Is this political correctness run amok?

[LincolnMan]

As we as a nation are still grappling with the Civil War-and it's legacy, is "political correctness" a danger? Or is it "righting" things that should be righted?

See: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/02/07/in-...s-to-past/

[Laurie Verge]

To me, this is an issue that will never be settled without more animosity separating our country yet again. My home county in Maryland has gone through this issue in the renaming of some schools. An elementary school here was Lord Baltimore (in honor of the founding family of Maryland) for over thirty years until it was changed to honor a county council member who was killed in a car accident while undergoing investigation for misuse of county funds. Another school was named Roger B. Taney until the political correctness issue forced it to be renamed Thurgood Marshall.

Chief Justice Taney's statue in Annapolis has been targeted for removal. While we all understand the rancor he caused with the Dred Scott Decision, he was also known as one of the best jurists in our history because of other ground-breaking work.

I think my main concern is where does this end? Do we eventually just remove all references to slavery and the Civil War because they are reminders of something evil - just like some want to deny that the Holocaust ever existed? Will the protestors start to concentrate on other areas of history that need to be "sanitized?"

P.S. The move to rename the Washington Redskins has started again.

[LincolnMan]

Yes, Laurie-I agree. Where does it end? We had Custer Elementary School renamed Thurgood Marshall. I can give countless other examples. Who decides these things? It all leaves a bad taste in my mouth...

[Jim Page]

Political correctness is a sure sign of a shallow mind, in my opinion. There are just so many pressure groups around nowadays that preach this or that.

My pet peeve is the "alleged" gunman or other whackjob that 50 people in person and thousands on television saw pulling a trigger or perform some other abominable act. Sheesh.

It's enough to make a grown multicultural humanoid life form cry.

--Jim

[Rob Wick]

But don't members of a society have a right to say "we don't want to honor this person because the values they represented are reprehensible and divisive?" If an elected body then listens to that and acts accordingly, it seems to me that's democracy in action.

Best
Rob

[Gene C]

The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
And there are a lot of greasy people out there.

[L Verge]

My problem with modern democracy is that we seem to be forgetting that majority rules. If decisions are made by the majority of the ELECTORATE instead of the ELECTED, I will feel better.

I understand the principles of representative government (before I get smacked with that!), but I'm afraid that that system is failing the majority of the people by their tendencies towards gerrymandering, accepting bribes and perqs, bowing to the squeaky wheels, worrying more about getting re-elected than serving those who elected him/her -- and I could go on.

If I remember correctly, one of the ways to destroy a country is to destroy, alter, or taint their heritage. Hillary Clinton repeated that principle a few years back in one of her speeches. That's one of the times I agreed with her.

[HerbS]

There are only a few schools in NY that have refused to change their logo and name.But,Washington could change their name to the DC-Do Nothings!

[L Verge]

Herbert! I sincerely hope that you are referring to our leaders as the DC-Do Nothings and not to my Redskins!

[Liz Rosenthal]

I'm all for rectifying past wrongs by honoring people who deserve to be honored rather than those who do not. It's taken a long time for the USA to start coming to terms with its very checkered history. We've only just begun the process, and I hope we continue with it.

I'll take Thurgood Marshall any day over Roger Taney.

Changing the name of a school or other institution to a name that is more representative of where we are today as a society presents a good opportunity for education of the community about the reasons for the change. The Civil War and/or the Civil Rights Era is thus not pushed under the rug but pushed to the forefront instead.

As for the Washington Redskins, it's sad, I think, that one aspect of American history that is still largely ignored is the treatment of Native Americans by white Europeans and the U.S. government. Let me ask whether people would scoff at the idea of a name change were the team at issue called the "New York Jewish Big-noses" or the "Brooklyn Yiddish cheapskates." The reason that people wouldn't scoff at getting rid of such obviously offensive names is because our consciences have been awakened by knowledge of the very real consequences of antisemitism. Unfortunately, many people still don't see anything wrong with insensitive references to Native Americans because, as a society, we have not yet come to terms with our history vis-a-vis the Native American.

[Rsmyth]

I have to agree with Liz and Rob. Change is good. We cannot just say "oh well, that's the way it has always been." Former Custer National Battlefield now honors the other participants. A swatstika was just another patriotic symbol untill evil appropriated it. We now have Martin Luther King day. I am all for a Chief Joseph day. If we look back and see changes that need to be made, let's do it. One-hundred years from now the American citizen may decide President Kennedy was not so great. Just saying.

[J. Beckert]

If we kowtow to every bleeding heart cause that's offended by the Stars & Bars, the name of a football team or whatever else the latest PC whim is - we're doomed. The CSA is part of our history. The differing views about what this country should be brought about the war where a brother tried to pierce a brother's heart. Nathan Forrest fought as valiantly (and more so) for the cause he believed in as much as any northern soldier and after enlisting as a Private, he retired as a Lt. Gen. who admonished his men to extinguish any resentment they had and live as good citizens who obeyed their country's laws. It was a different time with different mores. We have to understand that- not apologize for it. As the war drew to a close, Lincoln said it was time to "bind up the nation's wounds". He could have easily had his vengeance and laid a heavy hand down, but he chose to let the elephant he had by the hind leg run. Lincoln's benevolent attitude was blatant on the morning of the day he was shot when he told his son that Gen. Lee had a fine face and was a noble and brave man. If Lincoln thought this way about an enemy, we should extend the same benevolent hand and not demonize our fellow Americans that had a different point of view that was tempered by their times.

[DanielC]

Nathaniel Forrest is probably not an example I would use as political correctness gone amok. Im pretty sure post Civil War he was prominent the establishment of the kkk. With that said ,I do think political correctness has gone amok to some extent.(not related to the civil war) When I'm im corrected for wishing someone a Merry Christmas in lieu of "happy holidays" or my kids can not have a halloween party but rather a "harvest festival" it seems silly. Of Irish descent im not offended by Notre Dames "fighting Irish". Laurie's thread regarding democracy is spot on!

[J. Beckert]

Forrest did join the klan, but he wasn't one of the founders and he eventually quit because of the excessive violence. His dedication to a cause he held sacred is unsurpassed. Like I said, we have to look at the times they lived in. That said, where does it end? Do we take all the founders who owned slaves off our coins and currency? It's weak and ridiculous.

[Rsmyth]

If I could personnaly tear down one monument, it would be Forests. I am not encouraging civil disobedience but he was a racist and murderer.