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The modern politically correct movement began at the [[University of Wisconsin-Madison]], which is one of the most [[liberal]] colleges in the [[United States]].  Political correctness is a liberal degrading of the [[First Amendment|freedom of speech]]. George Orwell's ''Nineteen Eighty-Four'' famously incorporated the notion of limiting thought through language (see [[Newspeak]]).  Words or actions that violate '''political correctness''' are called politically incorrect.

The modern politically correct movement began at the [[University of Wisconsin-Madison]], which is one of the most [[liberal]] colleges in the [[United States]].  Political correctness is a liberal degrading of the [[First Amendment|freedom of speech]]. George Orwell's ''Nineteen Eighty-Four'' famously incorporated the notion of limiting thought through language (see [[Newspeak]]).  Words or actions that violate '''political correctness''' are called politically incorrect.

At American universities, liberals began imposing '''political correctness''' to prevent recognition of differences among gender, religion, belief system, sexual orientation and nationality.  In the 1960s, [[feminists]] began to demand that the neutral pronouns ''he'', ''him'' and ''his'' be replaced with expressions like "he or she", "him or her", "them", etc, even though the last one is actually grammatically incorrect. They argued that no one would be able to understand that the masculine gender included the feminine gender in neutral contexts. But this was just part of their campaign to redefine the social roles traditionally associated with masculinity and femininity.   

At American universities, liberals began imposing '''political correctness''' to prevent recognition of differences among gender, religion, belief system, sexual orientation and nationality.  In the 1960s, [[feminists]] began to demand that the neutral pronouns ''he'', ''him'' and ''his'' be replaced with expressions like "he or she", "him or her", "them", etc., even though the last one is actually grammatically incorrect. They argued that no one would be able to understand that the masculine gender included the feminine gender in neutral contexts. But this was just part of their campaign to redefine the social roles traditionally associated with masculinity and femininity.   

In science, '''political correctness''' punishes anyone who criticizes the [[theory of evolution]], the [[theory of relativity]], or liberal dogma about [[global warming]].

In science, '''political correctness''' punishes anyone who criticizes the [[theory of evolution]], the [[theory of relativity]], or liberal dogma about [[global warming]].

The question of politically correct language has spilled over from the use of racially descriptive words and affected the use of traditional language.  In 1999, an aide to the mayor of Washington DC described a budget decision as "niggardly" (a word meaning "stingy," unrelated to the racial slur).  The aide immediately came under criticism and was forced to resign even though he had not said anything racially charged. However, his name was cleared within a matter of days and was offered to return to his previous position.<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/williams/williams020499.htm</ref>

The question of politically correct language has spilled over from the use of racially descriptive words and affected the use of traditional language.  In 1999, an aide to the mayor of Washington DC described a budget decision as "niggardly" (a word meaning "stingy," unrelated to the racial slur).  The aide immediately came under criticism and was forced to resign even though he had not said anything racially charged. However, his name was cleared within a matter of days and was offered to return to his previous position.<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/williams/williams020499.htm</ref>

As well as language, political correctness discourages the use of racial or stereotypes in fiction out of concern that these stereotypes may become self-perpetuating. For example, frequently seeing the image black gang-members decked out in gold chains, carrying guns and listening to rap may pressure young black people into seeing this lifestyle as the more 'acceptable' choice for their racial group. The common image of female-dominated occupations (nurses, secretaries, care workers, etc) and of male-dominated occupations (IT workers, military, machinery operators, mechanics, etc.) can discourage individuals of either gender from considering those occupations traditionally belonging to the other. Additionally films like "The Siege" and "True Lies" have been criticized by pro-Islamic groups as having Muslims portrayed as terrorists, despite the fact that most current terrorists are in fact radical extremist Muslims.  Thus, political correctness becomes the consideration of all public statements and media for their unintentional social impact.

As well as language, political correctness discourages the use of racial or stereotypes in fiction out of concern that these stereotypes may become self-perpetuating. For example, frequently seeing the image black gang-members decked out in gold chains, carrying guns and listening to rap may pressure young black people into seeing this lifestyle as the more 'acceptable' choice for their racial group. The common image of female-dominated occupations (nurses, secretaries, care workers, etc.) and of male-dominated occupations (IT workers, military, machinery operators, mechanics, etc.) can discourage individuals of either gender from considering those occupations traditionally belonging to the other. Additionally films like "The Siege" and "True Lies" have been criticized by pro-Islamic groups as having Muslims portrayed as terrorists, despite the fact that most current terrorists are in fact radical extremist Muslims.  Thus, political correctness becomes the consideration of all public statements and media for their unintentional social impact.

Political correctness can even affect terminology that's viewed by secularists as too "pro-religion" or an alleged "violation of the [[separation of church and state]]" in the United States. The best example of this is the active promotion of the use of [[C.E.]] and [[B.C.E.]] as the abbreviations used after dates (instead of the commonly and traditionally used [[A.D.]] and [[B.C.]]). Additionally, [[atheists]] as school administrators or [[government]] [[Labor union|union]] workers at liberal schools use political correctness as a means for renaming terms they view as too pro-religious. For example, a [[Seattle]] student at a local elementary school volunteered to do a project as part of a community-service effort that she was doing through her school, supplying plastic eggs filled with jellybeans, called "Easter eggs."  The student had an idea to fill little plastic eggs with treats and jelly beans and other candy to give to her classmates, but she was concerned how the teacher might react to the eggs after learning earlier in the week about "their abstract behavior rules."<ref>http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=459668</ref>  After asking the teacher for permission, the student reportedly explained, "She said that I could do it as long as I called this treat '''spring spheres''.' I couldn't call them Easter eggs."<ref>http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2011/04/mystery_seattle_student_claims.php</ref><ref>http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/04/easter_eggs_reportedly_renamed.html</ref>

Political correctness can even affect terminology that's viewed by secularists as too "pro-religion" or an alleged "violation of the [[separation of church and state]]" in the United States. The best example of this is the active promotion of the use of [[C.E.]] and [[B.C.E.]] as the abbreviations used after dates (instead of the commonly and traditionally used [[A.D.]] and [[B.C.]]). Additionally, [[atheists]] as school administrators or [[government]] [[Labor union|union]] workers at liberal schools use political correctness as a means for renaming terms they view as too pro-religious. For example, a [[Seattle]] student at a local elementary school volunteered to do a project as part of a community-service effort that she was doing through her school, supplying plastic eggs filled with jellybeans, called "Easter eggs."  The student had an idea to fill little plastic eggs with treats and jelly beans and other candy to give to her classmates, but she was concerned how the teacher might react to the eggs after learning earlier in the week about "their abstract behavior rules."<ref>http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=459668</ref>  After asking the teacher for permission, the student reportedly explained, "She said that I could do it as long as I called this treat '''spring spheres''.' I couldn't call them Easter eggs."<ref>http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2011/04/mystery_seattle_student_claims.php</ref><ref>http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/04/easter_eggs_reportedly_renamed.html</ref>