In an attempt to once again enforce political correctness, schools in Washington State are banning negativity at sports events.

They have "Boo Police," who monitor chanting and cheers to ensure that they're not too negative.

On the banned list:

booing
disrespectful chants or yells
foot stomping
waving when a player is shooting a free throw
full face paint
"#1" foam fingers

They allege that the ban is necessary because rowdy fans were causing fights.

So why not arrest the people that cause the fights? Naaah, we'll just use it as an opportunity to ban anything that makes anyone feel bad. You can see the video here

The big danger in rules like this is that they start to incorporate group thinking. Society becomes paralyzed because everyone is socialized to never criticize anyone or anything; never make anyone else feel bad. Weighed down in societal rules, it's easy to look for someone to tell you how to behave, how to live, how to think.

And then, of course, it's easier to accept a government controlling your life - at least you don't have to track all of those behavioral rules anymore, because someone will do it for you. Make no mistake about it - once you start instituting rules like this, it's easier to institute the next one. And the next. And the next. Until finally, individuality is bad, and personal rights are nonexistent. People live in fear of criticism, fear of being different, fear of standing out.

Start socializing an entire society this way, and you really have problems. Start indoctrinating group thinking, and you can really get things moving.

What happens when socialism, communism, and altruism are the reigning philosophies? Well, then liberty dies, and the great American Experiment is no more.

Enforcing group "niceness" seems benign if you only look at the surface. Look beneath the surface, and you see the inherent, glaring danger.

After all, this country wouldn't exist if a group of colonists had feared offending.

Labels: opinion, political correctness, politics