"Political Correctness" is a term used by the Right to shut
down debate and dissent.
There is a right wing version of political correctness that
gets much less attention. Paul
Krugman in 2012 wrote that “the big threat to our discourse is right-wing
political correctness, which – unlike the liberal version – has lots of power
and money behind it". http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/26/the-new-political-correctness/?_r=0
“Thus,
even talking about “the wealthy” brings angry denunciations; we’re supposed to
call them “job creators”. Even talking about inequality is “class warfare”.”
The right wing version of political correctness includes the
following:
- The language of faith, invoking the Deity at every opportunity, regardless the depth of the speaker’s faith. This is especially so in the USA.
- Climate change 'scepticism', regardless of the science
- The language of 'self-reliance', although it's weird how corporations and wealthy institutions and individuals scream blue murder whenever there's talk of subsidies or concessions being would back
- The language of 'Family values', although the wealthy always had access to divorce, abortion, contraception and gay sex if the wanted them, regardless of prevailing social mores or even the law.
- The language of patriotism, accusing those who disagree with their position of being unpatriotic or even treasonous
- Loud and frequent condemnation of the real, exaggerated and imagined hobgoblins of the day, be they communists, 'union thugs' or jihadis, regardless of actual level of threat posed.
- Insisting that everyone else condemn said hobgoblins or be accused of being their fellow travellers. The reaction of right wing politicians and commentators to '#Illridewithyou' following Sydney’s Lindt Café siege was a classic.
- References to 'Judeo-Christian' heritage, as if talking about the rights or merits of other cultures somehow disparages it
- Disparaging the language of inclusion
- Unconditional support for Israel
- ... no doubt the list can be greatly expanded.
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