The latest in PC insanity - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

mikemover · #1 12-30-2003, 10:36 AM

---reported by Scott Norvell

The deep thinkers at Indymedia have come to the conclusion that the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy paints a "racist stereotypical tapestry" that does a disservice to young viewers everywhere.

Lloyd Hart says people of color are all associated with the Dark Lord Sauron in the movie and the elephant-riding mercenaries too closely resemble the cultures of Africa, Persia and East Asia. The Uruk-hai also too closely resemble Native Americans, which is sure to cause "a great deal of cultural and racial alienation."

The fact that King Theoden, a white guy, calls his troops the "great warriors of the West" clinches it in Hart’s eyes.

"Can you imagine how people of skin color, of Persian, Arab and East Asian ethnic background feel when they come out of these films where all the heroes are white and all the 'evil doers' are of dark skin," Hart writes.

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Double Standard?

A captain in the San Francisco Police Department is accused of creating a hostile work environment by referencing the race of a black colleague at a holiday party, reports the San Francisco Chronicle.

At a party, Capt. Paul Chignell and Inspector John Monroe were described as trading good-natured barbs when the former said, "Johnny, now you're the highest-ranking black guy in the auto detail -- in fact, you're the only black guy. ... We haven't had a black guy in the auto detail since we called you Negroes.''

The remark was prompted by comments from Monroe to the effect that he "made more money than the chief" and "spent all my time f--- over you white boys'' in a previous job.

A complaint was later filed with the department’s civil rights unit about Chignell’s comments and an investigation is now underway.

Monroe’s comments apparently went unnoticed.

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Glenview Grumps

Firefighters in a Chicago suburb were told to take down the Christmas decorations inside their firehouse because some residents complained that they were offensive, reports the Chicago Sun-Times.

Some residents of Glenview said that because the firehouse is a public building, the decorations improperly cross the line between church and state. The decorations were inside but visible from the street.

The firefighters had decorated the outside of the firehouse earlier in the season, but were told to remove those as well.

"We need to serve all our residents and customers, and we had been receiving calls from citizens who were not happy seeing what they perceived to be Christmas or Christian decorations on a particular firehouse," said Janet Spector Bishop, a spokeswoman for the village.

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That Iraqi Chap

London’s Sun says bosses at the BBC have told their reporters not to refer to Saddam Hussein as a "dictator" because to do so would compromise its neutrality.

Staff have been informed that they are instead to refer to him as "the deposed former president." The Beeb sent out the instructions to reporters on its Web site. A spokeswoman said it was merely a reminder "of the need to use neutral language."

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What Part of 'Shall Make No Law ...' Do They Not Understand?

Lawmakers in Arizona want to pass a law forbidding college professors from spreading comments that are deemed "inflammatory" or "offensive" toward minorities via campus computers, reports the Arizona Republic.

Democratic state Rep. Steve Gallardo said he believes intellectual liberty is important, but that hate isn't protected under the U.S. Constitution. He wants professors that don’t toe the multi-culti line to be dismissed.

Gallardo is irked that Glendale Community College math professor Walter Kehowski had the nerve to call some Latino students racist following a Dia de la Raza celebration in October. Following the event, he sent out a campus-wide e-mail saying that ethnic groups should be assimilated into society and that activists are using ethnic pride as an excuse for separatism.

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Great Questions of Our Time

A homeowners association in California removed holiday signs from light posts because they had images and words associated with Hanukkah on them; some association members complained that they were fostering religious messages, reports the Los Angeles Times.

The Dos Vientos Ranch East Homeowners Association thought the blue banners featuring a silver menorah and small dreidels would be a nice addition to the annual holiday display. But less than two weeks after they went up, they were replaced by white banners with images of green, red and blue presents on them. Association board member Kevin Corbett said the board was trying to stay away from religion.

"Many holidays have both a religious and a social context and it's the social context that the board feels is appropriate to publicly acknowledge," Corbett said. "The religious component is something that members of the community should celebrate in their own way."

Now, some Jewish residents are irked. Mark Alyn says the remaining banners symbolize Christmas, with their candy canes and red ribbons. "While this isn't blatant anti-Semitism and discrimination, it's intolerable," said Alyn. "Why can't we celebrate the holidays together and appreciate our differences?"

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It just keeps getting better and better!

Mike

Honus · #2 12-30-2003, 01:33 PM

Mike, What's your point?

G-Benz · #3 12-30-2003, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dculkin
Mike, What's your point?

It's a thought thread...take the info and digest it however manner you may wish.

From the thread title and associated comment after the last reference, I believe Mike finds all of these PC issues absurd, at best.

I too find a lot of it ridiculous!

For Pete's sake, we need to relax those sphincter muscles!

AustinsCE · #4 12-30-2003, 02:59 PM

Very interesting, although disturbing.Christmas is a federal holiday, how can decorations of it violate the constitution?

Lord of the rings, man they'll pick on anything, buncha idiots, nothing else to it. So what if it does depict racism? Cant sue them, its a movie, they can make it whatever they want, and it made them like a billion dollars in return... if its racist then I guess everyone who went and saw it is too.

