I would have to agree with Larissa on this one. I grew up with compulsory prayer in schools - and let me tell you, being physically FORCED to pray to a God that has nothing to do with your religion is very oppressive and made me feel terrible all throughout school. If I simply lowered my head quietly in respect for those praying around me, the prayer would not continue until EVERYONE had put their hands together and joined in - the Headmaster who was leading the prayer in an assembly one day at school actually humiliated me in front of the entire body of students and faculty because I wouldn't put my hands together. That's not a case of political correctness - that's tyranny.
That aside, however, I do agree with you about Political Correctness as a whole. As an English Language student, we are constantly being informed of the numerous words and phrases being replaced for less "offensive" versions. What I question is - who are these phrases offensive to?! An example is the phrase "brain storm" - now, obviously, this term is used to describe a chart of thoughts or ideas around a central theme. This term has been used for well over a decade with no problems. Now we are told that "brain storm" is being replaced by the phrase "thought umbrella" because it was thought that "brain storm" could be offensive to students who suffer from epileptic fits.
Where does it stop? Whilst I agree that racist, bigotted and profane language should be regulated and banned in public forum, you can't go round banning every phrase that upsets one individual or we won't have any words left! Language is one of the only outlets for most people to express themselves, and if you restrict that too harshly, you're taking away a basic freedom, the same as if you take away a person's right to celebrate a traditional custom or holiday.
We don't need Political Correctness, we need Common Sense.
