is how we used to identify each other, meaning that we shared liberal beliefs. You would reassure a friend that a stranger she was just meeting was "one of us," "politically correct." This was back in the 1960s and 70s. If someone expressed doubts about any kind of public person--an artist, a politician, a movie star--who had said or done something stupid, you might console her with "but she *is* politically correct."

No judgment, really; just an identifier. Now it seems to mean to most liberals, including me, something that is not rude or hurtful; labeling something p.c. just means to me that you're pissed you can't be mean about somebody to her face.

Old enough to remember that? Bit before the 60s.

I had been desperately looking for a term to combat their use of p.c. on us for years. Then Kellyanne Conway, who just can't help herself, gave us a gift by blurting out a very Orwellian sounding term, Alternative Facts. And now, if we're smart, we can use this against them over and over again. It's just going to make things so difficult for them.

You're absolutely right. Culturally aware?

Think of the fight for women's health: Originally it was "Pro-Choice versus "Pro-Life". Somehow the news media (right, left and center) were coerced into using "Pro-abortion" versus "Pro-Life". Dog whistle words the opposite of intended meaning since Pro-Choice says women can choose for themselves. Pro-Life is anti-abortion,anti-birth control, anti-sex education, anti-LGBT rights, etc.
Activists should be calling out all the media for misuse and manipulation of language. (What's with this silly coding? Why not an underline?)
"Illegals" is another dog whistle common on the news. When those children from Central America were escaping into this country why weren't they called "refugees"? Or Reagan Refugees since he was the one who destroyed their countries. Did we ever offer reparations?
Call the media out! Every time you hear manipulation! Demand accuracy. Demand they think about what is said. Media companies are licensed, are they not? What about withdrawing licenses for publishing fake news? How did Fox ever get a license? Is Breitbart regulated in any way? Maybe it's time we thought about licenses on the internet. Bonus would be instantly get rid of lots of trolls.
Much as it makes me puke to say, I agree with the orange cat hair covered cheeseball. We need to go after fake news. If we really did it, he would squeal like a stuck pig.