On being called "Politically Correct"

Those who rant against the building of the Islamic equivalent of a YMCA in lower Manhattan have enjoyed accusing those of us on the other side of "political correctness". In fact, of course, if one side can be fairly accused of being motivated by "political correctness" it would be the ranters. They have repeatedly used sensibility to the feelings of some (not all by a long shot) 2001 terror survivors as their main argument in discouraging free expression among actual residents of lower Manhattan -- who were also terrorized in 2001.

My objection to the use of the term "politically correct" is that, rather than dealing with the core issue of whether or not Muslims in lower Manhattan have every right to speak and worship and assemble as they please*, opponents attack civil libertarians' motives by accusing us of only worrying about ruffling the sensibilities of the Muslims. Hogwash! That is an ad hominem response , in my book. I have Muslim friends. I love and admire them. But I think the beliefs of their religion, as I understand them, are wrong and definitely not the loving faith of the New Testament as I read it. That's why I choose to be a Methodist instead -- though I disagree with some other self-styled Christians about as vehemently. I have no problem telling anyone that.

I believe those who are ranting about the erroneously-labeled "Ground Zero Mosque", have every right* to do so, but are tragically mistaken in doing so. In practical terms their actions are totally counter-productive. I believe their actions are also analogous to calling for Japanese-American internment in WWII, calling for segregation of African-Americans, calling for posting of "No Irish Need Apply" signs, calling for Native-American removal, etc. I believe, eventually, they or their progeny will be embarrassed by their actions and statements. Newt Gingrich, for example, has permanently soiled his own biography with his extremism on this issue.

I hope I would, if it came to it, be willing to die for the ranters' and the Muslims' right as Americans to be royally wrong and believe, preach, worship, assemble*, to their heart's content for their wrongheaded beliefs.


* under the law, of course -- please don't anyone give me another lecture on extraneous issues like zoning.

Editing Note: spelling corrected in title, 8/25/08.

Gleaning Facebook: It's time to raise a ruckus!

It's time for those who support the Bill of Rights to get fired up. Tea Party, ha!  They serve up tainted Kool-aid. It's time to raise a ruckus! It's time to fire back at faux-Patriots whose doublespeak calls standing up for American values "political-correctness". 

Know: If you mess with another American's freedom of expression, you're messing with mine. Don't you do it! That ain't negotiable. See my link below.

Comments:

Warren Lathem
Free speech is a great American right we share and which is not available in most other countries. Treasure it and guard it and avoid the doublespeak of the politically correct on the right or left.

Warren Lathem
BTW, pass the Kool-aide.

George Barton
The US spent billions of dollars to defeat Communism, but now endorses a social form of the same philosophy, "political correctness". The irony is disturbing.

Terrell Shaw
George I don't understand. What are you talking about?

Natalie A. A. Thiele
political correctness is just an attempt at behaving in a way that is respectful of everyone. everyone is a lot of folks, so of course it's tricky and takes some work (but we often note that many things in life worth doing take an honest effort). it is like a verbal "golden rule." call others what they wish to be called. people who cherish their right to call people something nasty certainly can, but it doesn't make the world better (and it doesn't change the behavior of that "other" person... maybe because they don't want to listen to meanies...). of course, people do hide behind a "pc" wall. they're still a step further along the right road than bigots.

Terrell Shaw
Thanks Natalie. I just posted some thoughts on "Political Correctness" in the current debate at my blog:
http://aloneonalimb.blogspot.com/.../on-being-called...

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Note from George Barton 

The term "politically correct" and its suggestion of Stalinist orthodoxy is well documented over the past 25 years, just google the two terms. Now this "political-correctness" may be something I'm not familiar with. I used to know what "natural" and "organic" meant. I'm not sure any more.

Freedom of Religion, period.

It literally pains me to see so many Americans falling into Bin Laden's trap. I say as gently as I can: however pure the motive, however admirable my friends who do so may be in other ways, that is exactly the fate of those who presume to tell other Americans where and when, within the law, they should worship or where they should build their houses of worship.

I believe that to the tips of my toes.

Those things are just plain noone’s business but the ones involved -- in the present case the Muslim community of lower Manhattan. The families of the Americans killed by terrorists are not involved in those decisions. Neither is the President (as he has said), Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin, Harry Reid, some song-writer named Rita, or any of the assorted bloggers, professional blatherers on TV and radio, or me.

