I love this piece. I meet the artist, Jay, at Social Canvas. More HERE.

The talented Mr. Benson at his studio in Harrisburg. See his work HERE.

Free kids meal with an adult entrée and beverage. Nice.

Cultural sensitivity and political correctness certainly have their place. But has society as a whole become too sensitive? Many feel as though, in an effort to be tactful, we have sanitized our discourse to the point where no one can say anything honest or meaningful without being accused of being an extremist or a bigot of some kind.

Certainly people should not tolerate discourteousness, verbal abuse, or belligerence. However, should people be ridiculed for speaking honestly about a given topic? For example, should a well-intentioned white person be characterized as a racist for making a comment about the obvious challenges within the black community? And should a black person be dismissed as “pulling the race card” for raising concerns of racial inequality or discrimination? What about middle-class citizens being condemned for instigating a class war when they talk about raising taxes for wealthier groups (as a tax policy)? And should a successful, job-creating entrepreneur be able to address lower-income groups about issues concerning individual responsibility and the importance of a strong work ethic without being depicted as some sort of insensitive, elitist evil baron?

This sort of knee-jerk demagoguery prevents us from exploring different perspectives when addressing issues—which benefits no one. People sometimes have diametrically opposed beliefs. Diversity is good. One of the greatest challenges of our time is to see whether we can be honest, open, and realistic about who we are, where we are, and what we want in a reasonably tactful and respectful way.

Mr. McCalla Jr. near his shop, Jackie M’s. More HERE.