Official political correctness thread

Hank, Jr. is an American icon.

That's like pissing on Uncle Sam's cousin.

His dad is an American icon. He is a son living off his father's name. :D

However one might feel about Obamacare, I am going to assume that most of Hitler's victims would have preferred that to their eventual fate. Just a hunch.

Frankly, I could vomit each time I hear some fat ape's arse of a goy use the Nazis for their own agenda. The Jewish people have already had the pleasure to meet the real thing, we don't need honoris causa Jews who have a problem with their government to travel on our ticket. I'd gladly kick the shit out of the schmuck for this. Every arse who thinks it's such a great idea to call their adversary Hitler ought to spend a season at Dachau and see how they like the real thing. That would teach some big mouths a bit of a perspective for a change.

Kennon,

Nobody's denying that his remarks were over-the-top and wildly inaccurate. That said, do ESPN really need to be the speech punishers? Do they really need to conflate football and politics? And if the Dixie Chicks had done the intro and made similar comments about GWB would ESPN have reacted as they did with Hank and Obama? Regarding the latter, methinks ESPN would have said "ho-hum." And indeed, IIRC, Craig Kilbourne, one of their previous anchormen, did indeed compare Bush to Hitler.

Ah, here we go. Not Bush-as-Hitler, merely a call for snipers to zero in on the president.

http://www.jewishworldreview.com/jeff/jacoby122900.asp

Perilagu Khan wrote:

Kennon,

Nobody's denying that his remarks were over-the-top and wildly inaccurate. That said, do ESPN really need to be the speech punishers? Do they really need to conflate football and politics? And if the Dixie Chicks had done the intro and made similar comments about GWB would ESPN have reacted as they did with Hank and Obama? Regarding the latter, methinks ESPN would have said "ho-hum." And indeed, IIRC, Craig Kilbourne, one of their previous anchormen, did indeed compare Bush to Hitler.

I get that, it's not better if it's coming from the other side of the fence. This kind of shit has become a pest and is used widely inflationary. When we see Nazis everywhere, when everything has become the next Shoa it kind of loses meaning. I think you lads will be able to get by without spitting on a few million dead souls who can't say anything any more.

Perilagu Khan wrote:

Kennon,

Nobody's denying that his remarks were over-the-top and wildly inaccurate. That said, do ESPN really need to be the speech punishers? Do they really need to conflate football and politics? And if the Dixie Chicks had done the intro and made similar comments about GWB would ESPN have reacted as they did with Hank and Obama? Regarding the latter, methinks ESPN would have said "ho-hum." And indeed, IIRC, Craig Kilbourne, one of their previous anchormen, did indeed compare Bush to Hitler.

As I recall, the Dixie Chicks faced more than a little scrutiny for their remarks.

The write-up on Wiki seems to confirm my recollection of the reaction:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixie_Chicks#2003.E2.80.9305:_Political_controversy

And comparing Obama to Hitler is a whole other kettle of fish imho. It's deeply disrespectful to the victims of Nazism to trivialize his horrors just to make a faulty and quite cheap comparison.

Again, Salome, nobody's debating the merits of the remarks, merely ESPN's response to them. And here's another thing to consider: Hank is not even an ESPN employee, nor did he write the intro song for ESPN (he wrote it for ABC). ESPN's response, therefore, looks less like an indictment of Hank and more like a defense of Obama. ESPN never would have done this for the other fella.

I have no problem with his remarks. Then again so-called "hate speech" doesn't bother me in the slightest. It goes with the terrirtory when you advocate free speech. However there is nothing remotely hateful in his remarks anyway. He's only guilty of hyperbole. As he explained he was drawing a parallel as to why Boehner and Obama shouldn't waste their time meeting. He's saying its as fruitless as a Nazi and a Jew having anything to talk about, which is hyperbole. Boehner and Obama might be able to agree on some things, such as who has honors off the tee, if they were playing golf, how to make their coffee etc. They might even be polite. The head Nazi and the boss of Israel though, would probaby beat each other with their clubs. Williams needs a less extreme parallel.

