Lou Dobbs: Thought Police Banning Words in Schools at "Alarming Rate"

Newsmax.com ^ | 06-24-03 | Dobbs, Lou

[Theodore R.]

Dobbs: Schools Banning Words at 'Alarming Rate'

Political correctness has so infected the government schools that classroom textbooks are now vetted for bad words and phrases that may upset people.

Lou Dobbs reported Monday night on his CNN program that "the list of words and phrases now banned in American classrooms is rising at an alarming rate."

"You may be surprised" to find out the innocent words and phrases now being deemed inadmissible in a classroom, Dobbs said.

Dobbs' launch pad was author and education expert Diane Ravitch's new book, "The Language Police: How Pressure Groups Restrict What Students Learn."

Here are some examples from Ravitch's work:

"Anchorman" is a no go. Sorry, Lou, it's sexist!

Forget about mentioning "Adam and Eve." The P.C. crowd says it should be "Eve and Adam to demonstrate males do not take priority over females."

"Abnormal. Banned as demeaning to persons with disabilities."

Ravitch says the thought police at schoolbook publishers even issue "bias guidelines" to enforce their edicts.

Textbooks have been disinfected of such words as "actress or businessman or salesman, or founding fathers or brotherhood."

Ravitch explains that banned words and phrases are removed because, as the P.C. crowd argues, "these are either sexist words or age-biased words, or someone will find them offensive."

The thought police, according to Ravitch, have also been busy "rewriting classic literature, dropping phrases and words because there were words like 'God' that weren't allowed, even though it appeared in the works of Eli Wiesel, or Isaac Bashevis Singer."

One explanation for the growing censorship in the schoolbook publishing market: four publishing companies dominate 75 percent of the market.

[Theodore R.]

No matter how many Republicans or conservatives get elected, PC continues forward, forward, forward.

[ChocChipCookie]

The only reason CNN doesn't ban Lou Dobbs is because they're hoping that people watching him will think they're watching FoxNews.

[BenLurkin]

You mean we can be fired for saying the word "booger"?

[Conspiracy Guy]

People must get involved in their local PTO. Fight this revisionism by fighting the Nazi's publishing this crap. You will also have to fight the teacher's unions who tend to support the whole thing. Elected officials will not stop this because it's too low on the radar screen. Is it right that it's low? Heck no it is an assault at the very roots of our culture. The long term damage is insurmountable but the effects are already apparent.

[Lazamataz]

The P.C. crowd says it should be "Eve and Adam to demonstrate males do not take priority over females."

How about "Evade'em"?

[Lazamataz]

"1984" was not a prophetic fiction novel.

"1984" was a training manual for liberals.

[Maigrey]

Doublespeak, we are here!

[Dead Corpse]

You actually thought they wouldn't take the opportunity to pull their own varient of "blue-nose" crap?

[Dead Corpse]

Liberals first, and now the neo-cons who are adopting the liberal agenda at a record setting pace.

[Conspiracy Guy]

You've got that right. Maybe we should use Animal Farm as the counter Lib manual. Two legs bad four legs good. Or maybe we could use Animal House and put everyone on double secret probation.

[eastsider]

Lou Dobbs reported Monday night on his CNN program that "the list of words and phrases now banned in American classrooms is rising at an alarming rate."

That's so gay.

[BenLurkin]

"1984" was a training manual for liberals.

bttt

[drlevy88]

I suppose it could be called red-nose.

[AAABEST]

Here I was all this time thinking that it was "Animal Farm".

I guess what threw me off was their remarkable resemblence to swine.

[Pete]

Ravitch explains that banned words and phrases are removed because, as the P.C. crowd argues, "these are either sexist words or age-biased words, or someone will find them offensive."

I guess they don't care if anyone finds their removal of such words offensive.

We are really screwing up a whole generation.

[drlevy88]

Newspeak.

I know of a certain unnamed corporation that forbade the term "blacklist" because its demeaning use of the word "black" might be offensive to negros (african-americans, whatever).

[KE]

My sister didn't believe me when I told her that we can no longer say "SNOWMAN" ! It is now "SNOWPERSON"....How the heck am I going to be able to sing now. I'll be LOL just after I sing "Frosty the ......

Probaly the whole song will be banned from singing soon with this line: "We led him down the streets of town, right to the traffic cop....we only paused a moment when we heard him hollar STOP." oH, we're in trouble now - being Prejudice - stopping snowpersons now !!! (just a little of my nutty humor folks.)

There were a few post a while ago with a list of these words. Does anyone have the list ?

thanks, Karen

[johnb838]

Actually that would be 'Newspeak' a new language made to be more efficient by actually REDUCING the number of words in the language. Also protects the people by eliminating the possibility of speaking of asubject that violates the PC orthodoxy. For example there would be no such word as 'steal' or 'thief' in Newspeak because the thought precedes the crime. Therefore, both of those words would be covered under the single word 'crimethink'.

What you're speaking of is 'doublethink' a method of thinking that enables the thinker to hold diametrically opposed points of view simultaneously, to believe in both to the depths of their being, and to be able to drop either one or both the minute it no longer becomes useful, not remembering at all that 10 minutes ago it was the most deeply held conviction. Another commonly practiced liberal-communist tactic.

[Lady Eileen]

No matter how many Republicans or conservatives get elected, PC continues forward, forward, forward.

IMO if Christian men in this country would stand up for the truth...PC would come to an end.

[Gritty]

As long as Liberals control the language, America will continue her decline.

Electing conservative politicians does little good in the long run.