Just words

You've probably figured this out, but I'll lay it out there anyway-I'm white. I'm so white that they named me Lindsay White to really drive the point home. And, like most white people mired in higher education, I'm constantly on the lookout for ways in which my language, actions and general worldviews might be offensive to anyone who doesn't look like me. Generally, I'm happy to do this, because if I didn't, people would perceive me as an insensitive cow. But the entire endeavor is getting ridiculous. And excessive.

Someone recently told me, and a few more later confirmed, that the term Hispanic is no longer an acceptable word to use. Everyone who's told me this is white. Hispanic, which I assumed was an appropriate, inoffensive term for Spanish-speaking people in the United States, is apparently, loaded with implications. The term was coined in 1973 by some bureaucrats under President Richard Nixon to categorize people for the U.S. Census. And though Nixon probably had very little to do with the decision, many have decided that he came up with the label in a callous move to group a bunch of very different people into one category. Because Hispanic has become ingrained in modern U.S. vernacular as a term that groups together all Spanish-speakers, regardless of race, it is now considered by many too broad and insensitive to the ethnic complexities of the community.

I'm sorry; I had no idea. I didn't know that every time you use the term Hispanic, you're perpetuating a trend of ignorance and insensitivity. And that you're probably even hinting that you really liked Nixon's politics.

But stop. The political correctness has gotten out of hand. Hispanic is just a word. It's not filled with hate or a history of bigotry and oppression. It's just a descriptive term designed to do nothing but illustrate, not label or disrespect, a group of people. I use ethnic terms like Hispanic, white and black. Am I really saying, "I don't care if you're Mexican or half-Guatemalan. You're all the same and, in my blind, white ignorance, I will treat you as such?" No. By all means, if someone requests that I refer to them as Chicano or Mexican, I'm not going to refuse. But I'm also not going to systematically examine my vocabulary like a refrigerator full of precariously dated food, sanitizing and weeding-out any terms that have recently become un-PC.

Our society has become obsessed with politically correct language. Especially within the realm of higher education, we are trained to be constant watchdogs for terms that might have implications or a history. Most of us have learned to avoid the outright offensive and historically hateful words. But society just isn't satisfied with that: We have to pick apart words, delve deep into their etymologies looking for red flags. Most of us have forgotten, or never knew, words' etymologies and implications. The whole process has become exhausting.

You've probably seen it before, in a history class or a large group of people. People will be trying to describe a certain population. In the midst of dodging around generalizations about crime-rates or socio-economic statuses of minorities they hesitate, even just for a second. They might look around to see what ethnicities are represented in the conversation. And then they rush through the word: Latino, Hispanic, black, African American or Native American. They're confused about what word they're supposed to use. They don't know what's offensive and what's not. They're terrified someone's going to jump on them for using a word that has been designated insensitive.

Does it matter what we call people? Sure, but not as much as some believe. By using certain categorizing words we are not attempting to press an identity upon them in a detrimental way. When we compulsively check ourselves for undiplomatic language, we are giving words power of their own, power which they honestly don't need to have.

Society has found problems with a whole range of words, many dealing with gender rather than race, like mankind or ladylike. Who cares? Hispanic is just a word. Fireman is just a word. Quibbling over vocabulary like this is a waste of time. There is enough ignorance and chauvinism in our society to deal with; we don't need to see a problem where there isn't one. There is real, live racism in the world, and I promise you it's not hidden in the mysteries of semantics. There are bigger fish to fry. Let's not strip down our language until we've neutered or eliminated any words that hint at generalization or grouping.