Say Sorry, but not for this

Benedict Cumberbatch apologizing for using the phrase “coloured people” is as absurd as it gets. First of all, he was talking in the defence of black people who can’t find work in the industry as easily as white people. And if the term ‘black’ which is preferred to ‘coloured’ isn’t even more obnoxious a term, I don’t know what is.

I remember Oprah saying years ago that she found the ‘nigga’ used by coloured/black guys offensive and Terence Howard trying to convince her that the term ‘my nigga’ was a term of endearment. She wasn’t buying it. Like I don’t buy into the suffocating political correctness of the times we’re living in. You know what’s really offensive? That we see humans in terms of colour first, and their humanity or lack thereof, second. Be judgmental by all means, (is there a more loathsome lot than the people who say, “I’m not here to judge”? What are you here for, then? If I wanted a teapot for a friend who will only soothe and not speak the truth, I’d buy one), but judge others for their acts, not the phrases they use in speech or in books or in cartoons.

Speaking of which, this entire ‘free speech’ thingy is so depressing – because it depends entirely on who’s delivering it. In America, Seth Rogen and Michael Moore have been ostracized for saying ‘American Sniper’ sucked big time. If you read what Chris Kyle has written, and you don’t shudder, irrespective of class, creed and country of origin, you need a padded cell, my friend. In Texas, they have a Chris Kyle Day instead.

How does patriotism and dishonesty merge and so few see it happening? How can so few lack the courage to accept what is wrong with their country and try to fight against it, no matter how unpopular it makes you. Not even God occupies a place impregnable to criticism. Unless you follow a very strange God indeed. Then again, I follow @TheTweetOfGod and he does no wrong in my book, so mea culpa.

The dangerous thing when some lines blur is that the lone voices that attempt to be raised will be extinguished one by one, either through 50 lashes a week or by people saying after seeing ‘American Sniper’ that all they want to do is go out and kill as many ‘ragheads’ as they can find. Come to think of it, that's not patriotism, or dishonesty, it’s deep-seated neurosis.