I write in regards to the Aug. 30 “The sovietization of America” column. When Ronald Reagan first reintroduced the term “political correctness,” bells went off. Something wasn’t right about the usage. The problem was that it was attributed as a tool of the “left” and then shoehorned into American politics, as though liberals, progressives, socialists, communists and Soviet agents were one and the same.
In my mind the problem was this: I never thought of “political correctness” as a tool of the “left” but a tool of totalitarianism, despots, dictators and authoritarians. All societies make corrections in people, are critical of each other in the form of judging and gossip. Stalin gave it a name, but more importantly, he gave it the weight of government support.
No matter how much I am judged about, my coffee choice or my voting record, the government largely stays out of it. However, our government is provably, historically, and most important, currently supportive of racism, class bias, violence and hate, denial of science — not in every way, but in deep, and for those on the wrong side, destructive and fatal ways.
One of the ordinary, clever ways of soviet disinformation is the claim that it’s the other side doing what you are in fact yourself promoting.
Jim Armenti
Westhampton