Tuesday, April 29, 2008

PC - political correctness and physical chemistry

two things are bothering me tonight.
1. it's 11:30 and i still haven't started studying for my 8 a.m. p chem final.
2. political correctness. being a student leader this year, i have had my vocabulary corrected time and time again. here are a list of things i CANNOT say:
-lame
-retard
-gay (as in "that's so gay")
-dorms (we need to refer to them as "residence halls." um, just because you call the dog crap on your lawn a "calling card," it doesn't make it smell any better)
and many many more. not only can we NOT say certain things, we can also NOT express our opinions or feelings. that is, unless you're not white. then go ahead. cry if you need to, blame whoever you need to. yell, scream, laugh, point fingers, whatever makes you feel better. i have known of more than one student leader this year who has been fired or threatened to be fired simply because of their paler skin and overactive tear ducts. and yet i have seen some of my latino/a friends, some of my african american friends, and some of my asian friends express the same emotions, only to receive a pat on the back.
now i agree that there are certain derogatory terms that should never be uttered by any human being. ANY. just because you have a darker skin color, you get to call others of the same shade a n*****, but if a paler person do it, they can be shot? that's like me calling my pale friends crackers but beating up anyone else who says it. i don't call them that because it is a disrespectful name and i actually RESPECT my friends. i've been called some very rude things in regards to my religion, so don't tell me i don't know what it's like to deal with prejudice. trust me. i know. if i go any where outside of my region, i will be ridiculed, i will be picked on, i will be segregated. does that mean i start crying to authorities that i'm being picked on? no. i correct those who i can. if they listen, great. if they ignore me, hey i tried. that's all i can do. just because someone has a stupid idea about a certain type of people doesn't mean it has to affect the way i live my life.
but i digress. i'm so excited to be out of my leadership position. i will be able to say whatever i want. i will be able to say "lame" without worrying about being lectured. yes, i understand where it came from. and yes, if i were to suddenly to become lame, i would still say it. i'd probably say it even more because i'd think it was funny and ironic.
i am so sick of reverse discrimination. one monday a month we had it drilled into us that white = evil and racits. you're straight and white? you're also homophobic. you're a straight, white man? start dying your skin my friend. for you are racist, sexist, and homophobic. until you get some ovaries, change your skin color, or start liking boys, well, sucks to be you. you will get passed up for job after job because companies have to fill quotas. i hate that. i hate that so much as a woman. i work hard so that i can EARN my place. i don't want it handed to me. if it came down to selecting a white, male student for medical school who was more qualified and a female student of color who was slightly less qualified but filled a "quota," i'd prefer you to take the man. i want the best of the best looking after me and mine. we already have enough doctors, PAs, NPs, and the like who can't even remember to SIGN a prescription. we need the best people we can get.
well, that's all for today. time for some p chem. maybe that's why i like chemistry so much. molecules and atoms don't care what color you are. they'll still build your DNA, the air you breathe, and the water you drink.

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