Sticks and Stones


The greatest threat to America is not terrorism, not foreign aggression, nor even exterior political subversion. For those areas, the country once under attack will unite like a mother bear protecting her cubs. The greatest threat, as Nikita Khrushchev pointed out in the 1960’s, is our vulnerability from within.

Today’s political correctness is threatening the fabric of the culture in the name of “sensitivity” toward every group and anyone who is offended by words that makes them victims. The sentimentality in their grievances complains of persecution in commentary which is often designed as humor. Much of the disintegration of lightheartedness has its underpinnings in the black community which refuses to advance beyond a stranglehold grip on the image of itself wronged by this country’s forced slavery of the past. There are whole cottage industries formed by famed black leaders whose livelihoods are dependent upon perpetrating the racism myth, instead of leading the advancement. Being a watchdog is one thing, but many leaders’ actual posture contributes to further demoralize a people who have already been set free; several times.

Slavery was abolished under President Lincoln nearly 150 years ago. A civil war was fought over the issue and thousands of people, most of them white, gave their lives to free blacks from bondage.

President Johnson over 40 years ago assured equal rights through a civil rights law which again guarantees equality. However, all this time later black leaders continue to permeate the idea that Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream lies unfulfilled. Much of society believes that blacks are as free as anyone else, yet within their own community people of color are constantly bombarded with prejudices that perpetuate the notion that they have not yet overcome!

The sensitivity issue in all sections of our diverse society rises from a lack of a sense of humor. The ability to laugh at oneself and make light of ones plight no matter how serious the issue is not only a long held coping mechanism, but it has proven to be vital to the vibrancy and health of the self, the community and the culture at large. In the past two decades many have lost their way and for many their very sense of humor.

When it matters to me or my race or my gender what someone says about us, especially in a joke format, then the world has tipped too much to one sensitive side. Humor eases the soul, and people who attempt to make constituents laugh at the sake of others do serve a function, despite what the insulted would have you believe. Still, those individuals devoid of a base sense of humor would have you think that every Polish joke is a slap against a great nation, every joke with a black as the punch line is a slur against a great race, and that any standard that they are insulted by should be offensive to all.

These folks are still in the minority of thought, but the country has kowtowed to their growing whines for the past 20 years, and it is time for those who find laughter in all situations to stand up and culturally body-slam their outrageous blanket victimization propaganda. It’s time to tell them to learn to laugh or shut up. The minority wagging its tongue loudly enough to control the majority is dangerous to institutional cultural norms, even in a compassionate country. Jokes, insults, stereotypes and concepts begin with words. At that, they are merely words until those without far reaching humor in their souls find in them insult fear and loathing. Its time to ease-up and realize that no one can be insulted if they are secure in their own skin. This group of cultural tyrants no longer finds truth in the youthful adage “sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me.” It is convenient to subvert such simple wisdom when agendas are cloaked beneath every sour action by those seeking the ultimate power at the center of their discontent. They desire to control other people with whom they disagree so that there is only one opinion in lock-step with their own.

People of humor speak the truth and don’t fear the name calling: those are just words. A thick skinned soul shrugs those words off with a laugh and focuses on finding the positive around them even within what some consider distasteful humor. They will even use controversial words to describe that forward thinking motion. It is not insulting. Complete freedom of speech is what elevates; as countless patriots have spilled a riover of blood for the right few other societies even respect. Those martyrs perish leaving us the right to even have opinions openly spoken without serious repercussion. It is what keeps Democracy head and shoulders above every other political and cultural system mankind has ever devised. Humor as an expression of that free exchange of ideas is uplifting to the majority, and they are laughing.