Colorado State University Says "America" Non-Inclusive Word

                Colorado State University’s online Inclusive Language Guide lists a plethora of words and phrases that should never be used by decent, tolerant, woke folk. Better still, it provides substitute words and phrases to help “communicators practice inclusive language” while ensuring everyone on its campus feels “welcomed, respected and valued.”

                The list includes the always problematic “male,” “female,” and “ladies and gentlemen,” as well as “Mr./Mrs./Ms.” (Time flies. It wasn’t all that long ago that “Ms.” was a hip, progressive, feminist term. Ms. was woke before woke was cool). The guide helpfully points out that “male and female refers to biological sex and not gender,” and proceeds to haughtily lecture readers that, “In terms of communication methods (articles, social media, etc.), we very rarely need to identify or know a person’s biological sex and more often are referring to gender.” Call me old-fashioned, but, whether “in terms of communication methods” or otherwise, I have found it helpful at times in my life to “identify or know” a person’s biological sex. This has been especially true when trying to reproduce.

                Sex is a biological reality based on the differences in physical characteristics such as external and internal genitalia and hormones into which humans and most other living things are divided.  Gender refers to either of the two sexes, especially when considered with respect to social and cultural differences rather than biological ones. Sex is a fact. Gender is a notion.

                CSU also urges us to avoid the word “straight,” claiming that “when used to describe heterosexuals, the term straight implies that anyone LGBT is ‘crooked’ or not normal.” Speaking of which, the term “normal person” is verboten because it “implies that ‘other’ people… are not whole or regular people.” The Guide apparently considers this term so toxic and unspeakable that it doesn’t even suggest a substitute, stating that “it is never appropriate to use this phrase to describe a person.”

                To avoid offending those who truly are addicts, we are not to utter the terms “addicted” or “like crack,” but are cautioned to go with “I’m a devoted fan of” or “I’m hooked,” instead. (Yet “I’m hooked” is offensive to fish, is it not)? In lieu of “no can do,” which is patently offensive to Asians, we are to state “I can’t do it.” (Which may be patently offensive to Nike). The Guide avers that “Crazy” and “nuts” are entirely inappropriate and are to be replaced by “surprising” and “wild.” I think that is… “surprising”  and “wild.”

                Even the modern phrase “’preferred’ pronouns,” thrust upon us by the transgender movement, is considered insufficiently inclusive by CSU. You see, “Using the word ‘preferred’ in front of pronouns suggests that gender identity, especially outside of the binary, is a choice and that the pronouns don’t really belong to the person, they are just ‘preferring’ them over their ‘true’ pronouns.” Alrighty then.

                A few of the other terms deemed derogatory and/or non-inclusive by Colorado State are: “War,” “hold down the fort,” “starving,” “hip hip hooray!” “cake walk,” and “eenie, meenie, miny, moe.” Not kidding.   

               The pinnacle of preposterousness, however, is The Guide’s insistence that “America” and “American” are non-inclusive words and therefore should be avoided. It notes: “The Americas encompass a lot more than the United States. There is South America, Central America, Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean just to name a few of 42 countries in total.” It adds, “Yet, when we talk about ‘Americans’ in the United States, we’re usually just referring to people from the United States. This erases other cultures and depicts the United States as the dominant American country.” Yes, this foolish mischaracterization needs to be corrected. I think we all know Grenada and Suriname are the real ‘American’ powers. CSU instructs Deplorables to use “U.S. citizen” or “person from the U.S.” in place of the detestable terms “America” and “Americans.” But what of undocumented immigrants?

              CSU’s online moralizing culminates in its insistence that, “The guide is not about political-correctness or policing grammar, but rather helping communicators practice inclusive language and helping everyone on our campus feel welcomed, respected, and valued.” In other words, it’s about political-correctness and policing grammar.

 I wonder how “welcomed, respected and valued” conservative students and speakers are on CSU’s campus.

 I’ll give it to you straight, normal Americans, the left is addicted to telling you what to do-- and how to act, think and behave. We are in a culture war whether we wish to be or not. And, I promise you, it won’t be a cake walk.