This is the United States of America. It is not Germany. It is not Israel. It is not Saudi Arabia. Not only do the Americans in question have an absolute right, within the law, to build their community center two blocks away from the site of the attacks that killed Muslims, Christians, Jews, Sihks, Atheists and other AMERICANS in 2001, we should, regardless of our theological beliefs, praise and encourage them in their efforts at bridge-building, as some of the survivors of 2001 are doing. Christian-Americans have NO special claim on the site of those attacks. Bin Laden wanted to kill Americans. He cared nothing about hyphenated prefixes or suffixes. The more variety the better as far as he is concerned. Muslim-Americans were every bit as much a target as any other Americans, and every bit as much victims of it.

The correct American manifesto to Al Qaeda should be:

In America we believe in freedom of religion, period.

And no sons-of-bitches* like low-down, scum-of-the-earth Bin Laden and his murderous box-cutter wielding Kool-aid drinkers can make us back down from that basic principle even if they send a thousand fully-fueled 747s aimed at a thousand American cities.

You egg-sucking-dogs can kill us, but you can not kill our unalienable American rights of free expression of any sublime, mundane, or idiotic idea that we hold dear.

We will take necessary practical precautions, of course. We will submit to shoeless inspections in airports. We will pay whatever taxes are needed to fight you.
But we WILL hunt you down and you WILL submit to American justice. We WILL strike at you without mercy if you resist.

BUT...

We will NOT shy away from our big cities.
We will NOT alter our core principles.
We will NOT cower in fear.
We will NOT help you recruit extremists by striking at innocents.

We WILL remain steadfast in support of the principles of our Constitution and Bill of Rights come hell or high water.

WE WILL NOT BE TERRORIZED INTO THE WAR AGAINST ISLAM THAT YOU WANT SO BADLY.


* I detest overuse of coarse language but, in my opinion, it is entirely appropriate here.

Gleaning Facebook: Mike Burton and "Sweet Reason" for the Georgia Senate

You folks way to the right of me don't have to worry about Georgia suddenly turning wildly liberal with the next election. The legislature is going to stay majority Republican for the next few years at least. But surely the Sonny Perdue/Casey Cagle years have shown us that we will need reasonable loyal opposition in Atlanta to keep a check on a Nathan Deal or a Cagle.

 

Now, Mike Burton is definitely on my right, but I like most of what he has to say. Regardless of the partisan issues, however, there are some very practical reasons my friends and neighbors ought to consider voting for Mike, even if they disagree with some of his stances.

 

If his opponent wins we will be without a state senator from Rome or Floyd County for the first time in my memory, and I suspect the first time in a century or more. Who ever is elected this time will have a lot of say-so in the redistricting that results from the 2010 census. If the fellow from Bartow County is elected, where will the population center of our district be, do you think?

 

Would a 100% Republican delegation have clout with a Democratic governor's office or Lieutenant Governor's (President of the Senate) office? Polls show a toss-up in the Governor's race.

 

If my Democratic friends are looking for a stridently partisan candidate, however, they’ll have to look elsewhere. He will support public education. He’ll call for fiscal responsibility even if that means a penny more sales tax to balance the state budget and pay for critical state programs. But he will be a “yes-man” for no governor, Lt. Gov., or interest group. He has many friends on all sides of political issues and loves to discuss those issues. He is someone who can negotiate and compromise, and even (shock) change his mind. Mike is a person who loves people and can amiably discuss most anything with most anybody. He says he learned that from his grandmother (I remember Mama Brown) who called for “sweet reason” when he and his brother or cousins became argumentative. He wants a similar atmosphere in the Georgia Senate.

 

On a personal note and for what it's worth: I have known Mike Burton for 48 years. He has been, first, older brother to one of my best friends, then my Sunday School teacher, then my friend, and for the last nearly 40 years something akin to a brother. We have picked blackberries together, built roofs and walls together, loaded hay together, and horses, worshiped together, bounced each other's babies, celebrated marriages together, sung together (not his forte!), sat through our children’s dance recitals together, grieved over Carolyn’s losing battle with cancer, and her death and those of his parents, and brother, and my dad. Sheila and I were there for his marriage to Julie. Since 1993 our families have celebrated almost all of our nation’s birthdays together with barbecue and fireworks at the levee. We have shared each other's dreams and accomplishments and disappointments.

 

We often agree. We sometimes disagree. But I have never known a man more honorable or kind.

