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pc
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can anybody give me an example of political correctness gone mad?
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neat Claire in the Community cartoon in the Guardian a couple of weeks ago. Megan says they can't hold brainstorming sessions because the term could upset epileptics. Claire says 'This is political correctness gone having mental health problems!'
Having said that... I believe the story about Baa Baa Black Sheep being banned, which was around 10-20 years ago, turned out to have been made up by a newspaper with an axe to grind. I don't know about Superman but brownout actually is a word, I think used for power cuts that are less total than blackouts. Referring to people as 'black' is often wildly misleading; African/Americans and others come in a very wide range of skin colours from pale brown up - very few are in fact black. And the blackboards I learnt to write on at school were green, so I did wonder why the name... There's no harm in being accurate.
Scarlett... I thought "coloured" to refer to people was not PC anymore. I love this by the way:
When you're born.... you're pink.
When you're cold... you're blue.
When you're hot... you're red.
When you're sick... you're green.
When you're in the sun too long... you're red.
When you're jealous... you're green.
When you're embarassed... you're pink.
When you die... you're grey.
When I'm born... I'm black.
When I'm cold... I'm black.
When I'm hot... I'm black.
When I'm sick.. . I'm black.
When I'm in the sun too long... I'm black.
(When I'm jealous... I'm black)
When I'm embarassed.... I'm black.
When I die... I'm black.
And you call ME coloured!?!
The Disability Discrimination Act is a toughy. It has the best intentions at heart but it has caused a lot of problems for some businesses. Seems a shame that that dentist couldn't add high visability railings and edges to the steps, or an induction loop for the deaf at the reception. Usually these sorts of steps, along with grab handles in the toilets are enough of an adaptation to allow a longer period of grace.
Re the bibles. I totally agree. I read about that on the front page of the Mail (but was too tight to actually buy the paper). I personally think that whilst Christianity is the official religion of this country, Bibles should be allowed in hospitals. However, proposals to keep a collection of other religious books readily available for patients is also important. I believe many Muslim leaders were happy for this "compromise". When people are ill, they often turn to their (often dormant) faith and it helps them to get better quicker. We should not deny people this right/aid - whatever their religion.
The stories about blackboards, blackbinbags etc are not true. I defy anyone to produce evidence to the contary. The brainstorming one is true, unfortunately.
Scarlett, black people are not refered to as coloured - the official terminology is 'black', and the term coloured is considered patronising and insulting. Am I right in assuming you are a teacher? If so I am a little concerned that you are not aware of the issues around this.
acw, the problem (as far as I could see), with the dentist was that it the door opened directly onto a fairly narrow pavement, which in turn, ran alongside a very busy dual carraigeway. Any ramps or railings would have blocked the pavement. The solution - close the practice, thereby removing local dentistry to several thousand people, rather than setting up alternative transportation (or whatever) for those disabled people, who presumably weren't patients anyway. Absolute bleedin' madness. The best of intentions shouldn't be a replacement for common sense.
Inferno.. Yes I am a teacher, and I am also confused about what is and what is not PC now. This is surely what this post is about. I say "coloured" in order to not cause offense, but it doing so, I have been called up for being offensive and not using the term "black". When most of the new PC statements are about abolishing the word "black" in all senses!! This is the whole point- you CANNOT say ANYTHING without somebody stupidly being offended!!
I'm with my husband homer on the hijacking of 'queer' by homosexuals. That was our word!
What fascinates me is how much of it about intent, not usage. I can't say 'n*gg*er' (nor would I really want to), but coloureds can say it all the time to refer to each other.
And how some people are completely immune from any kind of derogatory comment. If I strike an asian, while using a racist slur, I get done for it as such. But what can be directed against me as a scot? 'Ooh, you tight kilt wearing caber tossing peely wally northerner'...none of it cuts...because we know we're cool. lol.
