In Defense Of Prejudice Analysis
Kasey Cotner
Ms. Nguyen
English 1301
3/2/2014
The fear of Prejudice: new era witch trials
Jonathon Rauch’s “In Defense of Prejudice” is an unconventional standpoint on a sensitive subject. He states that by attempting to protect people of certain races from discrimination is a violation of our right to free speech. Rauch is a gay and Jewish author, which would make it quite apparent that he has dealt with prejudice in his life. He says that prejudices are a certainty that is hard-wired into our DNA as human beings. Rauch calls the activists for the elimination of oppressive words purists, and pronounces they only make the words more powerful. He cites examples of people like college professors losing their jobs over inadvertent and …show more content…
If you truly want to eliminate a word, don’t even flinch at its sound. Words are only as strong as we make them, and if we pay no attention to them they will die. Trying to eliminate prejudice simply means we will use the prejudice of the people in charge. Accusing someone of prejudice is to admit to it yourself. Rauch says all we do is pin prejudice against prejudice, which I also believe, and actually it strengthens our society. Totalitarian states have successfully eliminated prejudice by eliminating free speech and implementing guidelines on what is and isn’t justifiable speech. Unfortunately people, who live in a free country like America, have to suffer from alternate opinions. As Rauch declares in the article we should not attempt to eliminate prejudice because the racists of the world will just quietly stew in a pit of hate. Instead we allow these people to come out and back up their prejudice on an intellectual …show more content…
Now it has gone to an extreme degree that I don’t believe the people who conceived the notion could have imagined. In the modern era a label like “racist” or “sexist” can destroy a persons good name quicker than they can give an explanation. Public figures have to go to extreme lengths to avoid any appearance of non-political correctness as to avoid figurative crucifixion by the media. Even one statement taken out of context can destroy a politician’s career. Much like the Salem witch trials or McCarthyism once one has gotten the label of “racist” it is almost impossible to remove. It has got so bad that most feel to timid to ask about other cultural background; therein, creating walls between us as human beings. Censorship due to political correctness is basically silencing differing viewpoints and forcing us to nervously tip toe around every word we utter, which holds us back from conversing with our peers about their diverse cultural background out of the constant terror that something we say might be taken out of
Ms. Nguyen
English 1301
3/2/2014
The fear of Prejudice: new era witch trials
Jonathon Rauch’s “In Defense of Prejudice” is an unconventional standpoint on a sensitive subject. He states that by attempting to protect people of certain races from discrimination is a violation of our right to free speech. Rauch is a gay and Jewish author, which would make it quite apparent that he has dealt with prejudice in his life. He says that prejudices are a certainty that is hard-wired into our DNA as human beings. Rauch calls the activists for the elimination of oppressive words purists, and pronounces they only make the words more powerful. He cites examples of people like college professors losing their jobs over inadvertent and …show more content…
If you truly want to eliminate a word, don’t even flinch at its sound. Words are only as strong as we make them, and if we pay no attention to them they will die. Trying to eliminate prejudice simply means we will use the prejudice of the people in charge. Accusing someone of prejudice is to admit to it yourself. Rauch says all we do is pin prejudice against prejudice, which I also believe, and actually it strengthens our society. Totalitarian states have successfully eliminated prejudice by eliminating free speech and implementing guidelines on what is and isn’t justifiable speech. Unfortunately people, who live in a free country like America, have to suffer from alternate opinions. As Rauch declares in the article we should not attempt to eliminate prejudice because the racists of the world will just quietly stew in a pit of hate. Instead we allow these people to come out and back up their prejudice on an intellectual …show more content…
Now it has gone to an extreme degree that I don’t believe the people who conceived the notion could have imagined. In the modern era a label like “racist” or “sexist” can destroy a persons good name quicker than they can give an explanation. Public figures have to go to extreme lengths to avoid any appearance of non-political correctness as to avoid figurative crucifixion by the media. Even one statement taken out of context can destroy a politician’s career. Much like the Salem witch trials or McCarthyism once one has gotten the label of “racist” it is almost impossible to remove. It has got so bad that most feel to timid to ask about other cultural background; therein, creating walls between us as human beings. Censorship due to political correctness is basically silencing differing viewpoints and forcing us to nervously tip toe around every word we utter, which holds us back from conversing with our peers about their diverse cultural background out of the constant terror that something we say might be taken out of