 

As we enter this election season you may find yourself agreeing or disagreeing with how Mike stands on the issues. Knowing the way politics works in 2010 I know you will hear and see some pretty tough ads -- from his opponent or the many interest groups that now have the right to smear at will -- aimed at raising questions in your minds about Mike’s honesty, trustworthiness, patriotism, and more. Rest assured: there is no concern about those things. Make your mind up based on other issues. Mike Burton is a good man.

Comments:

Christie Hufstedler Boyd Terrell, you are right. Mike is a good man and has all the other qualities you so eloquently write about. Sweet Reason is a good slogan and one many others in our government should take a look at!
Richard T. Ware Terrell, having known Mike almost as long as you have (45 yrs.), and having known him through many of the events, both good and bad, that you speak of, all I can say to your comments is AMEN!
Terrell Shaw Thanks Richard and Christie! I'm a little concerned that Mike's head might begin swelling from these praises. But maybe Richard and I know enough to bring him quickly back to earth, if necessary. Doncha think, Richard? <grin> Neglected to mention the spreading of literal manure that we have done. Thot that might not garner any support and some might even imagine undeserved olfactory sensations in my note.
Jackson Williamson I hear spreading manure is a handy skill in the senate...
Terrell Shaw Few would argue, I expect, with the opinion that you have hit upon the most universal skill exhibited there.

Lynne Crothers Williams @Terry and Jackson--amen and amen

Gladys Padgett McCullough

From the Whitfield Funeral Home website:

Gladys Padgett McCullough, age 75, of Cornelia, Georgia passed away on Tuesday, August 03, 2010, at Habersham County Medical Center.Mrs. McCullough was born on June 6, 1935, in Miami, Florida, to the late Henley Stephen and Daisy Lummis Padgett. She was a member of Leatherwood Baptist Church. Mrs. McCullough was a retired school teacher, with 33 years of experience, in Bibb County, Johnson County, Texas, Hall County, Washington County, and Habersham County.Survivors include her husband, Rev. Lavay McCullough, Cornelia, GA; daughter, Belinda Sward, La Jolla, California; daughter and son-in-law, Laura and Jose Berrios, Alpharetta, GA; son and daughter-in-law, Andy and Robin McCullough, Lafayette, Colorado; sister, Eleanor Sinyard, Gastonia, North Carolina; and 7 grandchildren, Isaac Berrios, Joseph Berrios, Claire Berrios, Elizabeth Berrios, Luke McCullough, Jack McCullough, and Drew McCullough.Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, August 6, 2010, at Whitfield Funeral Home, North Chapel, Demorest, GA with Rev. Jerry Buschmann, Rev. Dewey Henderson, and Andy McCullough officiating. Interment will follow in Yonah Memorial Gardens.The family will receive friends from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. on Thursday, August 5, 2010, at Whitfield Funeral Home, North Chapel, Demorest, GA.In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Leatherwood Baptist Church Family Life Center, P.O. Box 785, Baldwin, GA 30511.Those wishing to send condolences to the McCullough family may do so by visiting www.whitfieldfuneralhomes.com.Arrangements are in the care of Whitfield Funeral Home, North Chapel, Demorest, GA.

 

Gleaning Facebook: Gladys McCoulough

 In memory of Gladys McCullough. Gladys died today. She went to the hospital just Sunday night with an sudden intestinal problem that quickly turned very serious when it was compounded with a stroke. Her husband Lavay is my first cousin. Mother says Lavay seemed more like a little brother since he and his mother lived with her family during part of his childhood. Here is a picture of Gladys from Labor Day 2009.

• Selected comments from Facebook

  (Thanks to the many others who expressed their condolences as well.)

  
  

  Ruth Baird Shaw

  Thank you dear Terry for that remembrance and tribute to Gladys, a beautiful Christian lady! She wil be missed as long as any of us live.

  
  Lynne Crothers Williams
  Sorry to hear of your family's loss; your Labor Day's are becoming a time of celebration and remembrance.

  
  

  Terrell Shaw

  Thanks. I never lived close to Lavay's family, but they are the sort of folks who are so warm and genuine that you renew close feeling quickly at each wedding, funeral, or family reunion. The picture above was taken at the Baird Reunion at my mother's house last year. Gladys was a loving, smart mother, wife, grandmother, teacher. She and Lavay seemed to dote on each other in a marriage that lasted more than fifty years. If for no other reason, I would love this family for my Aunt Sis's sake. Louise (Sis) was my mother's wonderful older sister and Lavay's mom.