Monday, November 7, 2016

Opinions are Like... Well, We've All Got One - Part II

On Veteran's Day, and all year through, I'd like to say thank you to all who've served the United States of America in order that we might maintain our freedoms. Thank you!


~ * ~

A couple of years ago I wrote a post about opinions and political correctness. I guess you’d call that Part I since I’m bringing it up again.

There’s a huge difference between being polite and thoughtful and being politically correct. It seems to me that political correctness has crossed a line. I read an article in yesterday’s newspaper about a Secretary at a corrections facility who sent a memo to staff saying “Those serving time in prison will no longer be referred to as prisoners, offenders or convicts. Instead, they will be called students if they are in some type of class and patients if they are in the prison infirmary.” A spokesman said “…if no other moniker applies, they will be identified as incarcerated persons.”

I’m sorry (she said facetiously), but I intend to call a prisoner a prisoner, a convict a convict and a criminal a criminal. Chances are they were convicted of a crime or they probably wouldn’t be in prison.

Some of the stories I’ve heard on the news about new college rules make me glad I’m not going to college today. I won’t repeat some of those rules because they’re simply ridiculous.

Frankly, I’m tired of feeling like I have to watch every word I say in public. One of the reasons I enjoy being a fiction writer is that I, or my characters, can say what they want. Mystery writers tend to include crimes in their books. Are we supposed to pussy foot around what happened to create the mystery? Are we supposed to be politically correct with our words? If we aren’t, are the Word Police going to show up at our doors?

The way I look at it, books are like television in that if the story is upsetting the reader, they can get rid of the book just like they can change a channel.

I wrote the original post because I read that a number of colleges had students requesting “trigger warnings” on books. That means if there’s a controversial crime, or even a non-controversial crime in the story then there should be a warning on the cover. Someone could read the book and be upset over what it says. It could bring back bad memories. If that’s the case, don’t read the book.

If a book contains specific and graphic violence or graphic sex, maybe it could be in the blurb on the back of the book. Reader beware. Read the blurbs on the back cover.

When did common sense fly out the window? Many of the things written in books would never be tolerated in today’s real life situations, even if they’re innocently said. Have people become that thin-skinned?

I recalled reading about a kindergarten boy kissing a kindergarten girl on the cheek and it was considered sexual harassment. When I was a kid that simply would have caused giggling among the children. So the little boy has to pay a price for kissing a little girl on the cheek? Give me a break.

How hard is it to change a channel or set a book aside if you find it offensive? How hard is it to acknowledge that children will be children?

If you disagree with me, that’s your right – just as it’s my right to speak up. Enough is enough, and I certainly hope this political correctness, at the lengths it’s reached, is dealt with soon. Yes, be polite when it’s called for and, yes, be thoughtful when possible. However, don’t try to dictate to everyone else how they should act or speak.

Okay, this deserves some discussion. Do you feel things have gone too far? Do you feel things are out of balance? Does it affect your writing? Do you ever change something you’ve written because someone might not accept it (in terms of political correctness)? Or do you write what you feel is right?

Until next week, try not to judge me too harshly. I do frequently use my common sense, although maybe today I should have kept my trap shut. It just felt like it had to be said.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website
CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon.com

Having a Great Crime – Wish You Were Here (A Sandi Webster Mystery) is just waiting for some new readers. Give it a try.

18 comments:

  1. Thank you for speaking out! I agree 100%! Things have definitely gone way too far in the political correctness arena and common sense seems to have gone the way of the dinosaur. Well, almost. There are still some of us who have (and use) it. :)
    When I was in the first grade, Stevie T. kissed me on the cheek as we were leaving school. It's one of my fondest memories. To think that anyone could consider that sexual harassment is beyond ridiculous!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Pat! I'm glad I'm not alone and that you don't care if I'm politically correct or not. Thank you so much for commenting!

      Delete
    2. I agree with you one hundred percent, Marja. I believe that if a word is in the dictionary, it's perfectly all right to use it as it was intended. As I writer, I can have my characters speak their minds without worrying about offending anyone. Too many people are too easily offended. Indian names for example. Are all the streets named after tribes going to have their names changed? What about Chippewa Valley school district? Anyway, I'm glad you spoke up about this.

      Delete
  2. We're all responsible for our actions. You don't have to be a genius to be polite and consider another person's feelings. But you have no right to set parameters for the behavior of others. Well said, Marja.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And, also well said, John. Even figures of speech are sometimes considered politically incorrect. Is nothing safe? Thank you so much for commenting!

      Delete
  3. Thank you, Dorothy! You made some good points. Sometimes we need to take pride in names instead of being offended. Thank you so much for commenting!

    ReplyDelete
  4. There's nothing I can add--said perfectly and on the mark 100%.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Madeline! Many of us don't want to have to be overly careful when we speak or write. Thank you so much for commenting!

      Delete
  5. Couldn't agree more! I always said you can't buy or learn common sense. I guess that's why common sense isn't so common any more.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Love the way you put that, Verna! So true. Thank you for commenting!

      Delete
  6. I agree, Marja. We also have the right to toss a writer's book in the trash if it contains too much porn or is considered disgusting. I did that with a bestselling author's book sent to me by his publisher for review.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sometimes we have to take a stand, Jean, and that's what you did. Thank you so much for commenting!

      Delete
  7. Another excellent post with a message that needs to go viral. What happened to common sense, common courtesy, and simple politeness?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good question, Amy. I'm not even sure if these things are being taught today. I sometimes wonder. Thank you so much for commenting!

      Delete
  8. I'm with you, Marja. An editor once told me to take the word, moist, out of my manuscript, because she said she found it offensive and readers would too. How dumb is that? Everything seems to offend everyone these days. It really has gone too far.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Moist?" That's ridiculous, Evelyn. Maybe a few of these people should look up the definitions of certain words. Yes, it really has gone too far, and it's sad. Thank you so much for commenting!

      Delete
  9. An editor told me not to mention a person's race unless it mattered to the story. I wasn't being derogatory, I was just describing a person.

    PC has mushroomed to the point where I don't even know what it is anymore!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Silly, isn't it, Maggie? I heard there are a few police departments where they're not supposed to mention a person's race when sending out a description. Uh, that's part of the description. Thank you so much for commenting!

      Delete