Foxy: " ('Coons' in the US means the same thing as 'nig...er.')"

You may be surprised to hear that it's common parlance throughout rural Queensland too.

Having said that, while I've also encountered my share of PC-related nonsenses and frustrations over the years, in the absence of what used to be called "good manners" it was generally a benign phenomenon that seems to have had its day. At least we became reaccustomed with considering the perspectives of the objects of our utterances, as we generally do with those to whom we display courtesy.

If people were generally better mannered and more considerate of each other, we wouldn't need to continue with so-called "Political Correctness", but I'm not seeing a sudden efflorescence of civility and sociality - despite the 'Ruddslide' .

In my work, I am employed to express an opinion, efficiently and effectively. PC has no place in my mindset.

Having no time for political correctness, last Christmas, one of my daughters was taken to advising her sister’s new boyfriend to be prepared.

My girls are both outspoken and neither is intimidated by social-bullying of those who relish finding something to complain about.

Here I have done my usually thing and went looking for some quotes. The former is very close to what is true, Doris Lessing said something similar but made it pointedly political, which, of course political coreectness is not.

“Political correctness does not legislate tolerance; it only organizes hatred”

But the best quote I could find was

Political Correctness: A doctrine... which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.

Australia's early White settlers, unlike their American counterparts who left England to the promise of a richer and freer existence, were dragged kicking and screaming from the dungeons of Newgate and the hulks of Bristol to the living death of an isolated and barren land.

They had no time to pack a copy of whatever the equivalent of
"Fowler's Correct Modern Usage" was at the time.

Their language bore the marks of shackles and carried the inflections of the destitute and the whine of the shanty Irish.

It matured in a harsh land with few of the niceties; just as those little white pantaloons do not belong on the end of an Australian lamb chop, so our ways of speech are blunter than our antecedent
tongue.

I hope that with "Political Correctness" we won't lose the character that is our language:

"Johnno's so laid-back he's practically fly-blown!"

Interesting. Boaz, you misunderstood Ginx's post, and mine. While it must be satisfying for you and others here to congratulate themselves on their home-spun, plain-speaking ways, I believe Ginx's original point was that people use the term "political correctness" when actually they mean, "I'm intolerant on this issue, so I'll label my opponent PC and automatically win! Hurrah for me!"

Col Rouge: "In my work, I am employed to express an opinion, efficiently and effectively"

How reassuring that Col calls a black bean a black bean.

"PC has no place in my mindset"

I wish Col's mindset had no place in my PC ;)

CJ: "I wish Col's mindset had no place in my PC."

*splurts red wine all over computer screen*