Wake Up And Realize Sometimes Wokeness Is Needed

by Thomas Hoffman

Many politically correct changes are being installed throughout society. In Disney theme parks, the Splash Mountain attraction is being closed because it is based on the movie Song of the South. This has inspired quite a splash of controversy. Currently, the latest controversy revolves around changes being implemented to Roald Dahl’s books. In the book Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, the magical creatures (Oompa Loompas) who work in Wonka’s chocolate factory are now labeled as “small people” as opposed to “small men.” This is simply a new social term to be gender friendly. There was once a time when the public referred to serviceman as “men.” It is disrespectful to female Ooompa Loompas to simply refer to them as “men.” There must have been female Oompa Loompas otherwise how could Oompa Loompas reproduce? Another change is that one character is now described as “enormous,” instead of “fat.” If the character had been called “fat” by another character that would have been simply part of the book, and not appropriate to change. However, he is simply labeled “fat” by the author. Besides, it is a story about chocolate, after all. It stands to reason there may be an overweight person in this book. The story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory can be told without sexism towards Ooompa Loompas and promoting discrimination against overweight people.

Since the debut of the political “war on obesity,” discrimination against overweight people has sky-rocketed. In many venues, people can be fired simply for being overweight. Real Time host Bill Maher openly called for fat- shaming to return. Maher, like many others, openly took the stand that obesity was a self-induced state. Prior to Maher, countless millions engaged in “fat shaming”, but now they have a political movement to rally behind.

The term “retarded” was once frequently used throughout society as insult. It was commonly applied to people who were not mentally challenged in any way. “Retarded” was once a catch-all term used to mock anyone for any sort of mistake or behavior. Not only was this insulting to them, it was also highly dismissive to people who actually had mental disabilities.

There was once a time when people who lacked the ability to speak were labeled “dumb.” This was not meant as an insult, it was simply a term. This term promoted the absurd slander that someone who could not talk was able to talk, but not willing to. Society evolved to be smarter and more sensitive to someone who was born with a disability. Now people who lack the ability to speak are labeled “mute.” People who (even temporarily)lacked the ability to walk were once labeled as “lame.” This was not meant as an insult, it was a term that was used.

The public now knows better than to be so unintentionally insensitive. Many are describing the changes to Roald Dahl’s books as “wokeness” and censorship, and in some situations, it may be. However, modifications like the ones to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory are not censorship, they are simply correcting a mistake society once made, that we now know better than to make.