Actually I can't realistically blame ESPN or the NFL. They have to put business first. They both serve very broad constituencies, which include the pc-crowd and other easily-offended progressive types, so they are simply catering to a segment of their broader customer base.

The problem is with the rest of us. The pc and easily-offendedcrowd has too much voice. As a society the challenge is to reduce their influence, so that business doesn't feel compelled to react to them.

Just keep standing up for free-speech and the Pluto influence can be kept at bay.

Perilagu Khan wrote:

And if the Dixie Chicks had done the intro and made similar comments about GWB would ESPN have reacted as they did with Hank and Obama? Regarding the latter, methinks ESPN would have said "ho-hum." And indeed, IIRC, Craig Kilbourne, one of their previous anchormen, did indeed compare Bush to Hitler.

Your question is of course rhetorical Khanners. Those who support Bush and other conservatives are not as likely to kick up a fuss and be offended. They wouldn't make as much noise. Free speech advocates understand the Dixie Chicks have to be allowed a voice to say whatever crazy things they want to say. Censorship - or worse -attempts to articulate correct-thinking, is poison to a conservative free speech advocate. I love how liberals posture to support freedom of speech etc but reserve the right to make all kinds of exceptions. Liberals charging "hate-speech" hither and yonder, has become laughable. The complaints line-ups at the Canadian Human Rights commissions had become farcical. At least now with a majority conservative government, the wheels are in motion for much needed revision of the Canadian Human Rights Act. Maybe we can get rid of the Orwellian tribunals all-together.

tiffanywint wrote:

I have no problem with his remarks. Then again so-called "hate speech" doesn't bother me in the slightest. It goes with the terrirtory when you advocate free speech. However there is nothing remotely hateful in his remarks anyway. He's only guilty of hyperbole. As he explained he was drawing a parallel as to why Boehner and Obama shouldn't waste their time meeting. He's saying its as fruitless as a Nazi and a Jew having anything to talk about, which is hyperbole. Boehner and Obama might be able to agree on some things, such as who has honors off the tee, if they were playing golf, how to make their coffee etc. They might even be polite. The head Nazi and the boss of Israel though, would probaby beat each other with their clubs. Williams needs a less extreme parallel.

Actually I can't realistically blame ESPN or the NFL. They have to put business first. They both serve very broad constituencies, which include the pc-crowd and other easily-offended progressive types, so they are simply catering to a segment of their broader customer base.

I agree with just about everything you said. I'm not worked up about it one way or the other. ESPN has to protect their business interests, but Hank Williams needs to protect his own interests as well, and sometimes that means keeping your opinions to yourself. Why was he even asked his opinions about politics to begin with? We live in a culture that politicizes everything and wants to know how celebrities feel about wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, gay marriage, taxation, immigration, etc....Celebrities used to keep their politics to themselves, but now everyone has to go on what used to be audience-friendly talk shows and spout off their personal opinions.

I don't have any problem with celebrities spouting off about politics or other hot-button issues. It's their choice. That said, I don't think Hank contributed anything very constructive to the public discourse, even if generally a good burp from someone like Williams is more useful to the broader conversation than anything that emanates from the likes of the Dixie Chicks, Michael Moore, Penn, Damon, Clooney et at. But again I will never be bothered that these people speak up, even if I wish they might consider a career change and join the Mute Monk Hallelujah Chorus.

Joke Time at expense of New York Times. Ha Ha Ha!

A biker is riding by the zoo, when he sees a little girl leaning into the lion's cage. Suddenly, the lion grabs her by the cuff of her jacket and tries to pull her inside to slaughter her before the eyes of her screaming parents.

The biker jumps off his bike, runs to the cage, and hits the lion square on the nose with a powerful punch. Whimpering from the pain, the lion jumps back, letting go of the girl, and the biker brings her to her terrified parents, who thank him endlessly.

A New York Times reporter has witnessed the whole scene, and addressing the biker, says, "Sir, this was the most gallant and brave thing I saw a man do in my whole life."

