Trapped By "Politically Correct"

          I go on Facebook or just look something up for a class on Google and I see all sorts of advertisements.  I'm sure you've seen them. 

"Like if you believe that women should be have the right to health care birth control no matter where they work!"

"I believe in an America where EVERYONE is free to marry who they love!"

"Stop Republicans from taking away our First Amendment rights!"

          These are only a couple of examples.  But they effectively muzzle those of us who tend to disagree with these kind of statements.  Why?  Because we have been taught to fear speaking out.
 
          In these sad times, every where you go, people are encouraged to stand up for what they believe in.  To be outspoken against injustices and to feel free to be who they are.  However, one of the things that has become the greatest unofficial crime in this country is being "politically incorrect".  Basically, that phrase boils down to, People mustn't verbalize or act on opinions that contradict what the government/majority has deemed "correct".  It is a great contradiction that many people choose to ignore IS contradictory at all! 

          This creates a fear among those who would have spoken out peacefully with differing opinions on the same subjects.  They are terrified of being labeled "politically incorrect".  We've come to fear it above committing real crimes.  A stalker or a pedophile may receive some hate mail if their crime is portrayed in the news.  Yet, their stories quail in comparison to the huge media uproar and truck loads of hate mail that a person receives if they dare to go public with what is deemed a "politically incorrect" view.  The psychological pressure on everyone in the United States to agree with these central points of view has reached a dreadful level. 

          I looked up the dictionary definition of "brainwashing" online and here were my findings:

brainwashing

Verb:

Make (someone) adopt radically different beliefs by using systematic and often forcible pressure.

 

I know the term "brainwashing" often makes people dismiss the speaker as being over the top and a conspiracy theorist.  However, the actual definition does make a lot of sense.  We are pressured every day to adopt certain views and adapt to the opinions of the majority.  Often, people who do express different ideas are unofficially blacklisted.  This is especially true in the political, leadership, and teaching fields.  Then the pressure on the rest of us is only intensified.            Thomas Jefferson once said, "All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent."  You could substitute the word "sin" in general for "tyranny" if you'd like, but the point is the same.  This is exactly what is going on in the world right now.  Unfortunately, sin has a bit more than a simple foothold in my opinion.  He's gotten a few handholds too and is beginning to climb.              So you see, we are actually encouraged to NOT think for ourselves if we don't follow a certain guideline.  Individuality and good morals are being corrupted because we want a certain kind of freedom: one in which everyone agrees whether they want to or not.  This can only end in strife.  There will always be those who refuse to bend, and eventually the war will begin for real out in the open.  Who will win?  God only knows.

Lists of Life

          I love making lists.  That's just how my mind works.  So a while back I got this journal that is literally called "List Your Self".  The whole thing is pages of prompts for lists.  They range from, "List all the qualities you love about being human.", to "List all of the elements of the perfect vacation.", to "List the biggest turning points in your life.", to "List what is under your kitchen sink right now".  I love it!  I use colorful gel pens and just have at it.  I was looking at some of them and decided that since I couldn't think of a good post for today, I could just copy a few of them down. 
          The first one was:

 "List those products you'd eliminate to make a better world."

• cigarettes/cigars/tobacco
• drugs
• atomic and nuclear bombs
• green beans
• furbies
• horror movies
• porn
• alcohol
• overly violent video games
• gossipy magazines
• Lima beans
• biochemical weapons
• really itchy sweaters (or anything for that matter)
• slutty clothes
• Axe and strong smelling cologne/perfume

I know that there are more that I've missed.  It was a hard list because it was limited to products.  I'm sure that there are people who will be offended by some of the items on my list.  Don't think that because I don't agree with some things that it means that I hate or judge people who like them or that use them.  Some of the items are meant to be funny, like the green beans and the furbies.
          And the second:

"List the businesses you wish you presently owned."

• Borders  (Because that would mean it still existed!  I liked Borders so much more than Barnes and Noble.  Why did they have to go out of business?) 
• Microsoft  (For purely financial reasons.  Computers don't like me.)
• Boeing  (Again, because of money.)
• Starbucks  (For the money and free hot chocolate.)
• Barnes and Noble  (I'd make some changes like having them sell more music and movies.)
• Disney  (Come on, who doesn't like Disney?  I'd love to have access to behind the scenes stuff at Disneyland and the movies studios.  Who can say no to that?)
• Dreamworks  (Again, I'd like to go behind the scenes and have some say in what movies they decide to do.)
• Warner Brothers  (I love movies and who knows?  Maybe one day one of my books will get published and if I owned one of these movie companies I could make it into a film.)
• A Publishing Company  (So I could publish all the books I write.)
• Olive Garden  (Free bread sticks!)

As you can see, I like books and movies.  Some of them are ones I'm sure anyone would put for financial reasons. 
         
          I love this journal.  It is a great thing to have at parties and sleepovers for conversation starters.  It's prompted some very funny talks between me and my friends.