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Georgia there are times I have said something and the minute it came out of my mouth I have wanted to retract it. When I thought it and said it I fully believed what I said. But then something clicks and you realize it might have been inappropriate and maybe you should have just thought it and not said it. I am not sure what is PC or not anymore. I do know that saying something that makes someone feel rotten is not proper. Words said in anger in a moment of uncontrollable temper will last longer than a black eye.
I honestly believe that if I say something that is inappropriate, even if I believe it, I will apologize. Is it worth a friendship in order to be right? Just something to think about.

I don't look at the world as it being all black and white, but millions of shades of gray. None of us are perfect and sometimes we say things, overlook something or just screw up. I was raised that the ethical thing to do is " apologize". I personally believe that sometimes we need to apologize for our words, our actions, or our inactions. It clears the air and we can go on in an ethical way. Kharma!
What I don't like, is people who apologize to get their way. That is false and they are using you.

For the moment, in this country, and notice I say for the moment, because our right seem to be eroding on a daily basis. However, we have a thing called "Freedom of Speech", which allows us to say what we believe and think, just so long as it does not cause harm to someone, such as shouting "Fire" in a crowed building. What PC has done, is make us afraid and ashamed to speak freely about what we believe and what we think because now we are so afraid as to offend someone.

I firmly believe that there are three things that will be the undoing of this great nation:

1. Political Correctness
2. Apathy
3. Entitlement Mentality

I think that quite possibly that PC is the worse of the three, as we become afraid to call out wrongs, and once our voices are silenced then, we are on a short road to losing all our Freedoms..... just saying (remember I was told that I should not us this phrase so much) that person has the right to say it, just as I have the right to continue to use it ....... just saying, again!

Awhile back I read an essay where the author said our country has become one where discussion is a lost art, where disagreement is thought to be war-speech and so on. He ilustrated this thought with asking what would have happened to America if the Founding Fathers had not been able to disagree - sometimes violently - but through that disagreement hammer out the basics of cutting us off from England and the Euro countries which were allying themselves with the natives, each attempting to carve a shard of the New World for themselves. This is so true!

Discussion has always been a large part of free speech; you are allowed to have your opinion and then I have mine and others have theirs. Do I need to apologize before epressing mine if it comes from a true belief and internal understanding? Do you need to qualify yours? I accept you for what you believe even if it's diametrically opposite mine & I honor/respect you for yours. I need to get over thinking I'm correct so everyone else cannot be (unless it lines up inside my quote marks...)

As I'm typing this, I'm listening to The Cure singing "Mad World" - sort of fits right in there!

It would be grand to get back to being able to each be individual, true to our thinking and, yes, so long as no one needs to back up the beliefs with a baseball bat, be able to talk, argue, convince, express our minds without worrying we have offended the next person irreparably. It makes for a diminishing of the world and a dimming of the light when only one candle can burn at a time.

What do you think of this?

RTL

One hundred or so Neo-Nazis marched on the Arizona state capital building yesterday and protested. There were other protesters who protested them being there. Both sides did their thing and there was no
violence.
When a skin head walks up to my counter and looks at my jewelry at a fair, I don't speak to them unless they ask me a question. That is my right. I am not rich, but I would rather not take their money.
As I said, before the world is made up of many shades of gray.

I don't know who said this, but I received the following:

"Political correctness is tyranny with manners."

I would like to say that expressing an opinion is much different than saying something that can hurt a friendship. I will defend your right to free speech. I am just saying (you like that sharkey? lol) that saying something to someone or posting something here that will hurt someone's feelings should be tempered with compassion. If you intentionally post something that is obviously hurtful and demeaning it will be dealt with. If you post an opinion with a disclaimer it warns those that are easily offended to not read further. I would call that a courtesy. Not being PC just being correct.

I also see many shades of gray and appreciate intelligent discourse. To me, being PC is a social constraint. It's simply being cogent of how you say things so as not to offend others when talking about ideas, behaviors, other people, groups or the world at large. Being politically incorrect simply means saying things that offend those same groups of people. To me, PC and apologizing are two different animals.

If I say something that offends someone, or if I say something that I didn't think through, then I may apologize for the offense, but not for stating my opinion. Unless you're apologizing for your beliefs, I don't see how being politically correct relates to making an apology any more than I see how being PC relates to freedom of speech. We all have the right to say what we think, PC or otherwise. We all have the right to decide what's PC or what isn't...for us. Being considerate in a social setting is not the same as being PC.

Georgia, you misunderstood, hun. I wasn't apologizing for doing the right thing, in my managerial opinion. I was apologizing for not doing it as soon as I should have. The truth was, I didn't view the post until hours after it went up. I spent time in the posts I was participating in, then logged off and did some things at my home, etc. I don't think it's healthy to be online for hours and hours and hours.

I doubt you will EVER hear me apologize for doing what in my sincere opinion is the right thing. I might honestly be able to tell you that I'm sorry if I upset you, but not for actions I'm not sorry for.

Again....I was just sorry I didn't take action sooner.

I think people confuse respect with political correctness. It is very possible to be respectful towards others and in disagreeing, etc. without compromising your standards, or beliefs. Political correctness has come to mean act as if everthing everyone does is ok all the time. Respect is saying "That is not a belief I share" when that is the case, without poking fun or belittling a person who holds the opposing belief.

In the workplace, if it was my job to dismiss a minority, I don't think (at this point in my life....since I now posess a backbone and psychic cojones lol) I would hesitate for a minute to do so. And if they hollered discrimination.....let them. What I WOULD do, is simply handle the dismissal with the utmost professionalism and respect. We would do this in a closed office. I would present the reasons behind the dismissal, and be able to wish them good luck in their ongoing journey with another company.

Let's just say, if it had fallen to me to remove that psychiatrist from his posiiton, I could have done it with no qualms or hesitation. If it needs doing, do it. If you threaten me for doing the right thing....bring it on.

I don't know if I let that side of me show too much in here, but it IS part of me.