Correct me if I'm wrong...
I can't deny that I've certainly benefited from the phenomenon, however political correctness nevertheless rankles me, though not for the usual reasons.

I'm bugged because the issue of PC somehow always seems to send us around the bend in pursuit of a red herring. It obfuscates issues. Can you say obfuscate? Just when we're about to delve deeply into cause and effect, we inevitably end up in a debate about how we phrased our arguments. This vexes me. Why does political correctness tend to prevent problem solving? If I didn't think I know better, I'd scream, "Conspiracy!"

As a writer, I certainly know the rules. One must. I obey them, too. But I must confess that I prefer open discussion. If we expect, someday, to be decision-makers, we have to learn that personal feelings have no part to play when we're addressing universal issues. When we entertain a forum for personal feelings every time PC rears its ugly head, we squander our precious time on issues ancillary to the real problems. Moreover, it patronizes the offended.

What we need is progress. I'm thinking that we should develop a work-around to the PC problem, particularly when we're discussing poverty issues. Perhaps we could learn to table the issue, and set aside a specific time to deal with it.

If we don't, we should keep in mind that the temptation is to exclude any source of discomfort. I'm talking about the very people most affected by conditions of poverty. If we limit the conversants to those who can't be hurt by incorrect phrasing, the poor have no input. Intentional or not, the effect is to keep the power out of the hands of the disfranchised, and in those of the usual suspects.

Am I wrong? Is political correctness not a fly in the ointment? We have to be able to get to the issues if we're to be effective.

On solving poverty
And while we're on the subject, are you disturbed because you didn't resolve the poverty conundrum?

I hate to be the one who breaks the news, but that's never gonna happen. There are a myriad of reasons, too many to begin to discuss here. Maybe you thought I was unfeeling when I didn't get exercised over the issue. Trust me, it didn't keep me from doing my work with enthusiasm. Still, I'm old enough to know better. What we did here, hopefully, was to upgrade the quality of life for a few people. No more. No less. We made, at least, a noble try.

The communists also tried to solve poverty. Marx and Engels had a very sharing idea. But the Marxists neglected to factor human nature into their equation. They were idealistic. Probably due to survival urges, human nature makes people naturally competitive and attracted to one-upmanship. Human nature makes me want a better apartment than yours, and cooler stuff. It makes this one badmouth or outmaneuver that one, in order to impress the crowd. Heh. "Crowd of what?" That's what I always want to know.

Communism failed largely because of innate human corruption. And corruption is everywhere, Bubba. Remember to factor it into your calculations. Don't be an idealist. Idealism, like Trix, is for kids.

Need a job?
A hundred years ago and beyond, we had an agrarian economy. That's what Jefferson envisioned -- everybody living on a subsistence farm, having enough, if they worked at it; doing better, if they worked harder. But he missed his mark. We've developed into a huge market economy.

You knew that, right? It's certainly not a democracy. It was always meant to be a republic. But sans citizen participation at an adequate level, and given our greedy inclinations, well, it's just a market economy.

The market economy works, more or less, because it's actually based upon the annoying proclivities of human nature. Granted, the market economy has put many surprising things within our reach, but it also tends to foster giant corporations. Most of us are or will be their wage slaves. What else can we do?

Those corporations are pretty much running the world these days. Many are part of the military industrial complex, a phrase coined by President Eisenhower upon his exit from office. It refers to the intertwined relationship between private corporations, the armed forces and the federal government -- and the enormous power they wield. When the country is at war, declared or otherwise, ask yourself who stands to profit. You owe yourself that much.

Think I'm talking through my hat? Hell, the meat industry has lobbied successfully for the right to poison us and charge us for the privilege. Ever hear of e.coli? If you're relying on the USDA to save you, consider their record thus far. Consider the fact that they are charged with both promoting the meat industry and policing it. Heh.

Worried about jobs? Me, too, ever since the Wall Street bubble of the 90s burst. Busted my chops to acquire webmaster and content manager skills. Just as I entered the market, companies began crashing and burning all around me. It was a conflagration! Then, poof! voila! Suddenly, there were no jobs.

