Political Correctness in Sri Lanka

| by Victor Cherubim

(September 06, 2012, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) For the first time in as many years, an appeal to common sense rather than political correctness, bigotry, or intimidation, has resolved a interfaith religious observance in Sri Lanka.

President Rajapaksa had asked that the ritual of animal sacrifices at Munneswaram, in Chilaw, be suspended during the exposition of the sacred Kapilavastu relics in the country.

The Temple authorities have reciprocated and stopped the sacrifice at his request, as a gesture of goodwill, so it seems. Further, this position has not compromised any religious ritual.

If so, it is a new beginning in tolerance, a welcome initiative. At the same time we hope this reciprocity will lead to an understanding in reconciliation. Respect and responsibility have been tenets enshrined in all religions; commonsense however, is an accepted tradition which we use in our daily life.

The acceptance of Political Correctness “is all about the perception of ideas, policies and behaviour seen as seeking to minimise social and institutional offence in gender, racial, cultural, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, disability and age.”

It is usually observed on pretext of not wishing to offend anyone, as decent. Generally, political correctness (PC) people are in virtual denial of reality or fail to appreciate that things have evolved over time, for good reasons. PC as a political strategy was just a way of being nice to people. But over time PC instead of being tolerant, became most intolerant and a farce.

The Munneswaram annual sacrifice has caused public debate. Any excuse was available to create dissention. We were informed that the Police wanted to take the religious animal sacrifice issue to Court. The controversial Sri Lanka Minister vowed to prevent animal sacrifice, but now is singing the praises. Common sense has prevailed and this is the best outcome.

An example of PC is the dictionary usage of the word “disabled” referred often as “less able,” With the Paralympics in London since 29 August 2012, disability is no longer considered as a disadvantage. There has been a formidable transformation in its usage. It now denotes using any form of impairment as a challenge for performance; in fact an opportunity for recognition. For many athletes at these Games, competing and outshining against all odds, puts the able yet indolent, to shame. Over time PC is surely becoming an outdated practice.

Commonsense is the new strategy we use when all else fails to overcome our misgivings and our prejudice.

But in a sense or in essence, commonsense is neither “common” nor “sense.”

It is not common because some politicians would not be “tweeting” rubbish on their mobiles to their constituents, as it amounts to disinformation.

It is not sense, as real sense can rarely be arrived at from experience alone.

Our tradition and customs over centuries have seen us through our difficult periods of our history. We have a civilisation which has been guided by the “Middle Path” of the Buddha. Our difficulty in recent times is to relate and connect with our self-worth, our common sense, our experience, our inherited values and our prudent judgment, based on simple perception of reality, without exaggeration.

As we slowly but surely come out of our tunnel vision and see reality “as is” we gain confidence and fear fades. This is what happens when we use understanding and tolerance of all religions and our ethnicity.