Many Americans seemingly have grown weary of our state of relentless political correctness. We enter in support of this statement The People’s Exhibit A; Donald Trump in early polling leading by a wide margin for the Republican presidential nomination. Trump has offered scarce little in the way of policy statements and much in the way of verbal bullying, insult hurling and self-aggrandizing, yet people are eating it up as fast as the media can serve it. Why? Many will tell you that his is a refreshing change of style. Sick of carefully measured political speak, some folks long for a politician who, if nothing else, will just call it like they see it with little regard for the consequences. The war on political correctness, as long as The Donald remains in the race, seems to be in full swing.

An unintended consequence of the war on political correctness, however, may be a real conversation about issues that require a significant amount of thoughtfulness and sensitivity. One such issue is the recent request to rename Blackhead Signpost Road in Southampton County.

Early Tuesday morning, during a discussion among our news staff regarding the road name, the staff was split on whether or not the name should be changed. Those in opposition mentioned that they, too, were tired of people seemingly taking offense to every issue that comes down the road, especially if the issue at hand literally is a road. Many who commented online about our original reporting of the story expressed similar sentiments.

While we agreed to disagree on the changing of the road name, we did all agree that dismissing the issue out of hand in protest of political correctness was the wrong approach. So at this time, The Tidewater News will neither endorse nor oppose the changing of the road’s name. We do, however, fully support additional discourse on the issue. And, to the county’s board of supervisors, we suggest you engage in it without charging a $500 fee to hear the matter.