The double standard thing is what this countrys all about, white people get sued minorities are oppressed and say things out of defense of their culture....

Hate is protected in our constitution, just so long as it doesnt bother anyone else's rights.

Hatterasguy · #5 12-30-2003, 04:20 PM

Racial witch hunters. They are just as bad as the real racists. I hate PC crap it will destroy or country yet.

Honus · #6 12-30-2003, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by G-Benz
It's a thought thread...take the info and digest it however manner you may wish.

From the thread title and associated comment after the last reference, I believe Mike finds all of these PC issues absurd, at best.

I too find a lot of it ridiculous!

For Pete's sake, we need to relax those sphincter muscles!

Oh, I thought he was trying to make a point. Sorry about that.

By the way, did you know that the sphincter is the only muscle in the human body that it able to distinguish gases, liquids, and solids from one another? And thank God for it.

Botnst · #7 12-30-2003, 07:12 PM

I am upset about everything unfair and I demand that somebody do something immediately. I say we should pass a law outlawing unfairness. Also outrage. We should outlaw outrage. Upset is okay, outrage is not. Also, outlaw nitwits.

mikemover · #8 12-30-2003, 08:04 PM

Quote:

originally posted by dculkin
Oh, I thought he was trying to make a point. Sorry about that.

By the way, did you know that the sphincter is the only muscle in the human body that it able to distinguish gases, liquids, and solids from one another? And thank God for it.

Quote:

originally posted by tkamiya
Seriously, folks... must we always point out these things and discuss it until cows come home? Is this really a problem? Don't most of the population think these are redicurous already, and isn't it why these cases made the news in the first place?

I say we outlaw the nitwits who DON'T get upset about this PC and race baiting and "zero tolerance" stuff, because it is a cancer, and it is growing.

If we ignore it, it will continue to consume our supply of common sense, and we're going to end up in deep doodoo and your highly intelligent and sophisticated sphincter won't be able to help you, and we'll be wishing we HAD gotten upset about it much earlier.

Mike

mikemover · #9 12-30-2003, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tkamiya
I think I'm being insulted, but I'm not sure....

I don't understand why you are so alarmed about these extreme political correctness stuff. Obviously, enough people are recognizing these are silly and that's why we are making fun of them here and that's why those made the news so general public can make fun of them. I think, the general public is more intelligent than you/we tend to give them credit for. On the same token, individually, we may excel in some areas, but I don't believe any of us are that superior to the "general public."

In case you didn't get it, Mike, I am agreeing with you that those cases you've mentioned are silly political correctness case. I just don't see the need to get so upset about it every time they surface.

No insult intended, bro...

I'm just saying that this stuff is getting more and more common--you NEVER used to hear about so many absurd, trivial departures from common sense, and it's only the extremely ridiculous cases like these that make the news. There are tons of less newsworthy examples everywhere, every day. As a society, we are becoming more desensitized to this stuff, and by hearing about the insane examples, folks take the milder ones less seriously, and I don't think it is a coincidence. It's all contributing to the growing apathy towards the erosion of our freedom of speech and personal liberties. And I think that is QUITE worth getting "upset" over.

Mike

mikemover · #10 12-31-2003, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by tkamiya
Difference of opinion, Mike.... and that's fine. I'm not as alarmed as you are and the history will tell who's right. I think some of these extreme cases are quite entertaining.

Entertaining, yes. But the trend is disturbing. And the fact that so much of this stuff is being allowed and accepted more and more often. It is a slow, methodical chipping away of our rights, slowly stretching the limits of our tolerance for such BS, so as to not cause public outcry. We'll see....

Mike

Lebenz · #11 12-31-2003, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Botnst
I am upset about everything unfair and I demand that somebody do something immediately. I say we should pass a law outlawing unfairness. Also outrage. We should outlaw outrage. Upset is okay, outrage is not. Also, outlaw nitwits.

And enforce these new laws unfairly, and outrageously, so that less unfair but more outrageous crimes would be punished more outrageously but less unfairly than more unfair but less outrageous crimes. And, shoot, don't outlaw nitwits, make them enforce the laws! Oh, wait! They already do...

Hatterasguy · #12 12-31-2003, 12:06 PM

The word "Offended" should be outlawed.

mikemover · #13 12-31-2003, 05:30 PM

Outlaw nitwits and only nitwits will be outlaws, and...uh....what was I saying?

Mike

Botnst · #14 12-31-2003, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lebenz
And enforce these new laws unfairly, and outrageously, so that less unfair but more outrageous crimes would be punished more outrageously but less unfairly than more unfair but less outrageous crimes.

Tracy, I wish I had written that sentence. It's inspirational. Not a single "and" used yet so artistically convoluted. Awesome. Masterful.

mikemover · #15 12-31-2003, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Botnst
Tracy, I wish I had written that sentence. It's inspirational. Not a single "and" used yet so artistically convoluted. Awesome. Masterful.

Actually, I see the word "and" twice! :p

You sure you didn't smoke something today?

Mike