Being PC

I'm a liberal, not so much because I doubt the free market, not so much because I believe in universal health care, not so much because of the enviornment, but  because of politicial correctness. As awkward as it may be, it at least demonstrates an attempt to see the world through another lense. This is a daunting task, and failing at it is so much more honorable than not even trying. Maybe you never quite get there, but it holds out a hope for your children, that unreflective, false symetry does not. Conservatives got away with this game for years. The luxury of being the majority in a democracy is the right to act like other people don't exist. But the world is changing around them and Birnam Wood is on the march.

This quote by Ta-Nehesi Coates captures part of why I prefer being a liberal to being a conservative.  I can never deny that at times I exhibit not-so-PC or stereotypical remarks.  I'm certainly not perfect.  But I hope that when I do, people will call me on my remarks and help me to become a better person.

A personal experience: I have been looking for housing recently, and I've discovered that Philadelphia is hugely segregated - both by class and by race - the two are more often connected than not.  So I'm living in a very liminal area of Philly, and a relative was around recently.  She stayed in a hotel on Rittenhouse, and she said that she wasn't happy with where I am now - but that she wanted me near Rittenhouse...it was so much more beautiful, so much more white.

I was made exceedingly uncomfortable by this comment, and I can only hope that she doesn't fully believe the comment - I know she respects and is friends with people of color - this connection facilitated by their similarity in class.  But I hope that I will never be so unaware of how to speak respectfully of people that I will let a comment like that out of my mouth without thought.