Political correctness- a desire and a policy to avoid offending someone. You can find it anywhere, within all levels of government, in the workplace, places of worship, and schools (including colleges and universities). And not only do these places (and others) implement politically correct policies, some adopt policies that go beyond being politically correct.
Recently, the Kappa Delta Epsilon sorority at Dartmouth College has become the latest organization to embrace political correctness. After receiving complaints from the Black Lives Matter group, the sorority has decided to do away with its Kentucky Derby party. Why? Because Black Lives Matter has convinced them that the Kentucky Derby is racist, is reflective of the antebellum era (a.k.a. the Old South, which is the period of Southern history prior to the Civil War), as well as promoting genocide and police brutality.
What a load of hogwash.
First of all, the Kentucky Derby started in 1875, ten years after the Civil War ended. Hence, it is a product of the New South, not the Old South, and had nothing to do with slavery.
Second, the Kentucky Derby is not racist. People of all races, ethnicities, etc. take an interest in the race, whether it be just watching it on television, going to Churchill Downs to watch the event in person, and perhaps even betting on it. And Kentucky’s state song, “My Old Kentucky Home” (which is played prior to the start of the Kentucky Derby), has enacted a politically correct change in one of its verses, replacing “darkies” with “people”, hence the line “this summer, the people are gay” (“gay” referring to happy as opposed to homosexual), as well as “people” replacing “darkies” in two other lines of the song’s original version.
Third, the Kentucky Derby (and the horseracing industry for that matter) have never engaged in, nor have they ever promoted genocide. I challenge Black Lives Matter to produce hard evidence to the contrary.
Fourth, the Kentucky Derby (and the horseracing industry for that matter) have engaged in, nor have they ever promoted police brutality. Again, I challenge Black Lives Matter to produce hard evidence to the contrary.
Black Lives Matter, formed in 2013 in the aftermath of the George Zimmerman trial (who was acquitted in the shooting death of Treyvon Martin) and made its presence known following other shootings, has apparently decided to expand its agenda, in this case targeting a Southern tradition. Which brings us to the next question: does Black Lives Matter consider everything Southern to be racist, despite the fact that race relations have improved significantly over the past fifty years?
Only time will tell.
Image: Derby Day via photopin (license)
