Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Dear Sir/Madam Political Correctness, I've Got A Small Bone to Pick
Guest Post by TotsyMae

Original Art by TotsyMae
Let's address this thing right here and now. I don't know if men folk are born to be tossing pom poms in the air or not. Neither do I know if women folk are born to be running a 50-yard dash, wearing a helmet and trying to score a touchdown. I think I know plenty but that one, I can't give a succinct answer to save my little life. I'm no scientist, biblical theologian or God, so like some of you folk out there, I've stopped scratching my head on the matter 'cause folk are coming out the closet like roaches with the Orkin man behind them, ain't they? I ain't trying to be funny or nothing but we need to put the truth out there the way it is and stop pussy-footing around the bush about it.

And maybe what I just said about the pom poms and touchdowns was insensitive or politically incorrect. I don't know. There are so very many correct ways of being politically incorrect, I suppose I'd best watch out before I get slapped with the homophobic badge.

Actually, I've become quite confused by what's politically correct or incorrect. I'm telling you, I'm  watching my back now as I write this here article 'cause I may get billy clubbed by the Political Correctness Cop, which, by the way, is one for every ethnic group and movement America has ever birthed. There's the Disability Cop, African American Cop, Gay/Lesbian Cop, Feminist Cop, Immigrant Cop, and should I even say this? The Overweight Cop? You get my drift, right?

Though, am I wrong for saying Overweight Cop or is there a more appropriate title? I dare not say obese 'cause that sounds bigger than overweight. It would be cruel even though obese is still a word that represents folk who, well, have more than their fair share at the dinner table. And just so you'll feel better about my less sensitive frame of reference, I have tilted the scale a time or two myself.  It's a bitch I know about which, I think, qualifies my use of the term.

In thinking about all of what may be politically correct or incorrect, I can't help being reminded on just how intrusive that is on my 1st Amendment rights. Am I wrong in believing there's something kinda messed up in revamping Mark Twain's classic, Huckleberry Finn? I suppose the folk on the Board of Political Correctness feels like in this "We Are the World" setting, the N word was just a bit much for the digital learners who are, well, not exactly reading Mark Twain, but dammit, his extravagant and over-usage of the word was too hard on the ear. So, there. Rewrite a classic and it'll discourage other folk from thinking it's okay.

And how pliant of some African Americans, in their creative and rich culture of language and euphemisms, to redefine the N word to mean love toward their fellow African American sister, brother, mother, grandfather, child...well, I know you get my drift. However, for those who don't understand the code of who should or should not say it, well, just do and you'll discover how politically incorrect you are.  All that silly talk about using it to take its power away is one of the worst lies black folk ever told themselves 'cause soon as a nonblack folk raise up to say it, there's the power. Dare I spell the (ahem) N word, at the risk of the African American Cop shutting my computer down from the Cyber Office of African American Dos and You Better Hell Nots?

Signed,

Confounded Heterosexual African American Female Who Has an Affinity to Incessant Blabbing Off at Any Given Hour and Trying to Figure Out Where the Hell the Exit Door is Before She Ends Up Walking within Endangered Territories of All the Folk She Just Wrote About in this Here Blog Post 'Cause the Only Weapons She Carries Are the Words Laced on Her Tongue.




Excuse me Officer, but I was just hit by a tornado, or bus, name of TotsyMae.  My fellow SheWriter and blogger has this to say about her amazing self:  
I'm a writer, reader, visual artist, graphic designer, somebody’s momma and other stuff that’s good and not so good. I’m frank but shy, sensitive, and have the dry humor of a cynic but I’m positive, empathetic, judgmental, oppositional just because and working on all of the above. I’m a southern girl who’s adaptable, welcoming, stand-offish and curious.
Please join me in giving some  love to Totsy for saying things most of us have thought from time to time, but were too afraid of the PC police to say out out.  

And please consider joining me and lots of other writers, here, with a blogfest on MLK Day (Jan 16) on the subject of discrimination, racism, sexism, and other ways that people mistreat one another, because they have the power to do so.  Follow the link FMI and for ideas on where to start, if you're not already chock full of good ones.
Enhanced by Zemanta