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Recent social media drama highlighted Brandeis University’s Prevention, Advocacy & Resource Center (PARC) and its “Oppressive Language List.” The center’s stated goal is to provide “education, empowerment, and support relating to violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating/domestic violence, and stalking.” But a review of the collection of tainted terms shows PARC’s actual intentions might be more related to progressive political correctness.

Wesley Yang, a columnist who published a screenshot of the list distributed by Brandeis University, showed PARC’s inventory of words and phrases that it claims marginalize groups of people. Such common words, phrases, and figures of speech as “picnic,” “rule of thumb,” “killing it,” “homeless person,” “victim/survivor,” “you guys,” and “ladies and gentlemen” are identified as oppressive language. The complete list covered language having to do with race, gender identity, culturally appropriative language, and general language related to violence. On the positive side, the list included examples of imprecise or insensitive language used in the context of sexual assault. However, many observers noted that PARC seemed more interested in promoting progressive belief systems than reining in inappropriate use of words.

Liberals and progressives closed ranks around PARC, arguing that conservative critics on social media were overly focused on instances of revisionist history surrounding the “offensive” words. Nevertheless, it seemed that assigning so many commonplace words and phrases as being culturally insensitive, racist, or “white” in origin was overzealous.

Perhaps you can count President Joe Biden as a supporter of the PARC designations. He often has expressed revisionist views of contemporary American society. In 2019, when Biden addressed the issue of sexual assault on college campuses, he developed it into a broader attack on American culture:

“This is English jurisprudential culture, a white man’s culture. It’s got to change.”

The buzz surrounding this “cleansing” of insensitive language represents yet another example of the ongoing culture war that Republicans and Democrats are focusing on leading up to elections in 2022 and even 2024. Democrats have renewed efforts to discredit Republican politicians for attacking critical race theory, fearing the increased skepticism from the broad public against anti-American and racist ideas being taught to the youth in our education system.

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