Watch your language! U. of NH deems the word 'American' highly 'problematic'

Sarah D. | 2:21 PM on July 28, 2015

We couldn’t make this up if we tried:

“American” is a problematic word to be avoided, says the University of New Hampshire. http://t.co/Lk6WA7ndU3

— Byron Tau (@ByronTau) July 28, 2015

Oh dear.

This can't be real https://t.co/CoS7Fz1FaX

— Alex Burns (@alexburnsNYT) July 28, 2015

https://twitter.com/ByronTau/status/626087364973039616

Real … and spectacularly stupid. According to the University of New Hampshire’s “Bias-Free Language Guide,” in addition to offensive terms like “illegal alien,” “mothering,” “fathering,” “manpower,” “opposite sex,” and “mailman,” “American” is highly problematic:

Saying “American” to reference Americans is also problematic. The guide encourages the use of the more inclusive substitutes “U.S. citizen” or “Resident of the U.S.”

The guide notes that “American” is problematic because it “assumes the U.S. is the only country inside [the continents of North and South America].” (The guide doesn’t address whether or not the terms “Canadians” and “Mexicans” should be abandoned in favor of “Residents of Canada” and “Residents of Mexico,” respectively.)

Is our children learning? Well, technically yes — they’re learning to be sniveling little P.C. twerps. Great work, progs!