With the 2007 holiday season behind us (it's officially over in this house - the tree and decorations were taken down and packed away yesterday), my thoughts turned to something I'd read about before Christmas. A company with branches in Australia and the US which supplies Santas to department stores decided their Santas should no longer say "Ho Ho Ho!" because it is the same as the African American vernacular for prostitutes or whores. It is offensive and derogatory to women. Which women is it derogatory to? Street walkers? I'm sure they've been called worse, but probably not by Santa.
The Santas were expected to replace their "invective" with the phrase Ha, Ha, Ha! GIVE ME A BREAK. How far are we going to carry this political correctness crap? Why do we even use the term political correctness? Something is either derogatory and tasteless or it's not. In my mind's eye, referring to something as Politically Incorrect suggests it's not really OFFENSIVE, rather something that we should keep in check.
Don Imus' comment about "nappy-headed hos" was derogatory. Can we say he is politically incorrect? Sure, if you want to be nice about it, otherwise say it like it is - he's a pig. Santa chortling Ho, Ho, Ho! is neither politically incorrect nor derogatory, and if you think it is, get over yourself.
Well-executed censorship is something I don't have a problem with. For example, I appreciate being able to block tv programming that is not suitable for my child. I appreciate the 7-second soundbite which allows for offensive words my child doesn't need to hear on tv to be bleeped. But telling Santa he can no longer say Ho, Ho, Ho! is just going TOO far.
What kind of a mind comes up with the idea that Santa saying Ho, Ho, Ho is derogatory? How much free time would you need to come up with such a distorted assessment of how that phrase *could* be interpreted? More importantly, what ever are we going to do with all the Chinese people whose last name is .... HO!!!
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