As I have blogged previously, I started an anti-Lepage Facebook page which now is closing in on 2000 likes. (1936 currently) Occasionally I get feedback from Lepage fans. Several of them have pointed out accusingly that "you don't like him because he is politically incorrect." Somehow the term, politically incorrect has morphed into something right wingers use to describe any of their heroes who push a more conservative agenda.
Do they really understand what the term politically correct, or in this case incorrect, means? Originally it meant a certain way of speaking "correctly" when talking about issues of race, gender, sexual orientation,etc. In other words, saying mentally handicapped instead of retarded, African American instead of black or colored (or worse) or using gender neutral terms like chairperson instead of chairwoman or chairman. That type of thing. Think of Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin's "legitimate rape" comment. That was clearly a sexist, "politically incorrect" comment.
While Governor Lepage has said politically incorrect things,like when he dismissed BPA worries by saying, "Worse case scenario, some women may have little beards," most of his outrageous comments are just uncouth and rude. These folks who champion Lepage and others of his ilk, are using an inappropriate term ( politically incorrect) to describe the views of their leaders. Or more exactly, the stupid way these leaders express their views, no matter what kind of views those are.
Maybe I am making a big deal over nothing. But it seems to me they are trying to use the term politically correct to describe an orthodoxy that we liberals are trying to enforce upon them that goes far beyond the original meaning. In this way, they can gloss over the abusive and bad mannered histrionics of their leaders, and put the fault on us liberals. We don't like him/her because they disagree and use colorful terms to express their disagreement.
Most of Paul Lepage's many foolish comments are not politically incorrect, they are just plain inappropriate, whether you agree with him or not. People like him have no place in public office, their proper role would be as talking heads on Fox News so they can spout all the shocking comments they want. Hopefully Lepage's supporters, who give all his boorish expressions the misnomer of "politically incorrect," do not have sufficient numbers to enable him to stay in office. Fox news is calling, Gov Lepage.
I totally agree. One thing your critics don't seem to understand is that LePage hamstrings his own efforts by being so offensive and polarizing. That's my main thesis on most of my blog posts at bendstowardjustice.blogspot.com
ReplyDeletePlease keep reminding people, so even conservatives understand that re-electing LePage is signing up for four more years of a downhill skid in Maine.