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Read other letters about this article
But I would love to take on the issue of political correctness. And you're right by the way that I can't judge you as a person as sexist--and I did not. I can judge your actions the way that I see them. Using historically sexist language is not okay in describing a woman whether you like her or not. Disagree with me that your actions were sexist if you will. It's our right as Americans to disagree on absolutely anything under the sun, including this.
But as for political correctness--you have no right to judge what I do or do not do to change the world. I've been a teacher for two years of my life--and at that time I came to the issue of political correctness and scratched my head. The problem with something being politically correct is that it only scratches the surface--if we only use the right words does it mean that we are free from prejudice or "sin"? No--not by a long shot.
However, how do we dig deeper into our society and create a civil society of equals? How do we do this? Clinton's campaign transcended gender--obama's campaign seeks to transcend race--. If we only change the words we use to describe people, and yet we still have the underlying belief that they are not equals--then is society different? Maybe not...
So I propose to go deeper than not using sexist language...why not try to see that Maureen Dowd may be an ass, a donkey's behind, or any other number or worthy insults in your mind, but calling her (or imagining her) as a twat is not okay.
It's not okay because that term makes her not your equal on a very deep and basic level. You are referring to her by her sex organ. You can argue all day, but this isn't about identity politics for me or about so called correctness. It's about equality and justice, and by the way, I'd also like to have equal pay for equal work. And to be judged by the content of my character and not my number of x or y chromosomes. This is America, buddy, if you have a problem with that, take it to the founders of our country who wrote our constitution with such rhetorical flourishes that we are actually moving closer to a more perfect union where people are judged not by the color of the skin, or the shape of their sex organs, but by the content of their characters.
If you want to keep on arguing with me about how calling a woman a twat is not in any way sexist, I can keep arguing with you all day and night as well. If you check my letter history, you'll see I don't mind a good argument or two. It keeps me awake, alert, and proud to be an American.
cheers.
