Politically Correct Week

Another week, another blog about Politically Correct language. Because that’s what happens when you create a 3-part series dealing with the same topic. To be fair, we grew up in the 50’s and 60’s and some of our language was unintentionally horrible. Guys were accused of “throwing like a girl.” I also remember going to a Mets game in the Polo Grounds, which was a rectangle, not exactly an ideal shape for baseball. The foul poles were very short. You only had to hit a ball 258 feet to hit a homerun to right field. This was considered a “cheap” home run. In our infinite racial stupidity, we called them “Chinese” homers. Because back then, we considered things made in China to be cheap. It’s really disgusting, but the interesting part is that my friends and I had absolutely no idea we were being offensive. We heard an older kid say it, thought it was cool, and then we said it. Why is the bad kid always called the “black” sheep of the family? Did you know when you say somebody “gypped” you, that you are being offensive to gypsies? When you call a certain person’s remarks “tone deaf,” you are being offensive to deaf people or the hearing impaired? A “basket case” came from World War I referring to a soldier who had lost all four limbs and had to be carried in a basket. The “rule of thumb” apparently comes from a 1600’s English Law that allowed men to assault their wives with a stick, so long as it was no wider than a thumb. Yikes. We can’t all possibly know all these phrases and where they come from, but some of them, well…

True story. I once went to an Acura dealer in Westchester County where I live and started to negotiate on the final price on an Acura sedan. The salesman apparently wasn’t in a negotiating mood when he said, “Don’t try to Jew me down.” Seriously. I got more than a little pissed when I told him, “You know I’m Jewish.” He turned the color of a sheet and claimed, “I said CHEW me down.” I said goodbye and headed straight for Subaru. Having said all of this, I think there is a major difference between being unintentionally offensive (okay until it’s pointed out) and being intentionally offensive (never okay). We’re just picking out a few examples to keep you on your toes. As has been frequently suggested to me, “maybe you’d be better if you just kept your mouth shut.” That’s it for this week. We’ve got one more example next week and then we’re going on a 4-part journey to watch Al attempt a new skill with very mixed results. Have a great weekend,

Andy and John