by Joshua Greene

Created on: April 20, 2009

The late Charlton Heston once said "Political correctness is tyranny with a happy face." His words echo more true every single day in the modern society that is evolving before us. The right to not be offended (Which is how this question should be labeled) is growing more prevalent in society every day. However, all that this mindset promotes is weakness in society, a lack of good will, humor, and artistic expression, the destruction of freedom of speech, and a question to pop into everyone's head asking "Where is the line? I can't offend someone, but someone can offend me?" And all of this action is masked behind this happy face that tries to keep us ignorant and content.

Now, don't take offense to this, but you don't have the right not to be offended. The individuals behind this movement of "political correctness" and "tolerance" are the same people who will throw a book at you when you disagree with your views. As Thomas Sowell, an American writer and economist said "One of the consequences of such notions as "entitlements" is that people who have contributed nothing to society feel that society owes them something, apparently just for being nice enough to grace us with their presence." The same people who plead for tolerance from individuals will give no tolerance towards them, hence contradicting their own "ideology" and

By pushing this "tolerance" mindset, we are blinding people from the very problems that we must face as a society, and destroying the humor and free expression of the world. I have friends from all ethnic backgrounds; Black, White, Mexican, Asian, Indian (both American and Indian), and friends of gay and straight sexualities, and we all get along, not becuase of political correctness. We bash our characteristics all the time; Im a cracker and one of my Indian friends sounds just like he works at Kwik-E-Mart. We accept this humor and make fun of ourselves because we appreciate the lighter side of life and appreciate what brings us together more than what seperates us and make us. It's how you look at life. If you want to see it in a negative glare, you have every right to, but don't drag me down where I have to see the same glare that you do.

Furthermore, there is no line where you cant stop offending someone. Someone will ALWAYS be offended. The Iranian president could go on television and claim the holocaust never occured (Which he has). Should we be tolerant to the Jewish faith, or to Iran? You can't be tolerant to both! Who's wrong here? Iran for saying such a thing, or the Jewish faith for being pissed off? (and rightfully so might I add) Someone will always be offended. Someone will always say something that challenges the norms of society. Thats called freedom of speech. When you hinder that the though process and the diversity of ideology within democracy dies, leaving it to become a corrupt communist state where everyone has to be the same.

So instead of labeling women as "vaginal americans" or dwarves as "vertically-challenged", we should see the world for what it really is. That we're all different. We're not the same. Let's celebrate our differences, not hide from them. Im a 20 year old male. I don't like how this "tolerance" movement is withholding freedom of expression and speech from the masses. You don't like my view? Why don't you try tolerating it? Or maybe, just maybe, you could remove that happy face mask of tyranny that you hide behind, and join us in celebrating our differences.

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