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I did not live through the dark days of McCarthyism when there was a communist behind every bush, blacklists controlled who worked in Hollywood, liberal college professors had trouble obtaining tenure or getting published and conformity was forced down everyone’s throats in the name of “social norms,” but I guarantee you that I know what it feels like. Social scientists will look back at the years of the Obama Administration as the pinnacle of the dark years dominated by the censorship of the “Politically Correct.”
Today it is “evil” to poke even good-natured fun at anyone unless they are a rich, fat, gun-toting, Southern white Christian male. All of those categories are fair game and there is virtually no repercussion for anything public figures or the press say about folks in any or all of those categories. Say a disparaging word about any other group and the forces of the Politically Correct will rise against you simultaneously condemning your actions. You actually don’t even have to say a disparaging word, if ANY potential recipient of your words has their feelings hurt or is in any way offended by your words then you will be castigated. It doesn’t matter whether their feeling of insult is unreasonable, irrational or insane, you will be condemned for your words or actions.
In the first of this six part series I am going to talk about the censorship of conformists by the Politically Correct. In subsequent parts we will look at the censorship of the Politically Correct in education, in the media, in religion, and relating to patriotism and tolerance.
The Sin Of Conformity
During the dark days of McCarthyism anything different or non-conforming was viewed as suspect. Unique was viewed suspiciously, different was bad, people strove to “keep up with the Jones’” so that they would be viewed as the same as their neighbors. Conformity did have certain benefits. Conformity provided a feeling of belonging, a feeling of being a part of a greater whole. Conformity created a sense of community and created a sense of shared values and shared morals. Conformity also suffocated creativity, isolated those that acted or looked different, condemned diverse views, bred intolerance and launched witch hunts for those that varied from the norm.
Despite the comforts that came with conformity there was a huge push of “counterculture” where defiant non-conformity began to emerge in the late 50′s and exploded in the music, literature, theater and general culture of the ’60s. The pendulum of change continued to swing away from conformity to non-conformity over the next four decades.
I watched a really interesting interaction tonight that helped clarify my thoughts on the censorship of the Politically Correct for non-conformity. Two young girls walked into an ice cream parlor wearing zebra pajamas and sun glasses. I laughed to myself wondering what they were thinking. I then watched as another group of kids walked into the store and immediately smirk at the two girls, and it was not a nice smirk. What was being communicated during those looks, whispers and glances was that this new group of youths thought themselves superior to the two girls wearing the zebra pajamas. The acts of condemnation that I watched were no different from the condemnation that a non-conformist would have received during the dark days of McCarthy.
Ironically, these arrogant and smug kids mocking and smugly condemning others had pink or purple hair, lots of piercings and tattoos and were wearing clothes that I would describe as “grunge.” To me both sets of kids simply looked like they were expressing themselves and trying to find their own voice. However, it was clear that the second group of kids viewed themselves as “normal” and anything that diverged from their definition of normal was to be mocked and condemned.
I find this quiet conflict in a suburban ice cream store to be symbolic of the real life theater playing out across America. Those pioneering non-conformists of the last half-century have actually become the majority. Triumphant in their “uniqueness” they celebrate tolerance, diversity, protection of self-expression and the feeling that everyone should be equally able to celebrate that they are special.
Ironically, because these non-conformists have melded into a majority known as the Politically Correct, the benefits of self-expression have been matched by identical negative attributes. Conformists are viewed with suspicion, stating closely held beliefs about faith, especially Christianity, is viewed as “intolerant.” Free thought is stifled if it varies from the mantra of the Politically Correct – anyone daring to question climate change, the benefits of diversity or any one of a number of different topics is immediately marginalized as crazy or paranoid. News that is reported that varies from the working views of the Politically Correct is called “Faux” to further marginalize that source and everyone that watches or listens to it.
We find ourselves having come full circle – this wonderful freedom that comes from individualism is now crushing conservative values under its boot heel of censorship. Sadly, just like the dark days of McCarthyism, those censoring are absolutely convinced that they, and only they, are correct and that any censorship is absolutely necessary to guarantee that their “correct” views are exclusively followed nationwide.
HotAir
Censorship begins when “someone’s feelings are hurt”.
I like the article, but for historical edification I will point out that after the collapse of the Soviet Union the files of the KGB proved McCarthy was right.
So what could we find out if we could look into the secret files on Obama, Feinstein, and their ilk?
Void, whatever the files did or did not show, blacklisting Hollywood writers, branding suspects as traitors without proof ending careers and generally ignoring civil rights protections is still against the American way of life regardless of whether the persecution is coming from the left or from the right.
You are correct, Mr. Willis. Blacklisting and censorship is done by cowards. However, while blacklisting requires two parties – one making the list and one legitimizing the list – censorship only relies on the power exerted over ideas by the controlling party of the medium being censored. Both are an affront to all that America represents, no matter who is doing either.
The NRA is a prime example of blacklisting. The NRA loses credibility as a political force with every drop of bile that drools from LaPierre’s pie hole. The NRA will no longer have any political clout very, very soon and can get back to the principles it was founded on when it’s members, and the cowardly political puppets, just start ignoring its politics, as is happening daily. It’s the useful idiots the NRA panders to the most.
To Void, all I can say is that once again, the typical right winger is flinging the accusation and “planting the seed” just as Bachmann’s Muslims, King’s Communists, Graham’s Conspiracies and pretty much everyone on Faux Noise and right wing blogs daily. You know, the “How do we know Hagel didn’t get money from making speeches to the North Koreans?” Really? REALLY? B…b…but I added a caveat of “I have no proof but I’m going to continue with a list of outrageous accusations anyway and see if this dude knows how to disprove a negative.” Plant the seeds in the Congressional Record and let’s go giggle like prepubescent boys in the mens room. Is this how the Republican Party wants to be viewed? Fling it and see what sticks? Censorship through intimidation? Blacklisting through insinuation?
People need to get over themselves and stop with the “I am entitled” attitude. Too bad people are afraid to hear,tell, or see the truth.
You must be speaking of your truth as you view it. Your truth is not my truth.
Snoopy, truth is truth and the problem is that too many folks think that they are the sole arbiters of the truth.
Mr. Willis, there are very few absolute truths. Only varied distortions and bastardizations of so-called truths, more often than not conservatives as the entries here bear witness.
Sadly, you believe you are one of the sole arbiters of truth to the detriment of other’ views.
It is interesting to see where one side states that another is ‘conforming’ when they themselves have conformed to a list of perceived thoughts. How many times have we seen the opposite style of conforming, that only minorities are on the public dole, and only Good old boy White Americans are the sole financiers of the American monetary base? While the terminology may be “racism” it is still the ultimate form of conformity within a community to brand those lessor.
WOW Mr. Willis’s point in the flesh:Snoopy Dance. Cannot stand for other’s to have thoughts or ideas that do not conform to his idea of reality.
You apparently don’t recognize the difference between disagreement and “cannot stand”.
Is there something in my posts you disagree with that you’d like to comment on? Or were you just taking an opportunity to personally attack me because I have strongly held convictions…that seemingly differ from your/Mr. Willis’ reality?
P.S. Your comment is an example of (or point in the flesh as you call it) of an attempt to censor me through marginalizing/minimalizing MY thoughts and ideas. It is considered a “punitive” censorship… attempting to “punish” for having differing thoughts/ideas that do not conform to your “reality”.
Appreciate the recommendation. Let me try it out.