Political correctness
Political correctness is something that seems to be hitting the news in the British media at the moment. Carol Thatcher is said to have used the word Golliwog which some found to be offensive.I used to have some little figures called golliwogs which came from Robinsons jam jars back in the 1960's. These were things that many children in England had at the time and could be considered as part of our social heritage. Why are they now offensive?
There are other words which seem to be becoming taboo in the English language too. Take the names of some countries, Afghanistan for example, the people are known as Afghanis or Afgans around the world. The Stan bit of the country's name has an explanation, it is ancient Persian for "place of". Therefore Afghanistan is the place of Afghanis. Why is it that Pakistan is not the place of Pakis? Many people find this word offensive, but why? (see: http://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/infopage/stan.htm)
People can call me a Brit, or the Irish Paddies, and the Scottish Jocks, but most of those groups would not take offence. Has the UK gone mad?
Is it not time we all found our sense of humour and learned to live together and stopped looking at others with the intent of trying to point a finger for saying something that one person may perceive to be wrong?
Call me what you like, I don't care, but be sure that I expect the same in return.
posted by madman @ 12:31 am
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