and told that they are “African American”. This term holds true if they are actually from, or their parents were from, Africa. If you are a third generation black, you are just another one of us plan ‘ol Americans. We are who we are. I was born and raised in Canada, moved to the US almost twenty years ago, proudly became a US citizen and refer to myself as an American, not a Canadian-American. Maybe it’s just because it just doesn’t roll of the tongue well or maybe it’s just because.
We shouldn’t be afraid to speak our mind and use the venaculre we choose as long it is done with respect. We shouldn’t take offense to terms that dipict truth in language and speech. What ever happened to that tough American exterior, the rugged pioneers who moved from east to west exploring the North American wilderness and growing this country into the greatest country on earth. We are all Americans before we are anything or anybody else. Let’s grow up and act like Americans. Let’s throw political correctness out the window and get back to the basics of looking out for each other instead of taking advantage of each other. Let’s fight for the values on which this country was founded and then, we will be the mighty UNITED States of America.
May God bless this great nation and our men and women in her service.