You do realize that the notion of job seeking is relatively new? People used to consider independent occupations, but we've been edged out of the market. Not so long ago, for example, one could actually opt to open a mom and pop outfit. Lacking an education, you could sell groceries, candy, shoes or whatever. This is no longer the case, especially if you live in a city. In the countryside, there's less competition from the big boys, if you can keep the WalMart phenomenon out of the picture. But there are also fewer customers.

Okay, I admit that you're still free to try it, but I submit that you can also expect to fail. The banks know this better than anyone, and won't make you a loan. So, you'd better bring your own cash. The little guy can't compete with the giant corporations. Unless we stick with the NPOs, we can expect to work for the big corporations and against ourselves.

And now a word from our sponsor...
Who drives your spaceship, Bubba? It certainly isn't me, so I really hope it's you. Be an activist, I say. If you see something you don't like, I want you to think first, then activate.

Contrary to popular opinion, the opposite of passivity is not agression. Maybe you think I'm preaching to the choir, but your year of formal activism is just about over, and I want you to continue being good citizens.

Ask yourself some questions. Does life happen to you or do you happen to it? Do you equally examine both sides of the issue, or just assume that you're on the right side because your side is more populated? Do you vote? Do you research your votes? No? Do you believe that if we all quit voting, they'll all go away? Who wins when you behave in a passive manner? I can tell you this much. It isn't you.

Are you a couch potato? Do you make excuses? Blame others? Are you irresponsible? Denial of responsibility is the stance of the victim. Are your opinions shaped by your scant personal experience and personal emotional attitudes? If so, you're passive.

Couch potatoes are the quintessential passive people. Marketing professionals adore them. They blandly absorb all those commercials.

Marketing professionals are not your friends. When you see an emotionally potent ad, you're seeing propaganda. Propaganda is defined as an attempt upon your emotions. Tom Paine did it. So did Sam Adams. But nobody does it better than the marketers. Like teenaged boys, they only want one thing. And, believe me, they do not love you.

Granted, there's a time for everything, including passivity. But, why is action so important? It's important because when no one with sanity and humanity acts, the playing field is left to halfwits and people seeking personal gain at the expense of the rest of us. Make a point of caring. Maybe you can't always empathize, but you can can help hammer out some possible solutions. If nothing else, it's good mental aerobics.

It's a fact. Passive types work for active types, if at all. There's no point in complaining. Active types take responsibility. They play an important part in the world. They think, brainstorm and use their imaginations to make intelligent decisions. They don't mistake intellect for rote repetition of what a professor once reiterated from an ivory tower.

So, here's what I want you to do. Use your imaginative and analytical capabilities to the fullest. Check out all the possibilities and discover new approaches. Compare and contrast feasibility. Consider the pros and cons. It's all about self-discipline and hard work. I've watched you this year, so I know you can do it.

For auld lang syne...
Now it's time to leave the Emerald City. Pay no attention to that woman behind the curtain. She thinks she's the great and powerful wizard of ahs. But, we are all fools here, so kindly cut her some slack one last time.

She has some going-away presents for you. Reach into the bag here, and pick out a prize.

If it ticks, it's a clock. Don't mistake it for a heart.

If you get a paper cut, it's a diploma. Don't mistake it for an intellect.

If you've pricked your finger, you've earned a Purple Heart. It's a medal. Don't mistake it for courage.

Disappointed? Don't be. It's clear to me that you don't need any of this excess baggage, anyway. One last thought: You start with a full bag of potential and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience before you empty the bag of potential.

Now, Corps, at-TENNN-hup! Forward, HARCH! Look, there's Glenn! Eyyyyes LEFT! To the rear, HARCH! Company HALT! Did you all remember to wear your ruby slippers? James? In unison, now, close your eyes, click your heels together three times, and repeat after me:

You see, you don't need to be helped any longer. You've always had the power to go back to Kansas.

Note that I didn't sky-write, "Surrender, Dorothy!" Could've. Didn't. And because of your tender ages, I also restrained the flying monkeys.

Now, Corps, di-uhssssss-MISSED!

She takes her hat and slowly walks away.