S www.theotherpress.ca

 

minutes later, a student
came in, talking on his
cell phone as if he was
the only creature on
earth. He turned ona
computer and started
watching videos on
YouTube. His voice got
louder, and he never
hung up, so I left. What
he was doing there if
he didn’t want to study
isn’t my business, but his
behavior interrupted my
study.

Something very
similar also happened
to me at the start of the
year. I was in the smaller

    

room on the main level
of the library when a
guy sat next to me. He
was watching videos
and suddenly started to
sing—loudly.

I believe it’s really
important to socialize
because life’s not just
about studying. I really
love to spend time with
my friends and when I
meet them by chance in
one of the study places,
I talk to them quickly,
arrange some talk for
later, and move on. Am I
unreasonable?

Political correctness

Fecally plenary

By Eric Wilkins,
Staff Writer

| pene correctness
is differently-abled
(I swear my computer
just autocorrected that).
Everyone is always afraid
of offending anyone.
Recently popping up in
e news was that the
University of Winnipeg
is looking at renaming its
sports teams; apparently
the “Wesmen” is too
gender exclusive. The
university has had
the name for decades,
both for men and for
women. There’s a strong
attachment to the name
from the university’s
current students and
alumni and there’s

obviously meaningful
history associated with
it too. But the top brass
are considering a name
change because they
think it upsets the fairer
race? Should the province
be renamed Personitoba?
Judging by the number of
females at the university
who have also spoken
out against the potential
name change, I think I
can safely assume I’m not
just a blind, insensitive
male in this situation.

But sports teams
changing their names
is nothing new. Every
single possibly offensive
term is slowly being
weeded out. Arkansas
State University used to
be known athletically
as the “Indians.” Now?
They’re the Red Wolves.
Same thing happened

UNIVERSITY

   

at Oklahoma City
University; what was
formerly the “Chiefs”

is now the “Stars.” It’s
examples like these

that make me want to
walk out into society
and scream sexist and
racist obscenities just to
balance out the extreme
oversensitivity. I fail

to see anything wrong
with being called the
“Indians.” There’s no
mention of colour, which
seems to be the most
popular complaint from
minorities, and there’s
nothing added to the
term that is insulting. If
a team were called the
“Red and Bloodthirsty
Indians” then I could see
a real problem arising.
But it doesn’t seem

like any team has ever
been so inappropriately

OF WINNIPEG

Opinions

named.

Why are some
minorities singled out as
opposed to others? Notre
Dame has always been
the “Fighting Irish,” but
isn’t that disrespectful
towards the Irish? The
University of North
Dakota was forced to
change its name from the
“Fighting Sioux” a few
years back (a name many
North American Indians
fought to keep), and I’m
seeing a slight similarity
between the names.

Is it because North
Americans are originally
from Britain that the
continent continued the
everlasting beat down
on the Leprechauns?
What about the Montreal
Canadiens? Seems like a
blatant disregard for our
nation within a nation’s

 

Photo courtesy of Pink Sherbet Photography

feelings, doesn’t it?
Sexism and racism
are, if the previous
examples prove
anything, selective when
it comes to being PC.
The term “stewardess”
is considered sexist, and
has been phased out
and replaced by “flight
attendant.” However, this
wasn’t done to preserve
the dignity of those males
who assist passengers
on planes; it was to erase
the image that flight
attendants were always
female and always there
to serve you. How come
women get to play with
a double-headed nickel?
If you’re going to be
politically correct, at least
be consistent about it.

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