Monday, June 20, 2005
Politically Correct?
Over the weekend I found myself in the middle of a conversation that I couldn't quite decide how to react to. The topic of the whole Michael Jackson crap o'palooza came up and part of the conversation went a little like this:
Of course, this is paraphrased a lot since I can't remember what was actually said, but that was the gist of it. I think that you can guess the part that startled me and made me cringe a bit. (If you can't guess, it was the use of the word Negro.)
I should say that Person 1 didn't really know who MJ was to begin with, so the confusion as to his race is somewhat understandable. Person 1 is also one of the very most lovable people I know, and the things said in this conversation in no way represent the way they feel about people in this world. In this case it is all a matter of word choice.
I didn't realize (or maybe I just like to forget) that there are people who haven't heard that it isn't really politically correct to say that these days. I think that sometimes people are set in their ways and don't really ever shift over to the whole PC way of the world, but it sure is surprising when you run head long into it. In no way am I an expert on what is or is not PC. I found an interesting commentary about the subject here.
I decided that there was no room for me to really react the way I wanted to, considering who we were talking to. It would have been different if we had been talking to strangers, though I am not sure what I would have said. Maybe just, "What does it matter? Who cares what race he is?" But I have to admit that MJ seems to care just a bit, and is trying awfully hard to become someone a bit different than he started out as (at least physically).
I suppose it is all a matter of perspective. I mean, we are all just people, are we not? ¶ 5:55 PM
Person 1: Can you believe that they let MJ go and he can do whatever he wants now? (Except having sleep overs with little kids.)
Person 2: Yeah, it's a little surprising that he wasn't convicted of anything.
Person 1: I didn't realize he was a Negro! He looks like a white person! Did you see his sister? He looks just like her. He looks like a woman. Why would he wreck himself like that? I didn't know he was a Negro.
Person 2: He used to be a very good looking guy...
Of course, this is paraphrased a lot since I can't remember what was actually said, but that was the gist of it. I think that you can guess the part that startled me and made me cringe a bit. (If you can't guess, it was the use of the word Negro.)
I should say that Person 1 didn't really know who MJ was to begin with, so the confusion as to his race is somewhat understandable. Person 1 is also one of the very most lovable people I know, and the things said in this conversation in no way represent the way they feel about people in this world. In this case it is all a matter of word choice.
I didn't realize (or maybe I just like to forget) that there are people who haven't heard that it isn't really politically correct to say that these days. I think that sometimes people are set in their ways and don't really ever shift over to the whole PC way of the world, but it sure is surprising when you run head long into it. In no way am I an expert on what is or is not PC. I found an interesting commentary about the subject here.
I decided that there was no room for me to really react the way I wanted to, considering who we were talking to. It would have been different if we had been talking to strangers, though I am not sure what I would have said. Maybe just, "What does it matter? Who cares what race he is?" But I have to admit that MJ seems to care just a bit, and is trying awfully hard to become someone a bit different than he started out as (at least physically).
I suppose it is all a matter of perspective. I mean, we are all just people, are we not? ¶ 5:55 PM
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