Light and Dark
Light & Dark
“Political Correctness” may be annoying at times, but it helps to maintain a civil discourse. It keeps things nice. There’s a reason the term includes the word “Political” because the term extends beyond those running for and those already in office, but to its root word “politic”. Look up a few synonyms for politic and you will find tactful diplomatic prudent wise discreet. People who are running for political office have to be all of these and more. A Freudian slip that allows them to “misspeak” as in, “Barney fag….er Frank,” can often reveal the inner workings of the speaker’s mind. How many politicians were undone by one slip. Backpedal all you want, once that cow’s out of barn, you’re done, finished.
That’s why the campaigns of Donald Trump and Ben Carson are so…different. They aren’t afraid of speaking their minds at all, and allow whatever mean-spirited, ignorant thought that comes to mind. In Trump’s case his statements are carefully tailored, calculated to appeal to a segment of the population that is poorly informed, poorly educated, poorly humanized. They respond to mob mentality, to the deepest prejudices, to the darkest sides of human nature. Anti-gay, anti-minority, anti-immigrant, anti-poor, they seek someone else to blame for their own failures and misfortunes, and they rally around the “leaders” who fan the flames of their baser emotions. Hitler did it with the Jewish people in WWII. And now Trump and Carson are exploiting the masses for “political”gain. While Trump is more calculating (he’s had plenty of time to perfect his craft), Carson spent the bulk of his career helping others in his role as a pediatric neurosurgeon. Carson, to use a word familiar with Chris Rock fans, is just “ignent.” He may have been a brilliant physician, but his grasp on humanity has slipped considerably as he holds some of the most abhorrent positions on race and sexuality.
Calculating or Ignorant, the result is still the same, intelligent men using their brilliant minds to exploit the masses for personal gain at the expense of civil discourse and the betterment of this great nation.