Political correctness

We have to take on political correctness. It’s a major force driving support for Donald Trump. Saying it shouldn’t do that won’t work. It could contribute to a Trump victory. 

 The Atlantic has a piece by Conor Friedersdorf called “A Dialogue With a 22-Year-Old Donald Trump Supporter”. This young man is white, has a bachelor’s degree, lives near San Francisco, and makes somewhat over $50,000 a year. He says:

“... it's almost impossible to have polite or constructive political discussion.  Disagreement gets you labeled fascist, racist, bigoted, etc. It can provoke a reaction so intense that you’re suddenly an unperson to an acquaintance or friend. There is no saying “Hey, I disagree with you,” it's just instant shunning. Say things online, and they'll try to find out who you are and potentially even get you fired for it. Being anti-PC is not about saying “I want you to agree with me on these issues.” It's about saying, “Hey, I want to have a discussion and not get shouted down because I don't agree with what is considered to be politically correct. ...  I feel like I have to hide my beliefs….

“Having Trump in the White House would both give me more confidence to speak my own opinion and more of a shield from instantly being dismissed as a racist/xenophobe/Nazi (all three things I have been called personally).”

In my experience he is right in saying that open discussion around issues of race and gender is often suppressed. In my classroom students shy from such conversations as if skirting a minefield. If forced to take a stance they tread with extreme caution. You can feel the fear of getting burned or touching off an explosion. This is not something that they learn in college – they come to college with it. I don’t quite know where it does come from, but the air is heavy with it.

There’s some good reason for: women and minorities have felt that they can’t speak freely. In order to overcome that, those of us who have always felt comfortable speaking our minds need to start thinking and learning.  But shutting down questions and doubts doesn't encourage thinking and learning.

We could dismiss this young Trump supporter with scornful and clever retort. Conservatives have coined a term – “snowflakes” –  to express their contempt for minorities and liberals who (as they see it) feel so frightened that they melt at any discomfort. We could easily turn that around here. Is not this conservative a “snowflake”? Just because people call him bigoted, because he feels uncomfortable, he withdraws and takes shelter an extreme view that he doesn’t even really believe in. Ha!

But though it might feel satisfying to turn the tables in this way, it’s not the point. As a practical matter, this backlash, this resentment at being silenced, is an important factor in Trump’s support, and our smart argument won’t change that. As a moral matter, what progressives believe in more than anything else is inclusion, diversity, openness, sharing. It is simply wrong to shut down any group, to make them feel that they have to hide their beliefs. Those are two good reasons for us to take careful stock of ourselves and to improve our understanding of, and dialogue with, the critics of political correctness.

(Image: https://goo.gl/iCsQOx)