'Illegal Alien' Is New Ethnic Slur

Political correctness is changing the rules of 'free' speech daily. No longer are cartoonists able to freely draw the world as they see it and now 'illegal alien' is deemed offensive.

From AnnCoulter.com:

On CNN's "Lou Dobbs Tonight" on Monday, Dobbs was interviewing Nativo Lopez, president of the Mexican-American Political Association about his demand for "full immediate, unconditional legalization for all persons currently in the United States."

Dobbs posed this innocuous question about Lopez's planned boycott, "You're talking about a boycott of all illegal aliens in this country?"

Lopez exploded: "Well, first off, I refute your terminology. You don't say 'kike,' 'patty,' 'WOP,' OK. You don't say "nigger"! ... You're using language that's offensive to me and offensive to my people! ... You pollute the air every day, Dobbs. ... That language is offensive, it's derogatory, it's denigrating, and don't use that terminology to me again, referring to my people!"

Jeez, I could understand a bit of snippiness if Dobbs had mentioned 'beaners' or 'wetbacks' but he didn't. Dobbs said 'illegal aliens' which, in my mind, is a fair and descriptive dictionary definition of people sneaking into the U.S. My preference would be 'trespassers' since it carries a more precise and accurate meaning.

Political correctness creates an immense amount of anxiety because there is no way to be certain regarding who is going to be offended or not offended by what a person says or does. Tiger Woods got harshly criticized for saying 'spaz' at the Masters Tournament. Someone was apparently offended. Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi recently said all leftists are dickheads and apparently nobody was offended.

Add to all this the fact that Scottish police have been prohibited from calling homosexuals 'homosexuals' and it's not clear what they should be called. Presumably, 'queer' and 'fairy' are also out of the question. I'm guessing that 'gay' is acceptable. 'Queen' and 'poofter' are questionable.

So what's a person do? I recommend that research scientists develop an offendometer to measure the level of offensiveness of words and things in society. And then, on a regular basis, take comprehensive surveys with the offendometer and publish the results so everybody knows what is inappropriate. Otherwise, arbitrary political correctness just keeps people fearful. Even so, there's a lesson here. Don't dare call someone a homosexual spaz because some dickhead will likely sue you.

As a final tip to all those people who are offended by their own shadow, grow thicker skin.

(H/T The Country Store)

Companion post at The Jawa Report.