The next one on that slippery slope could be you

By Chris Lundstrom

Publisher

Many events in the news drive me crazy. I have stopped watching a lot of it because it makes me feel helpless and that isn’t a good feeling. 

However, last week Donald Sterling, the owner of NBA team the Clippers has come under fire (heck, they threw the whole fiery furnace at him!) for remarks he made to a “trusted friend” who taped his conversation without his knowledge and released it to a news source known for gossipy coverage.

The remarks were racially derogative in nature and provided fodder for TMZ to use to inflame public opinion against Sterling. Judgement came down on Sterling quickly, he was banned for life from attending NBA games or practices, stepping foot inside any Clippers’ facility, taking part in business or personal decisions, or having a role in league activities such as attending NBA Board of Governors meetings. 

Now I am not going to weigh in on the substance of Sterling’s words, everyone has their own opinions and the world is definitely a different place from when Sterling was born and raised. Things that were normal for the times have become politically incorrect since. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban expressed his concern about the NBA setting a precedent. “I think you've got to be very, very careful when you start making blanket statements about what people say and think, as opposed to what they do,” Cuban is reported as saying. “It's a very, very slippery slope.” Well, I am concerned as well. This may very well be the slippery slope we find ourselves on and we can end up with mud on our faces for something we said that was never meant to be made public. 

My concern is this – for all those who sanctimoniously sit on the judgement throne as speech police, be on guard because the noose of morality may be around your neck before you know it. For you see, none of us – NONE OF US – have never said an ugly word about someone else. That’s right, none of us has NEVER said an ugly word about someone else.

Oftentimes it is said in private, perhaps with family members or friends, but with trust that it won’t be repeated or heaven-forbid recorded to replayed in public to embarrass us. 

We have become a “kinder, gentler nation” over the years, but we have also become a two-faced judgemental nation as well.

There are so many ugly things that can be said about people. Things that are meant to hurt like arrows to the heart. In my short life I have seen a trend to take the cause of the moment and condemn anyone guilty of that now-named sin.

Are you or were you a smoker? Shame on you for polluting the atmosphere and killing us all with your second-hand smoke! You are clogging up our healthcare system with your diseases you brought on yourself! Smokers were and to a great extent remain a pariah in society because of their supposed weakness and disregard for public health.

Are you overweight? Shame on you for being so weak and fat and ugly! Are you really going to eat all that? You are also clogging up our healthcare system with your diseases you brought on yourself because you can’t control your eating. New York City even tried passing a law banning large sugary drinks to help us from getting fatter. Food police anyone? 

So we now have food police, air police, speech police...what is next, thought police? This may seem extreme, but believe me, folks, I have seen crazier things happen. I call it the “Cause of the Week.” We are all so anxious to be deemed politically correct that we take up any cause – no matter how stupid it is as long as it is popular – and condemn anyone guilty of not believing, feeling, or acting the same way.

No, I am not going to defend or condemn what Sterling said. He has a right to his own opinions whether I agree with him or not. We all have the right to our own opinions. That’s right, I said it. We have the right to our own opinions whether society agrees with them or not. And I reserve the right to say them without someone illegally taping my conversation and playing it to my detriment.

The America I love is free. Free from oppression of anyone – and that includes those who don’t agree with everybody else. The next time you hear someone say something that you deem to be “politically incorrect”, please just smile at them and keep on walking. The next one who may be judged could be you.