Call the thought police

I really struggle with this one. On the one hand, somewhere in my psyche I can really understand where the detractors are coming from. In these PC times, not only are you not allowed to make fun of any "minority", you're not even allowed to let slip anything that remotely sounds like mirth about said minorities. Especially if you're the President of the United States.

But on the other hand, I think this is an example of how dangerously sensitive everyone has become. It is now only permissible to make fun of middle-class, employed, white males. Anybody outside of that demographic is out of bounds.

Minority groups have labels, often derogatory, for those who are not of their own persuasion. Gays can knock straights until the cows come home, but god forbid somebody straight says - or even thinks - anything remotely homophobic. The thought police are on their doorstep quick smart. Ethnic minorities can say whatever they like about whites, no matter how defamatory, and can discuss openly and hatefully their history. But woe betide paleskins who remind Maoris or Asians, or African Americans of their own unsavoury history.

There was a Maori woman, an academic I want to say was Margaret Mutu, on TV ages ago, and I was stunned at her unrestrained re-definition of the word racism. She said it was discrimination based on race by those with enough authority to enforce it. And I thought OMG! She was on Eye to Eye so of course she went unchallenged. How pointless would it be to ever challenge a Maori woman on anything anyway? The race card would be out only slightly quicker than the gender card and then all discussion would halt.

So apparently it is not possible for Maoris to be racist. I wish I had known that when I was growing up in The Block (note the house in this article, number 36, is THE house I used to live in!). I would have felt much better about the daily - hourly - taunts and threats I received simply because I was pakeha. If I had known I was the one with all the authority I'm sure my childhood would have been much less terrifying and dangerous.

And I would have felt much less sensitive about the derogatory remarks I had thrown at me from the State houses as I walked to school or the dairy or my milk run.

Obama has been accused of being out of touch, because of his "special olympics" remark. I think it lets us know how NORMAL he is. He let slip that his thought processes are just like 99% of us who have not been corrupted by the PC virus. I have heard downs syndrome people make fun of "normal" people. But if Mutu's definition can cross demographic boundaries, it's perfectly okay.

Another example. It seems quite legitimate that Christians can be the targets of derision and hate, but don't dare make fun of Muslims.

Poor Obama had to call the Special Olympics guy from Air Force One, even before the Leno show aired. Give him credit for being pro-active on that, I guess.