Speaking mind, not speaking wise

America’s politically incorrect joke

Republican+presidential+candidates+Ben+Carson+and+Donald+Trump+grasped+hands+during+the+Sept.+16+GOP+debate.+The+two+are+number+three+and+number+one+in+the+polls+respectively.+Carson+has+been+gaining+support+rapidly%2C+especially+after+he+stated+that+he+would+not+support+a+Muslim+president.

Photo credit MCT Photo.

Republican presidential candidates Ben Carson and Donald Trump grasped hands during the Sept. 16 GOP debate. The two are number three and number one in the polls respectively. Carson has been gaining support rapidly, especially after he stated that he would not support a Muslim president.

Recently, Republican candidate Ben Carson stated that he did not believe the United States should have a Muslim president, unless said Muslim rejects sharia law and vows to put the Constitution over their religion.

Clearly, these statements are insensitive to the hundreds of millions of Muslims living in the US, and when I heard about these statements, I was sure that Carson would face intense backlash and fall in the polls.

However, the exact opposite happened. Donations poured into his campaign after his remarks about Islam, and he is currently ranked third in the GOP polls.

According to CNN, Carson said,”American people, the majority of them, agree and they understand exactly what I am saying.”

And that is just the problem- the American people are tired of being politically correct, and are now excited when they see a candidate “speaking their mind.”

People can defend anything by saying that, even if those statements are inappropriate or, in the case of Carson’s competitor and leader in the GOP polls, Donald Trump, racist, misogynistic, or ignorant.

I once heard someone say that people should stop criticizing Trump because he only voices what everyone really believes inside.

I could not disagree more, but even if he and the American people truly believe that, for instance, women succeed based on their appearances, they should be upset about it. It should be considered a problem to be resolved, not some simple and irrevocable state of our society.

Junior Emma Traylor said “Just because we don’t say something doesn’t mean people don’t feel that way or it doesn’t exist. That’s just denial, and we’re pushing things under the rug. Isn’t it better to address these things?”

Our society has become more politically correct; there are more words you cannot say, more jokes you cannot make. But I think that those changes are for progress; people are more careful not to offend, and I think the less people there are hurt or offended the better.

Further, I want a president that sees problems and makes effective change, not one who sprouts offensive and superficial things to make headlines and make it so that their competitors have to stoop to their level to get attention.

Making comments like this does not make you brave, it makes you entertainment.

Sophomore Stephanie Hong said,” Donald Trump, I think, is more of an entertainment factor to the race; he’s like a celebrity that… everyone just enjoys talking about and criticizing.”

When I heard about Carson’s comment, thought there would be outrage. When I heard Trump was running, I thought people would just laugh him off.
The opposite has happened in both instances, but I am still optimistic enough to think that it is some kind of (politically incorrect) joke. Please, America, do not prove me wrong.

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Jenna Bao