Political Correctness

The following quote has made me think:

NCMEAG's experience has been that it is often people with privilege and power who use the term "political correctness" to make light of legitimate cultural and personal issues of people who don't have that same level of power,  of people who have most-often been targets of prejudice and discrimination.  The PC term is too-often used to diminish the importance of a legitimate issue or to bully people into silence. 

• Monroe Gilmour, Coordinator
  North Carolina Mascot Education & Action Group (NCMEAG)
  

I have often heard people say they "hate political correctness". What do they mean when they say that? That they hate having to watch what they say, that they feel like it's "pandering to minorities", that they should have the right to say whatever they want, or that they feel it's a superficial non-solution to issues of discrimination?

I am always tempted to say that I agree. "oh yeah, me too, it's so obnoxious". I don't want to be labeled a self-righteous crazy person, after all. I don't want to be dismissed or diminished because what I say seems silly. I don't want to be accused of saying things I don't mean just to be socially accepted.

How does one explain the importance of the language and symbols we use?

"I'm not just being politically correct! This issue is real, it has real meaning and significance and your dismissal of it is a confirmation of bigotry and smug small mindedness".

Well, that sounds awful defensive.

"What more should we be doing to address this issue?"

That's sidestepping the issue of language's importance.

"Why do you feel that this is a silly point of activism?"

Might be a beginning of a conversation, anyway. More dialogue is rarely a bad thing. Very few people want to think of themselves as bigots, after all. We'd much rather be allies, so why not encourage them to act more on the side of the disempowered? Or at least ask them why they're uncomfortable with that?

What's so wrong with being sensitive, anyway?