When is being politically correct hurting not helping?

I actually think that the more people talk about issues such as racism or sexism, the worse they're going to become. Simply by talking about the differences (if any) between races, people are making the problems even worse when there might not have been any before. There has been a comedy show on in the UK starring a dwarf actor, and there are a lot of jokes about dwarves. There have been hundreds of complaints to the show but, strangely, none from the group that are being joked about which just shows that this country are so scared about being PC that they make things much worse than they actually are in the first place!

The more our children are allowed to learn about other cultures, the more tolerant and accepting they will be as adults. If we don't permit our children to see the differences they will only learn one way of doing everything and that might not necessarily help anyone! Soon, if we are not careful, we will neglect to do the right thing because we are so afraid of doing the wrong thing!

You also cannot "sit Indian style" and the Little Black Sambo story is not okay, or Bre'r Rabbit. It just gets more and more complicated. I know at Head Start we did not do Santa as we did not want the kids to get all hyper and over excited.

When did they outlaw Santa? I can see them outlawing Jesus (not that I agree with it!) but Santa has nothing to do with religion at all. As fir "Indian" that song should remain off the table until Indian starts meaning a person from India, and not a native American. However, the problem we're having here is whether the tree in the square is called a Christmas Tree or a Holiday Tree. It's been a Christmas tree since Queen Victoria started the tradition in England, and long before. I know it came in long before the Queen started it, but that was when the English came to know this tradition, and it was called a Christmas tree!

I don't think there is any problem with the Ten Little Indians. However, Santa Claus is another story. It is not so much that many Americans go along with "Santa" (who is a Catholic saint - Saint Nicholas) as the fact that they ignore all the other holidays that are taking place during the same time - Yule, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and many others. If the schools would cover ALL of these other holidays and give "Santa" and Christmas no more emphasis than any of the others - it would not be a problem. But, many Americans forget that Christmas is NOT the only holiday taking place this time of year (and, that is primarily based on commercial sales and the media). We occasionally will see a show on TV that features Hanukah; but, when is the last time you watched a show about Kwanzaa, Bodhi Day, Ashura, Las Posadas, or any of the other holiday celibrations that take place in December each year? And no, you cannot separate Santa from Christmas - Christmas is not Christmas without Santa and Santa is nothing without Christmas - the two are inseparable!

Okay, I can completely understand not talking about the birth of Jesus in school when it comes to Christmas. However, I feel like using Santa at school is not harmful at all because the way I see it as an adult, the story of Santa Claus represents good will and charity toward others. There is no harm at all in this, especially considering the fact that there are so many people today that need a little bit of help that might have never had to ask for help before the repression.

I agree with you. There is too much interference. I think educational institutions not just in States, but even here in India, in name of school discipline exceed their brief. Of course it is done with political patronage. I think some people in charge of such institutions like some political leaders of ours have hidden agendas and are in business of dictating what is best for us and our kids, which is quite wrong. Yes, we must respect all cultures and traditions and not hurt any community sentiments. But, we also need to respect child's right to know, learn and enjoy different customs and cultures. Singing native Indian songs, playing Santa sound so cool, innocent and fun to me :) We can only hope saner elements in civil society and vigilant media raises public awareness on such imp issues and something is done so our children are taught better, and we have more inclusive society.

It's stupid. Society has become unbearably politically correct.

I agree with you fully that this developments are senseless. In fact, I believe that singing the Indian song is good because, it helps to remind the growing up kids that once, the Americas were ruled by the American Indians. So historically, it is a good booster. The kids with eager minds will always ask as to what Americans Indians were like and why are they singing this song. As for the santa thing, perhaps those people who has banned it need some explaining to do through the television and the newspapers. Also, they have to hear the minds of the countrymen as regards this matter. Santa is only tradition but, it sounds good enough to see him around us once in a while. Anytime of the year in fact not only during the holidays.

Something out of nothing is the key. Can't raise any eyebrows. Well, I say to heck with these squeaky clean people. I think children should be allowed to hear all aspectws too and choose for themselves. I will wager that if the parents don't make a big thing out of it the kids won't either.

If progressive culture had its way, they would take away any reference to any race or gender, all competitive sports, and even the idea of "learning" and replace it with a gold star for everyone. This culture would have every child use the same unisex bathrooms and locker rooms. Kids wouldn't learn anything in this environment. In fact, what the heck am I talking about. Public schools are already halfway there. A huge chunk of kids are failing due to the insanity of new standards where kids are expected to be compassionate little creatures and not sponges absorbing knowledge. Fortunately, this is not causing harm that good parenting can't correct. You can explain to your child that the "ten little Indians" song is fun, not offensive, and that people are just too high-strung to allow stuff like that. But there are real instances of political correctness hurting people badly; taking lives in some cases. Because some high-ups in America's armed forces in no way wanted to be the ones who told a "Muslim" man that he could not serve, Nidal Hasan, and his anti-American, jihad attitude about killing infidels and submitting to Sharia, was allowed to continue serving until he finally opened fire and slaughtered dozens. Political correctness removed, they would have judged him as a HUMAN BEING and found him incompetent and dangerous. Instead, in the ironic interest of being politically "correct," they only judged him by the fact he is a Muslim, thereby conceding that it was wrong to judge ANY Muslim, and the end result was a terrorist attack that was painfully preventable. Hopefully schools never become this insanely politically correct! My local school is entertaining taking football practice off school grounds because it's too "violent" (which is the first step in ultimately getting rid of it). I'm not sure how they're dealing with holidays. But most schools seem to be very open to international holidays, just not American ones. Go figure.

Perhaps a better approach would be instead of "banning" every little thing to use the song and Santa as a springboard to teaching and discussion. Where does this song come from, and what does it mean? Who is Santa? Where does he come from? What does it mean? How different is the modern, commercialised image of Santa from the original? What other traditions are there from cultures around the world. Surely expanding the kids' knowledge and education is the best way to avoid prejudice, ignorance and intolerance?

For me yes it is the way the life would be it is okay you follow what your responsibility would be in your child.

I agree that in some aspects being politicaly correct is not helping. But there are some reasons for some protests. Ten Little Indians was a slight on Indians. It was bad enough to take their lands. Then to slap them in the face with this poem which was used in Minstral shows is rubbing it in too much. In the first poem, all the Indians are "kicking the bucket" in some way and some of them are drunk (toddling, etc.). So the political oorrectness is knocking the origin of the poem. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Little_Indians It's like when as a lad I used the word squaw when I played cowboys and Indians. Now I know what squaw means and am shamed by it. In the some aspects where being politically correct is hurting is, I agree, the Santa example. They've gone from taking away Jesus in schools to outlawing Santa who is actually doing what God does, so maybe that's why they don't want Santa in schools. I'm sort of shocked that they still allow Christmas vacation in schools. I hope I'm not giving any atheist any ideas.