"Why, it was nothing, really, the lion was behind bars. I just saw this little kid in danger, and acted as I felt right."

"Well, I'll make sure this won't go unnoticed. I'm a journalist from the New York Times, you know, and tomorrow's paper will have this on the front page. What motorcycle do you ride and what political affiliation do you have?"

"A Harley Davidson, and I am a Republican."

The journalist leaves.

The following morning the biker buys the New York Times and reads, on the front page:

*REPUBLICAN BIKER GANG MEMBER ASSAULTS AFRICAN IMMIGRANT AND STEALS HIS LUNCH*

Well, they've pretty much expunged Christmas from public settings, and now they're working on Columbus Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Words cannot describe how much I loathe these people.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/15/massachusetts-principal-bans-fall-holidays-says-theyre-insensitive/

Over-sensitive educators are plenty all around us. Most likely, they have some inferiority complex. I've had teachers overreact over so many students wearing international sports jerseys during times like the World Cup and Olympics. It was apparently "disrespectful." I've known teachers who overreacted to anything new and popular, like the "amoral" Harry Potter books or yoyos. Discouraging the celebration of national holidays is just bizarre.

Perilagu Khan wrote:

Well, they've pretty much expunged Christmas from public settings, and now they're working on Columbus Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Words cannot describe how much I loathe these people.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/15/massachusetts-principal-bans-fall-holidays-says-theyre-insensitive/

They must have absolutely no lives.

Perilagu Khan wrote:

Well, they've pretty much expunged Christmas from public settings, and now they're working on Columbus Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Words cannot describe how much I loathe these people.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/15/massachusetts-principal-bans-fall-holidays-says-theyre-insensitive/

Her reasoning for not observing Columbus Day is interesting. I could make a strong, strong argument that the alleged atrocities Columbus committed against the indigenous people were perfectly in line with the theory of evolution that schools are teaching today. I'm not even sure which "atrocities" were committed against which people, but it wouldn't matter. The settlers won...the "white man", 'whose ingenuity is matched only by his cruelty', won the future for a group of people later to be called Americans. There's nothing inconsistent with Columbus' "discovery" of the United States/eventual displacement of the native Indians and evolutionary theory. Columbus' achievements, right down to 2011, are a triumph and a celebration of one species (or, in this case, race/ethnicity/culture) being better able to adapt to their circumstances than the other and the dominant group overwhelmed the subordinate group and eventually chased them to the Western parts of the continent, where they've lived ever since.

Evolution has helped explain to me how the founding of the United States was accomplished and has made me okay with the past. Conversely, the Occupy Wall Street protesters are an example of devolution, and the losing of a once great and prosperous country such as the U.S.

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Perilagu Khan wrote:

Well, they've pretty much expunged Christmas from public settings, and now they're working on Columbus Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Words cannot describe how much I loathe these people.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/15/massachusetts-principal-bans-fall-holidays-says-theyre-insensitive/

Her reasoning for not observing Columbus Day is interesting. I could make a strong, strong argument that the alleged atrocities Columbus committed against the indigenous people were perfectly in line with the theory of evolution that schools are teaching today.

Then that would be using the long discredited field of Social Darwinism.

Perilagu Khan wrote:

Well, they've pretty much expunged Christmas from public settings, and now they're working on Columbus Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Words cannot describe how much I loathe these people.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/15/massachusetts-principal-bans-fall-holidays-says-theyre-insensitive/

Unreal.

Around Christmas time, I like to tell everyone "Merry Christmas", just to see if anyone gets pissed or offended.

I'll keep doing it until it's a federal crime.

