Do you think that Poltical Correctness is against the First Amendment?

From what I understand, free speech (which has never been absolute it's never been say whatever you want whenever you want) is about what the government isn't allowed to prevent. It doesn't say individual people can't be offended by what you say. If you come into my home, I have a right to say you can't say certain things. Or, if you post on someone else's blog or website and they have rules of what can be said, they're not infringing on your rights of free speech. Your freedom says in your own home or your own blog or even in a public place, you can be as politically incorrect as you please. Basically, if we're just talking about "calling a spade a spade" as you say, the government doesn't have the right to stop you. Political correctness is not a law. People practice it to an extent (probably not the extent you think - I've never used the term "vertically challenged") because of how language changes, or because of their understanding of common courtesy. Not because they don't have the freedom not to do so. I just did a quick fly by reading of free speech and the first amendment, so any other poster who finds that I've gotten something factually wrong, please point it out.

There is a difference between PC, purposely offending, and calling a spade a spade. PC goes overboard quite often but in general is around to keep the peace. useing words like mentally challenged and retarded to purposely offend someone is more personal issue and will cover that later. The calling a spade a spade thing is ok as long as u can prove its a spade. These are far less 1st admendment issue and more moral and ethical issues. I dont know about you about I stopped calling people names in elementry school. Over the years terms change because we realise they don't actually fit. Its kind of funny you used mentally challenged as an example of a pc term when its actually gone out the door. Todays prefered term is person that experinces a devolopemental disability. overall best to not look at some and see the differences from ones self but rather see them. instead of saying that vertically challenged person over there say jimmy is over there. Its kind of funny PC is to make labels less offensive yet how can it not be offensive if you are still labeling someone. Would ur rather be known as bugsey or that 40 years old athiest on mylot?

Being politically correct is a cultural issue not a governmental one. So, I don't think that it is really an affront to free speech as long as you are not threatening anyone. Because it is a social issue, you don't have to be politically correct if you don't want to; however, society frequently "punishes" people who don't follow its rules by ostracizing them. If you offend people they wont want to be around you, but once again that is your choice and theirs, nobody will force you either way.