Sexual Profiling, Banking While Black

A south Boston school official who used the term "lynch mob" to describe a group of angry black parents has been labeled a racist and is facing demands for his resignation, reports the Enterprise.

Randolph, Mass., School Committee Chairman Ronald DiGuilio used the term in an April meeting in reference to a group of parents who said the achievement gap between black and white students was the district's fault and not theirs.

Minority groups in town have insisted that DiGuilio apologize or resign, but he has refused to back down.

David Harris Jr., co-chairman of the Randolph Fair Practices Committee (search), said the term has a negative connotation to people of color and should not be used in public.

Another New 'Profiling'

Police who responded to citizen complaints about being accosted and propositioned in a public restroom in Michigan with a sting that led to the arrest of a dozen men for criminal sexual conduct are being accused of "sexual profiling" and homophobia, reports the State News.

The Michigan State Police (search) posted undercover officers in a public restroom on northbound U.S. 127 near Holt following complaints that "people were doing gross things" in the bathroom.

But gay activists said the timing of the sting, immediately preceding Pride Weekend, smacked of homophobia. Sean Kosofsky of the Triangle Foundation (search) called the operation a deliberate attack against homosexuals.

"It is illegal profiling behavior and an attempt to fabricate a problem," he said. "It's like, if you're gay and using a rest area, you are there for sex."

That's Just So ...

The New York Daily News' Lloyd Grove reports that teen actress Lindsay Lohan (search) is in trouble with advocates for the mentally disabled for her wanton use of the term "retarded" to describe something ridiculous or absurd.

The starlet was informed by the ARC of the United States, a group that claims to be "the nation's largest group devoted to issues concerning people with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities," that "there are few more deeply wounding words than these, which are painful reminders that people with disabilities are still not fully welcome in our society."

Lohan has used the expression for everything from rumors of breast implants ("That's retarded") to a spat with Hilary Duff (search) ("retarded") to an unpleasant encounter with paparazzi ("So retarded!").

Banking While Black

A bank branch on the high-crime south side of Chicago is accused of being racist because it requires customers to go through a metal detector on their way into the building, reports ABC7.

Protesters are demanding an apology and that the magnetometer be removed from the Bank One branch at 81st and South Cottage Grove.

The Rev. Michael Pleger of Saint Sabina Catholic Church called the situation, "pure racism, racial profiling, black while banking, it's stereotyping, it's sending every negative message you can send."

State Sen. Jacqueline Collins agreed.

"When Bank One only enacts such restrictive access and displays such offensive signage within this African American community, then this policy becomes demeaning, disrespectful, and discriminating," she said.

Alarmed and Offended

A woman who recently moved to Florida described herself as "alarmed and offended" when, at a city council meeting she attended, a clergyman used the J-word during the opening invocation, reports the South-Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Caryl Berner, a New Yorker who moved to a retirement community in Deerfield Beach, Fla., two years ago, said the minister's use of the word "Jesus" was "a subtle form of bigotry" that offends people.

The city, however, defends the practice, saying people of all faiths are regularly invited to lead the nondenominational invocation. The Rev. Tony Farmer also defended the practice.

"The founding fathers weren't trying to keep religion out of government, they were trying to keep government out of religion," said Farmer. "Their desire was for freedom of religion, not freedom from religion."

Racism Everywhere

Two billboards in Michigan decrying the rate of abortion within the African American community are being criticized as racist because they feature the image of a black baby, reports the Flint Journal.

The billboards in Flint were put up across the street from abortion clinics and feature messages calling abortion the "No. 1 killer of African Americans."

Angela Lee, program director for Flint Area Citizens to End Racism, said there were some "concerns" in the community about the campaign. "There were those who thought the image of the black baby on the billboards is the root of racism," she said.

For more doses of politically correct nuttiness, head on over the TongueTied daily edition.

Mailbag:

Donald K. writes:

I was a college student in the late 1960s, and distinctly remember how radical student organizations moaned and whined that the Nixon administration was leading the country towards the Orwellian future described in "1984."

The irony is that the very people, and those who have followed them, who decried the direction of the country in those years have succeeded in bringing about that very future ... but on their own terms.

Indeed, we now have NewSpeak (politically correct speech) and OldSpeak (now often mischaracterized as hate speech). Furthermore, the speech police are out in force, as documented in this column on a weekly basis.

Steven F. writes:

I am a bit tired of hearing about people from other countries attending American schools and then demanding that we conform to their standards of society. I believe the appropriate expression is "When in Rome...".

In Western European culture, eye contact and a firm handshake are considered essential to good business relationships. This is simply a fact. If you don't like it, do business somewhere else. But wait! Many other countries are, in the interests of international business, practicing eye contact and a firm handshake!

Woe upon them, for being so culturally insensitive to this young woman's needs! Bah.

At the most, the speaker should have been made to caveat his statement with "in Western European business circles...".

Stephen L. writes:

It galls me that someone like Al Franken, a former "comedian," can get away with saying such hateful things by simply passing it off as a "joke." Of course he had to apologize to those born with those afflictions, but did he apologize to Sean Hannity as well for the hateful comments? I'll bet not.

Grant C. in Myrtle Beach, S.C., writes:

Must be hard (for Al Franken) to run a funny talk show when his intended audience has no sense of humor.

Guy M. writes:

The English Muslims on Education policy document is a perfect example of egregious demands made by many special interest groups.

Imagine the reaction of the authors (and other PC liberals) if the state school system also established rooms for Christian prayer and included Christian faith classes in its curriculum. I can only hope that the school system executives reject PC demands that cater to the whims of one group in a fashion that will not be allowed for another group.

There will never be equality and respect for all humans as long as there are special interest considerations and vocal minority groups of any kind.  Such considerations and groups will never permit the realization of "all (persons) are created equal."

Chris W. in Massachusetts writes:

Where do people get the idea that they can destroy a majestic animal like black bears or other species without a license, out of season, or on the endangered list, and then call the men and women dedicated to wildlife population management racist because they got caught?

I've seen animals starve due to over population and not enough food. Wildlife management is a very good thing-- along with the safety of the bears in this case, in and out of season. I say, as punishment, lets hunt the people dealing in black bear parts or other animals and see how they like it. I'm sure there are people in need of a heart, lungs, eyes, kidneys.

Judy L. writes:

I'm originally from the U.K. and now a U.S. citizen. I've lived here for nearly 14 years and I'm just wondering when my right to free speech starts. It seems that I am unable to make any type of joke about anyone who is not a white, female, 48-year-old U.K. expat. I can't even truly tell blonde jokes because mine comes with chemical assistance. I can't discuss any religion or race unless I agree with them. I'm not entitled to my own opinion in fear that my liberal friends tell me "you just don't know the facts".

When I first moved over here I thought that political correctness had run amok and the pendulum would swing back. Now it disturbs me to see that not only is it getting worse in the U.S., folks in the U.K. are jumping on the bandwagon. Has the whole of the civilized world lost it's marbles?

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