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by Barry Kelly | December 3, 2014 · 7:30 am

INSIGHTS 175 — POLITICAL CORRECTNESS IS A VIRUS

Most of the phenomenon of political correctness is rooted in liberalism. But it seems to be immune from messages from the ballot box. Common sense is a better antidote to political correctness than conservatism. Maybe there should be a common sense party. They would get my vote.

Political correctness is often wrapped in angry statements or charges of racism and the violation of minority rights. Let’s expose a few of the most common uses of political correctness:

Racial profiling is often mentioned when used by law and order authorities in fighting crime. This use of PC is used almost 100% of the time in discussions of police abusing black citizens, especially in high crime areas. In these areas, most of the crime is committed by blacks on blacks. If a local population has a very high percentage of one race, most of the crime will be performed by that racial group within the predominant racial group they share. It doesn’t matter what ratio of blacks or other races are on the police force. The police force will attack crime where it is and will be not be on the alert for racial groups that do not have a history or record of violent crime. If young black men are committing most of the violent crime who will the police, regardless of procedures or sensitivity training, profile?

This same anti-common sense thinking has worked its magic in a group that is supposed to protect us from all dangers, foreign or domestic. None of the people who try to manage an unmanageable Department of Homeland Security believe that elderly American men or women are likely terrorists. Yet they are treated as if they present the same profile as a Middle Eastern appearing traveler from Muslim countries. Why? Simply because they are afraid to say publicly that Arab Muslims are a much higher threat than any other group. A common sense approach would be to openly conduct security operations with the concept that all Muslims are not terrorists, but most terrorists have been Arab Muslims.

Moving beyond profiling, our local governments and all educational institutions should start applying common sense in the management of their respective responsibilities. Refusing to allow public displays of traditional Christmas scenes, religious or not, is not in keeping with our history, traditions, or freedoms. The common sense approach would be allow all religions to celebrate their traditions without local governments or schools having a say, yea or nay. As long as the government doesn’t discriminate among religions, what is the harm?

Displaying the American flag and maintaining English as the language of our educational system is another area where political correctness raises its loud, ugly head. This is America, the United States. The American flag should be at home wherever it is raised. Repeating the “oath of allegiance” in school and saluting the flag is a good thing. Unlike many other nations with enforced political correctness of a more ominous kind, people who don’t want to respect America’s flag and traditions are free to go elsewhere. English is the national language. Every citizen should know how to use it. Not teaching English in our schools handicaps non-English speaking children.

Lastly, if other religions want to respect their fallen with a different symbol than the cross, they should do so. But don’t object to the use of the cross to mark the resting place of our dead or of our monuments. After all, you are here by choice. The door swings both ways. We welcome those who want to come here and understand those who want to leave.

Let’s all forget about and ignore the rules of political correctness. They don’t belong. Common sense does. Forget the liberal leap to defend the criminal. Show more concern for the victim.

Written by the author of the Jack Brandon thriller/mystery novels and “Insights: Transforming America — Is This What We Fought For?” available now as an ebook, in paperback or hardcover on Amazon.com or BN.com. Another analytical book on the transforming process, “Stepping Stones to Tyranny,” will be published before Christmas. Follow the author on Twitter @factsfictions80. Please forward this message to your Republican representatives.

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Filed under Barry Kelly, Books, Conservative views, Eight Decades of Insights, Intelligence & Politics

Tagged as America, flags, political correctness, racial profiling, religion

by Barry Kelly | November 4, 2011 · 11:08 pm

INSIGHTS FROM EIGHT DECADES #3

Individual freedom and justice are the two pillars upon which our system of government has been built. From those two pillars come the rule of law and individual freedom. I believe what we were in the 1600’s and what we are now is due to the freedom of individuals to seek their own destiny. America is a great nation, the greatest nation in the history of the world. We are not a great because off what our early settlers brought with them but rather because of what they left behind in Europe and Asia.
Our black citizens from Africa never had the same opportunity. Whatever impediments to progress and individual freedom they left behind, they found no advantages here. They did not get off the slave ships into a land of individual freedom and opportunity for them. Instead they found slavery and slavery is as far from individual freedom as you can get. Their freedom did not begin until after the Civil War.
For others, the cultures, rulers and religions their ancestors sailed away from did not recognized the individual as the basis of society. Conformity to the culture and religion and obedience to the monarch was the code to survival. No where was empowerment of the individual encouraged or tolerated. The genius and drive of the individual to build nations and raise masses of people above the poverty level was never unleashed in Europe or Asia when America was being settled. The concept of equality in Europe, Asia and most of the rest of the world is based on everyone ending up with their fair and equal share of the nation’s wealth. To achieve those goals Individual Exceptionalism is discouraged.
In those lands, equality is achieved by pulling down or penalizing individual success for the good of the many, instead of encouraging the general up lifting of society. The Fabian Socialists, until now mostly in Europe, would argue that approach is simply sacrificing the few for equality of the many. This approach has not worked so far, but its adherents seem to have difficulty recognizing the lessons of history and the costly record in human terms of centralized social engineering from the left or right.
And so today, we are embarked on another quest to level the playing field. Instead,equal opportunity for all citizens is what we need to accomplish, recognizing that equal opportunity does not mean everyone gets an equal share of earned wealth. We all have different levels of ability, motivation, discipline and luck. To have true individual freedom, we must let those factors play out with little or no meddling by bureaucratic centralists with the best of intentions.
It is the people who built this great nation. Not as directed by the government, but by the individual efforts and sacrifices of millions and millions of Americans striving to improve themselves and the country they lived in. For sure, America has natural resources, a good climate and a protected strategic location. But those are not the reasons we are and can remain a great Nation. Greatness is from the work of a proud and free people. Enjoy and protect.