OBITER DICTUM : Political correctness or absurdity

By Edward A. Kazanjian
Belmont Citizen-Herald

Posted Aug 21, 2013 @ 10:58 AM


Belmont, Mass. —

I was accused by some at Town Meeting of being politically incorrect when I attempted to keep the word chairman, in lieu of the proposed chairperson or chair, in the Town’s bylaws. My only rationale was that chairman is the proper title and may be genderized if necessary by adding madame or mister. There was no other agenda! I admit that I am not always politically correct BUT that is only because I feel that attempting to be so is not necessary since I know I have no intention of discriminating or alienating anyone. When I coached and said, "let’s go guys!" I was not being sexiest…it was a girls soccer team. I raised two daughters and have a granddaughter and have every reason to want is best for their gender BUT being over politically correct is not the way for that insure that result. Rather, I suggest, taking all the effort put into the absurd issues listed below and do something positive.

I decided to look into "politically correct" and found that historically, the term was a colloquialism used in the early-to-mid 20th century by Communists and Socialists in political debates, referring pejoratively to the Communist "party line", which provided for "correct" positions on many matters of politics. It has morphed through the efforts of both by liberals and conservatives to its present use, a term that refers to language, ideas, or policies which address discrimination against or alienation of politically, socially or economically disadvantaged groups.

I read recently that the city of Seattle is banning the use of the word "citizen" in favor of resident and banning the use of "brown bag" because it might be considered racist. Citizen is a good word describing someone who lives in a particular town or city…it does not HAVE to mean one who has legal or social benefits or obligations…though it may in certain contexts. Resident on the other hand denotes a particular place not the entire country or city…these words do not mean the same thing.

Don’t even get me started on banning "brown bag"…For heaven’s sake the Greater Boston Food Bank’s Brown Bag program provides supplemental groceries to about 8000 seniors every month with no issues of skin color. Since 1973, Bloomingdale’s has promoted their brown-paper bag system, an elegant design that has retained its elegance and is not racist. I personally brown bagged it to work for forty years…the paper sacks were first introduce in 1852 and since then have been brown in color NOT RACIST. And one of the most successful and largest businesses in the world, UPS, said, "Let Brown DO IT!"...since 2002 and since 2007 has had a new "Whiteboard campaign" introduced due to changes in its business scope, and recently has a new campaign "We love logistics" all very successful and none of it racist!


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