“But I will continue to make the argument that yes indeed, there are some symbols and words that are just too offensive, too drenched with a history of repression and violence that the use of them in any context and regardless of intent is just plain wrong.”

What this argument fails to allow for is the fact that as time passes subsequent generations tend to form and follow new trends in language.

The “black face”, in the context used by Chris Muir, is today’s generations’ way of nailing the tag of “hypocrite” right to the target.

I’m sick of political correctness, which dredges up history from the rotting corpses that long ago should have turned to ashes. Who I am today, who we are today as a nation, is NOT defined by our history, but rather whether we have learned the lessons of that history and are actively growing and changing to incorporate the wisdom gleaned by past mistakes.

Putting people on a perpetual guilt trip simply because long ago generations were not sophisticated enough to recognize the destructive trends of their eras is foolish and self-defeating.

My ancestors were Vikings. And I was born and raised in Camden, New Jersey, into a very poor, very large white family. My neighbors were Blacks, Puerto Ricans, Jews, Italians, Irish, on and on. We didn’t have to deal with racial prejudices back then because we were too racially diverse. But we shared the common bond of being dirt poor.

Shall I tell you what kind of extremely destructive and hurtful prejudices exist against poor folk, especially poor white trash? I think not. Just like any other prejudice and hardship in life, it had to be overcome.

Rather than waste time running around like “thought police”, I think you “politically correct” types would help things along much more effectively by comparing past and present, looking for the improvements that have been made, even small ones, and sharing that wisdom for all of us living in today’s very complex world.

And give positive advice and offer growth-encouraging perspectives where appropriate, instead of having knee-jerk reactionary lynchings should someone slip up.

This -is- the 21st Century, after all.

Hillary has actually pandered to African-Americans with word choice and southern drawl by choice on her part.

Even if Muir had not blackfaced her, some would have been offended just by the wording he attributed to her in the strip.

When leaving City Hall a few minutes ago I had to wait at a long red light and two African-American males in the lane next to mine were playing a cd of rap or hip-hop that used every last term you could think of that SHOULD be called offensive to blacks and described acts by women that should be offensive to all women.

In the Imus case, I would love to know if any of the offended ladies had any similar music on their Ipod or CD collection. Sounds like otherwise it was very selective outrage, no so much as what was said but who said it.

What I said about Holiday Inn:…”has not been seen on over the air TV for many years.” I’ve seen it on TCM every year. Please read the damn post.

Where in God’s green earth did you get the idea I wanted to ban anything? ESPECIALLY AFTER I SPECIFICALLY SAID I WAS OPPOSED TO SUCH A THING? Stop reading things into the post that isn’t there.

You wouldn’t know “PC” if it came up and bit you in the ass.

Which is the claim used to justify the black use of the dreaded “N” word,in order,it is said,to reclaim it and disempower it.
Honkie,cracker,redneck,trailer trash are all racial,class slurs consciously used to demean,diminish and debase a specific group,should we ban those words?

All symbols offend someone.
Old Glory flew over slavery,share cropping and Jim Crow,should we ban it?The muslim crescent has flown and is flying over aggresive wars of imperialism and oppression,should we ban it?
We are busily banning Christian symbols,less they offend jews,muslims,athists,gay activists,etc.Is this not offensive to many and not just Christians?
The flag issue is more complicated than you acknowledge,frankly.To many,many southerners it has become a symbol of opposition to,dare I say,the cultural imperialism of the White left elite that has long since declared ALL things southern as nasty if not downright evil and to be abolished.
Just mention Nascar and watch the sneers bloom among the Annointed as they shudder in horror.

P.S. I watched “Holiday Inn” on one of the cable channels a couple of months ago,a small inaccuracy that never the less undermines your other factual claims.

P.P.S. You seem to take the idea of banning it as a positive while insisting you oppose censorship.
Well,a neat way to keep your own hands clean,bemoaning censorship in general while implying approval in this case.

P.P.P.S. The last thing the conservative movement needs,or frankly will tolerate,is self appointed Inquistors attempting to police it with “more PC than thou”ness to show they are,unlike THOSE people,socially acceptble to their betters.