We have now reached the point where every goon with a grievance, every bitter bigot, merely has to place the prefix, 'I know this is not politically correct, but...' in front of the usual string of insults in order to be not just safe from criticism, but actually a card, a lad, even a hero. Conversely, to talk about poverty and inequality, to draw attention to the reality that discrimination and injustice are still facts of life, is to commit the sin of political correctness. Anti-PC has become the latest cover for creeps. It is a godsend for every curmudgeon and crank, from fascists to the merely smug.
~Fintan O'Toole, The Irish Times, 5th May 1994

Politically correctness is an obsessive attempt to impose what should be learned in childhood and that is respect.

P C is ok for some stuff. PC has to have some limits, because this shouldn't be a country of wimps.

Some things have its place that is specific. Other times people attempt to own certain words because they feel offended by it.

Political correctness has become a derogatory term. Being civil in your dealings with others is really what it's all about. Should you mistakenly use outdated or offensive terminology, apologize if you didn't mean it. We can get along, if we practice open mindedness and respect for the feelings and beliefs of others.

When was the N word ever acceptable?? I think some correctness is needed. African American is better. Also no illegal aliens anymore. Rhey are called undocumented.

I had a white co-worker who was raised in south africa during the aparthid era and then imigrated to america. He would get very upset if you introduced him as an african-american.

Crippled went to handicapped which went to physically disabled to physically challenged. Imention this because my 35 year old daughter has cerebral palsy. The terminology has evolved since she was born in 1983. It matters to me personally.

Political correctness is good. Political correctness gone mad, isn't. Generally speaking, if there's a less offensive term available to be used, then you're best off using it. It never hurts to be polite.

An example of political correctness: addressing and treating a trans woman as a woman, regardless of your personal thoughts on whether she qualifies as a woman or not. Treating someone gay as a human being, rather than some sort of scary monster.

Political correctness gone mad: insisting that everyone stops using gendered pronouns, just in case using the wrong ones causes offence to someone. Telling a speaker that they can't address an audience as 'ladies and gentlemen' because that's the same as calling them 'toilets' (this actually happened to a friend of mine a few years ago. Or at least so he claimed.) Insisting that having an exclusive sexual preference for male or female is no longer valid because you're bisexual, and if it doesn't matter to you, it shouldn't matter to anyone else.

The ones who object to the term 'political correctness' typically interpret the phrase as 'political correctness gone mad.'

I think, like you said, it is used as a deflection more than anything. Many people use it derogitorily so that they feel they can just say whatever they want and not care who is offended because they feel more important than those they speak of.
I feel like there is a deliberate attack on kindness. Kindness used to be an aspiration now it is seen as weakness. This is, I feel, a lot of what is wrong with society. People are more focused on division and seeing others as different rather than finding common ground.
I'm a pretty kind person, at least that is my goal and I do fall short sometimes I'll be the first to admit, but there is nothing I hate more than when others mistake my kindness for weakness. They soon realize I'm not a pushover. There are just those kind of people out there who want to run you over to get their way.

"A gentleman is someone who never insults some one accidentally." That quote is my benchmark for political correctness.