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Perilagu Khan wrote:

Well, they've pretty much expunged Christmas from public settings, and now they're working on Columbus Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Words cannot describe how much I loathe these people.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/15/massachusetts-principal-bans-fall-holidays-says-theyre-insensitive/

Her reasoning for not observing Columbus Day is interesting. I could make a strong, strong argument that the alleged atrocities Columbus committed against the indigenous people were perfectly in line with the theory of evolution that schools are teaching today. I'm not even sure which "atrocities" were committed against which people, but it wouldn't matter. The settlers won...the "white man", 'whose ingenuity is matched only by his cruelty', won the future for a group of people later to be called Americans. There's nothing inconsistent with Columbus' "discovery" of the United States/eventual displacement of the native Indians and evolutionary theory. Columbus' achievements, right down to 2011, are a triumph and a celebration of one species (or, in this case, race/ethnicity/culture) being better able to adapt to their circumstances than the other and the dominant group overwhelmed the subordinate group and eventually chased them to the Western parts of the continent, where they've lived ever since.

Evolution has helped explain to me how the founding of the United States was accomplished and has made me okay with the past. Conversely, the Occupy Wall Street protesters are an example of devolution, and the losing of a once great and prosperous country such as the U.S.

I find the reasoning behind your post a bit odd. How is any of this a triumph for Columbus personally, unless you believe he set out to discover a continent and rid it of much of its indigenous population?

Perilagu Khan wrote:

Well, they've pretty much expunged Christmas from public settings, and now they're working on Columbus Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Words cannot describe how much I loathe these people.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/15/massachusetts-principal-bans-fall-holidays-says-theyre-insensitive/

Well I agree with you that it is stupid, but no more stupid than the retards that tried to prevent the Islamic center near Ground Zero.

Sharky wrote:

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Perilagu Khan wrote:

Well, they've pretty much expunged Christmas from public settings, and now they're working on Columbus Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Words cannot describe how much I loathe these people.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/15/massachusetts-principal-bans-fall-holidays-says-theyre-insensitive/

Her reasoning for not observing Columbus Day is interesting. I could make a strong, strong argument that the alleged atrocities Columbus committed against the indigenous people were perfectly in line with the theory of evolution that schools are teaching today.

Then that would be using the long discredited field of Social Darwinism.

And why was it discredited?

Perilagu Khan wrote:

Again, Salome, nobody's debating the merits of the remarks, merely ESPN's response to them. And here's another thing to consider: Hank is not even an ESPN employee, nor did he write the intro song for ESPN (he wrote it for ABC). ESPN's response, therefore, looks less like an indictment of Hank and more like a defense of Obama. ESPN never would have done this for the other fella.

Well then he's just another in a long line of singers/actors/celebrities who prove that they should stick to their craft and leave the public political statements to the professionals.

Salomé wrote:

he's just another in a long line of singers/actors/celebrities who prove that they should stick to their craft and leave the public political statements to the professionals.

So much for democracy.

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Sharky wrote:

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Perilagu Khan wrote:

Well, they've pretty much expunged Christmas from public settings, and now they're working on Columbus Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Words cannot describe how much I loathe these people.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/15/massachusetts-principal-bans-fall-holidays-says-theyre-insensitive/

Her reasoning for not observing Columbus Day is interesting. I could make a strong, strong argument that the alleged atrocities Columbus committed against the indigenous people were perfectly in line with the theory of evolution that schools are teaching today.

Then that would be using the long discredited field of Social Darwinism.

And why was it discredited?

Just some bloke called Adolf.

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Sharky wrote:

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Perilagu Khan wrote:

Well, they've pretty much expunged Christmas from public settings, and now they're working on Columbus Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Words cannot describe how much I loathe these people.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/15/massachusetts-principal-bans-fall-holidays-says-theyre-insensitive/

Her reasoning for not observing Columbus Day is interesting. I could make a strong, strong argument that the alleged atrocities Columbus committed against the indigenous people were perfectly in line with the theory of evolution that schools are teaching today.

Then that would be using the long discredited field of Social Darwinism.

And why was it discredited?

It depends on what form we are discussing. The more extreme examples (like the treatment of handicapped people under Nazism) have been, at least I should hope you agree.

Of course, you could argue that capitalism in its pure, undiluted form is also a form of Social Darwinism. And there are as many opinions as there are people as to the merits of that philosophy.