Are We Racist If We Are Not Politically Correct? · by Jon Paul

Racism is an on going universal issue that exists everywhere around the world. There is a certain plurality and a sense of ambiguity surrounding racism and is more common than one might think. It can be apparent in our own backyards without even experiencing it first hand. The hidden commonality is a significant problem in our society and neighbouring societies. One aspect of this controversial concern which I found to be an important contributing factor to racism is the denial from so many individuals. In fact, racism is still as prevalent as it was one hundred years ago. I am not saying that is exists on all the same levels in identical forms such as slavery, but within the nooks and cracks of what we consider to be equality, there seems to be an obscure, hidden tension that still exists among many people today.

This certain mentality is what seems to be one of the many problems keeping racism active. Though we are initiating equal rights to all citizens and freedom of choice here in North America, we still have a history embedded in our daily thoughts; a history that has filled our minds with numerous stereotypes and hatred towards particular groups of people and cultures. This prevailing history is something we need to obliterate and figure out what we have to start thinking about in the present. We ought to look at everyone as equal, and as human, who are all set out to live accordingly and similarly. But, of course, having a hatless, non-descriptive frame of mind is something that may only exist in children’s books.Maybe the school curriculum should change the way they teach history. All the oppression that went on in the past does not exactly teach children of equality. Yes, it may teach them a lesson that territorial carnage may have come to an end in North America, but it instills an image of “white” over the rest of minorities building up a superior notion through history that can effect a child’s imagination in a negative way.

Sometimes I may fall witness to forms of racial activity when I forget that it occurs as close to where I am living here in Montreal. Just a few months ago I remember walking down the street and hearing something very childish, as a man was making fun of an East Indian woman because of her accent. Though he was joking around, he is certainly intending on profiling her based on the way she speaks. Something as miniscule as making fun of someone’s tone of voice or speech pattern is still a very strong message that racism exits so close to home and in the minds of many.

One discourse which I discussed within a group of students the other day was the issue of political correctness. Our government is very careful not to tip-toe around or steer clear of controversial issues such as centering out minority groups. Those who are at the ‘top’ do not want to say anything degrading towards any particular culture for fear they will lose support of those certain groups. We are careful what we say and who we say it to. We discussed that the constant changing of terminology referring to minority groups might have gotten out of hand. I mentioned the phrase, “an overdose of political correctness” to sum up the circus that is occurring when trying not to offend any individual belonging to a specific minority group. It has come to the point where no one can keep up with ‘who’ you call ‘what.’ Every two or three years the “labels” are changing and it becomes more of a joke than politically correct. I find that some people are purposely getting the names wrong to be funny or to protest the fact that we are losing touch with what is correct and what is not. These people are not trying to be racist but because they find it ironic that every time they become accustomed to a new name, it changes soon after. Such as the term Indian being changed to Aboriginal, to Native American and presently it is now First Nations.

Who gets to decide when a name is offensive? Who decides when it is time to change a specific label and who gets to determine the new name of different minority groups? Sure, the government may ask a select number of members belonging to a group, but it isn’t as if they issue surveyors to go and ask the majority of Native Americans, “What do you want to be called now?” Who has the power to distribute a name amongst hundreds of thousands of minorities? It’s written that, “Political correctness is a term commonly used by culturally conservative academics, journalists, politicians, writers, and cultural critics.” I am very curious to know who, out of all these professions, gets to decide what is more “politically correct?” Homosexual or Queer? To me, “Queer” sounds more derogatory than “Homosexual,” but the former is not supposed to offend anyone, yet I was unaware and so were my peers.

I find that concentrating heavily on political correctness ties our society into thinking we have separate names for separate groups. By that, I mean these specific terms are centering out those who are different and in turn is encouraging majority groups such as White Canadians to take notice and mark others as the government sees fit. Instead of saying, “Hello, my fellow Canadian,” we look at a minority and think within our minds that because there is a certain label attached to them that they are different. This notion is complicated. As a majority, though I do not intend on grouping other minorities, the government has already placed a large nametag on the person that says, “Hello, my name is Rick and I am Queer.” By continually classifying or tagging groups of people from all backgrounds, or people of disability and so on, we are consistently aware that they are dissimilar. With difference becomes seclusion, and with seclusion becomes a form of hatred. Not everyone, but when some people are around others who are not culturally similar they tend to be uncomfortable and may use a form of hatred as a defense mechanism.

With much emphasis on political correctness, simple situations or discussions can get out of hand if something was said and misinterpreted the wrong way. Fights, lawsuits, and pandemonium on all levels may serge because one party may think they are being discriminated against from failure of another party’s lack of knowledge of political correctness. For example, a tour guide misuses a term when leading a group of women. The women find the word very offensive which then results in a complaint to the company who then fires the tour guide because of bad publicity which may have an effect on the company in the near future. Yes, this may be a tad unlikely, but anything can happen.
Does this over accentuated concern help eliminate diversity and racism or does it further bring to our attention the copious minorities that want to continue to be branded as something other than Canadian citizens?

To be politically correct is to be polite? Or is it to be considered racist if you are not? For if I refer to someone as different, than automatically am I considered racist? Someone should start up a politically correct dot-com website to keep us in the loop whenever a name is changed. I think it will receive a great amount of ‘hits.’

To be politically correct can make people timid when discussing certain racial, ethnic, or cultural issues because they may assume they cannot say anything about it for fear of saying the wrong thing, when in fact they may not be saying anything wrong at all.

Whether or not our society is concentrating too heavily with ‘who’ should be named ‘what’ is up for debate. Obviously these terms are put into affect for a good reason. A reason which may or may not be helping racism, but it is certainly a start. Although, I do have one problem with this issue, and that is the constant altering of characterizing. Please, can the people on ‘top’ agree with one name for a given category and stick with it for more than just three years.