True Grit: Winning the Hearts and Minds of Al-Qaida

Dr Culpepper,

Back in March you requested examples of the negative outcomes of political correctness. I haven't looked at my blog until today, the only people that were looking at it were my friends that couldn't care less about politics. Though your article you were writing at the time is for sure well done with, here are my thoughts none the less.

I have recently finished up my studies at the University of MN and majored in political science. In my intro to political science course my professor argued ,for what seemed to be an hour, minorities deserved affirmative action programs to be implemented by the Federal government with the standard politically correct argument in the liberal arts that we all know. 'To make up for past discrimination and equal the playing field.' Of course, the fact that affirmative action has been tried in many places around the globe and has failed every time was not mentioned. Whose anti-science now. Furthermore, one could easily argue that affirmative action programs do more to hurt the group they initially intend to help.

In 2003 during another political science course we had to break up into groups and discuss the probably Iraq War. I asked my group "When we go to war against Iraq who do you want to win?" All 6 of the student in my group gave me the standard hippi response "Maan, no one wins in war." The politically correct answer, however, a very dangerous one if our Executive branch held the same believe.

In another course that dealt with race we were exposed to a study that found that American's feel African Americans make up 50% crime, when in reality they make up 42% of crime. The study was supposed to prove that Americans are still racist, and everyone who opined supported that stance. Of course, when a social group that makes up 12% of the population commits 42% of a country's crime, it should be seen as a societal problem where leaders of the African American community need to stand up and say it is unacceptable. The outcome to this would help the community much more than Liberals justifying the statistics in the name of racism.

Anyway just some thoughts
Aaron

Dr. Culpepper, I think what you wrote is fantastic! I wish you would send replies to articles written by Townhall's "columnists" and quote paragraphs from your own pages. That might get some of them to see your articles and stimulate thought in both places.

We need more voices like yours in as many places as possible. I understand, though, that you have a family life and would never suggest that you make it less than your primary priority.

I'm a 60 year old male WASP with three grown sons. I retired from the Air Force in 1986 and from the Florida Dept. of Corrections in 2003 - only 7.5 yrs service there, it didn't take me long to have all the fun I could stand baby-sitting felons.

Respectfully, and with admiration,
Rickey Braddam