Political Correctness is Disabling Society

I am writing in response to the April 6 column in The Evening Sun, "It's handicapped, despite the PC police." I agree totally with Leslie Miller about political correctness. Political correctness in my opinion the most overdone issue of our era. Everything must be politically correct, one must be careful not to offend someone. We must stop being so picky at these little terms and start worrying about more important issues.

Until the world grows up and realizes PC is not helping anymore, we will all have to put up with it. But when that day arrives, I'll be at the front of the anti-PC people.

Jason Sayers

Fallston

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A few years ago, no one was concerned with being politically correct. Everyone spoke their mind without having to think over his words to make sure that what he was saying would not offend anyone. In almost every instance, it has been carried too far. One such incident was expressed in an April 6 column by Leslie F. Miller.

As an English teacher, she addressed the class and used the term "handicapped." A student was so opposed to the use of the word, she objected twice. She claimed that the term "disabled" was correct and non-offensive.

This is a tedious complaint. Not being "handicapped" or "disabled," I don't know how I would feel, but I would understand that any term used would not be to insult me. This is what people bent on political correctness need to realize.

Dorian Bowen

Forest Hill

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Political correctness is something that's important. The concept behind it is that a certain terminology will not offend people.

hTC The problem is that people are too easily offended, and take political correctness to extremes, making it nothing more than an annoyance.

There are many problems facing America today. Something this petty should not be one of them. Someone such as myself, a young white male, should not be persecuted because that person accidentally calls an African-American a "black" or a young woman "a girl" when there no offense meant.

There is no reason for someone to insult someone for being what they are . . . but there is a problem with being so paranoid that . . . that a person must lash out at everyone who just does not have the vocabulary right.

Doug Coyner

Bel Air

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The words Leslie F. J. Miller wrote about -- handicapped and disabled -- have the same meanings. I am not handicapped but for years this hasn't irritated anyone who is. I don't see any reason to change.

However, I disagree with the hyphenated American titles. Everyone who is a U.S. citizen is just that -- not European, African or Russian. Why do we need these specific titles for race? . . .

I'm glad to hear that there are people who unite us rather than divide, as Leslie Miller writes. If she keeps teaching to unite, the world will be a better place. . . .

Elena Bozylinski

Fallston

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. . . As local radio talk show host Ron Smith once said, political correctness is "mutual incomprehension." It promotes the division of our country at a time when we must pull together. . . .

Such labels as African-American and European-American are useless. . . . Since these people are American citizens, they are Americans, period. . . . In European history, the countries that had the most problems in the 19th century were those of central and eastern Europe, composed of strongly defined ethnic groups. Seeing as history repeats itself, I feel the U.S. could see civil strife stripe if we continue to sharply define ourselves. . . .

Craig D. Story

Fallston

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. . . I think that the issue of being called handicapped or disabled is totally up to whatever the handicapped or disabled person is more comfortable with.

But handicapped and disabled are the same thing. When you look at a special license plate, you see a wheelchair. No one says, "that person is disabled." They say he is handicapped. . . .

Carey Gayo

Forest Hill

English-Only Bill Not About Bigotry

In your April 17 editorial, "Schaefer's Remaining Tasks," our governor is being urged to reject the "English only" bill because "it serves no practical purpose except to fan the flames of bigotry toward immigrants." As a two-time immigrant -- once from my native Germany to French-speaking Brussels in 1936, and then again to the United States in March 1947 -- I couldn't disagree more vehemently.

I remember quite well how in 1952, prior to becoming a U.S. citizen, I had to demonstrate my proficiency to understand, speak, read and write English. Furthermore, I had to prove that I had some rudimentary knowledge of American history. I always thought that these requirements were fair indeed, and I still feel that way.

I also remember most vividly that ever since I arrived to this country, my foremost goals were to master English as quickly and as well as possible and to become fully assimilated without any delay. I met my goals, and the proverbial American dream became a sweet reality. In 1968, I retired from my first career -- as a tri-lingual simultaneous Army interpreter (English, French and German), and in 1985 from my second career -- as a foreign language teacher at Edgewood High School.

Since the '50s, however, citizenship prerequisites have been watered down quite drastically and English proficiency requirements have been dropped altogether. Voting ballots are even printed in the immigrants' native tongue. Why? . . .

All of us have most definitely the right to expect immigrants to show enough gumption and drive to learn English, and to that end we should most definitely reinstate the citizenship prerequisites of the past. It is a matter of plain common sense and has absolutely nothing to do with immigrant bashing or bigotry.

At the same time, however, we should drastically expand the teaching of foreign languages and of multi-culturalism in our public schools to open young minds to the outside world and to other cultures. . . .

Gunther Bienes

Havre de Grace

Pig in a Poke

You provided the taxpayers a sterling example of government waste in your May 1 article, "County hopes to flatten old Carey Tire building." The county purchased the former Carey Tire Company building last year from a developer for $466,500. Apparently, the county bought a pig in a poke.

A cursory inspection would have revealed buckling walls, rotting floors and a decaying roof. The cost for demolition is another $45,000 to $50,000. . . .

Councilwoman Joanne Parrott asked the $45,000 question when she asked the county to donate the building to the Bel Air Fire Department. This is a viable, frugal solution. The building could be used for pre-plan, search and rescue, tactical and live burn training.

At least if the fire department was allowed to use and raze the structure, some degree of benefit could be reaped from this bad seed. . . .

Steve Childers

Aberdeen