Correctiness

Political correctness is a great punching-bag for pundits. Every year when they open the box of Christmas decorations they find the 'Merry Christmas' vs. 'Happy Holidays' debate tucked in the corner. Someone happily puts it up for discussion again. A real crowd-pleaser.

Pundits whine that we can't even compliment someone without getting sued for sexual harrassment. They bemoan that we all live in fear that the PC police will clap us in irons and haul us off for using a word because we "didn't know it was loaded."

They exaggerate. It's not illegal to be politically incorrect, though it certainly can be career-limiting. They won't arrest you for using the b-word, the c-word, the f-word, or even the n-word. Though you might lose your job, your restaurant, or your sports team.

I'm on the fence. I'm old enough to remember ethnic jokes that were so cruel, I'm surprised UN meetings didn't end in riots or at least food-fights. ("Look! The Ambassador just threw a package of ethnic food at the U.S. representative!") We don't want our kids thinking that hate and intolerance is OK. It isn't, and it's good that we're finally reigning it in.

On the other hand, a conversation is like walking-through-a-minefield for one raised back in the day. As kids we repeated what the adults around us said. Words, attitudes, and speech patterns became deeply ingrained. A few years later someone thinks to tell you to never say that in public.

Being older and wiser, I see the need to be careful what you call people. My only advice is, play it safe. If in doubt, call them a pundit.