P.C. World
The extremes of political correctness as reported in today's media
Liverpool City Council is planning to overrule the British Board of Film Classification by re-classifying children's films that feature characters smoking cigarettes and pipes with an 18 certificate. Films such as Walt Disney's 101 Dalmatians, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Pinocchio could all be affected.
Submitted by Torquil Arbuthnot
"Prayers should be banned from council meetings in case they infringe the human rights of anyone who hears them, Town Hall watchdogs have warned us. The National Association of Local Councils said the practice could fall foul of both the Human Rights Act and the Race Discrimination Act. It has urged a Devon council to ditch prayers to "eliminate any risk" of challenge in the courts."
From the Western Morning News, submitted by Hilary Vivian, Holsworthy, Devonshire
Basil Brush is being investigated for racism towards gypsies, after an episode of his BBC programme was accused of discrimination. The episode featured a gypsy fortune teller, Dame Rosie Fortune, who offers Basil pegs and lucky heather. When she offers to read his fortune, he tells a joke about a previous visit to a gypsy fortune teller, who predicted he was about to embark on a long journey. "He stole my wallet and I had to walk all the way home. Boom-boom!" Joseph Jones, vice-chairman of the Southern England Romany, gypsy and Irish Traveller Network, called on the BBC to pull the episode from its schedule and give travellers the same protection and respect they give to other ethnic minorities.
Submitted by Lindsay Bagshaw
"The audience for many of our greatest cultural events - I'm thinking in particular of the Proms - is still a long way from demonstrating that people from different backgrounds feel at ease in being part of this." Margaret Hodge, Culture Minister
Marc Howells, head of Barclaycard in Europe, reported quarterly figures in a staff meeting by saying: "The results were like Muslims - some were good, some were Shi'ite". Howells was shopped by some quisling and sacked. "We have a robust approach to equality and diversity," said a Barclaycard spokesthing, "and do not tolerate discrimination."
Submitted by Fiona Salter. "The words of the national anthem are not "inclusive enough", according to Lord Goldsmith, who is leading a Citizenship Review for Gordon Brown. He said in an interview, "Some people have suggested we might think about whether there are different words that might be put in place which would be more inclusive."Submitted by Stephen Holden
"The moral ambivalence is is brought out most strongly in Odysseus's contest with the Cyclops. True, the giant is an uncivilised and murderous cannibal. But he is also a simple soul, who is cruelly outwitted by 'cunning Odysseus' and horribly mutilated. Is civilisation here any better than barbarity? Does Odysseus offer an appropriate model for mankind? In short, the myth of Odysseus asks the most important question there is: how should a man behave?" Introduction by Mary Beard in a new translation of Homer's Odyssey published by the Guardian
A story based on the Three Little Pigs fairy tale has been turned down by a government agency's awards panel in case the subject matter offends Muslims. "Three Little Cowboy Builders" is a humorous book aimed at primary school children, but judges at this year's Bett Award said that they had "concerns about the Asian community, and the use of pigs raises cultural issues". The judges were also concernced over the potential offence caused to builders by "Three Little Cowboy Builders", which implies that all their buildings are so poorly constructed that a wolf could blow them down.
Contributions
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