[katie_x]

Now this has prob bin touched on before but are we taking the issue of offending others to far? I know this issue has been influencing our lives for a number of years but my opinion is that its really not necesary.

Ok an example that really got on my nerves lately was that a man was asked to take an england flag off his car by a police officer because it would appear racist to immigrants. Now i have nothing against sharing this country with immigrants (i'm now opening a whole new tin of worms) but we are all living in ENGLAND and should be proud to do so. I take no offence to seeing a turkish flag hanging from a window so why should this be deemed as racist? I'm not sure about you but i will not be singing baa baa rainbow sheep anytime soon! views on this?

[Tom]

We shouldn't have to do stuff not to offend them, it should be the other way around. They come over to our country so should live by our rules, we shouldn't have to adapt our rules to suit and in effect enforcing double standards.

But you know its extreme and so silly when saying blackboard, black coffee etc is deemed offensive and it has to be just board and coffee without milk.

I'm one of the least PC people you'll ever meet, I don't care if I offend someone who isn't natively from this country by doing something that has always happened in Britain.

Then theres also the argument that immigrants find it equally silly and pointless. There is talk to downgrade Christmas from being a big event to being a non event which basically means no decoration in public places etc just not to offend other cultures. Now if we moved over to another country with different customs I wouldn't expect them to downgrade their holidays just to suit me, in fact I'd want them to continue because its part of their culture.

[Fom]

We used to sing "Baa baa multi rational sheep have you any wool" to take the mick

[Nurse57]

Is anyone aware of the history of Baa baa black sheep. What it is about?

"Baa baa black sheep"

The Black sheep was the black slave.

"Have you any wool"

The goods they were to collect, be it wool, cotton and the like.

"Yes Sir yes Sir"

Was how the slave was to answer to his master.

"3 bags full"

The amount of sacks they were meant to bring at a time.

So on this occasion the use of the word black does mean black person and their enslavement. This is why some may find it offensive.


Black board. That one is just silly.

This radio clip of Stewart Lee talking about "political correctness gone mad" is interesting.

Youtube video

[Fom]

Talk about taking a nursery rhyme too far. Thats where it originates but it doesn't mean that any more, its just an educational rhyme. Does a 3 year old kid really care about the slaves in the old days?

[AngRemembered]

yes agree with all the posts on this so far the PC is getting really silly and is creating more problems than before this well meant system became fashionable.

Taking flags of cars, (i have a Jamaican flag and english in my car, so i wonder who I offend) and black board becoming chalk board is taking things so seriously it just becomes totaly

I was once in a gift shop when behing the counter I noticed they were selling golliwog dolls(for those to young I'll post a pic here if people dont know what they are), I hadnt seen them in ages, so I asked to buy a "golliwog" doll, to which the assistant told me "oh you cant call them that now, they are gollies"
I thought, no there not, the same as Rupert the Bear dolls wont become Ru Bears as the word 'pert' is to sexy for the young.
So I told her "oh really, well I'd still like to buy a golliwog doll if thats ok with you" this (white) woman just looked so shocked.
PC has gone mad and rather than help with abuse its now creating more in that more feel thier being infringed on to what they can do or say.
Its easy keep it real and we will all be safe from being offended.

[AlexBigBrother]

lol my gran has some golliwog cutlery, not meant to offend anyone!
also what really annoys me and im sure u will agree Ang...

say if you did a french or german accent, people wouldnt bat an eye lid
but if you did an indian accent people go mental, i dont get what thats all about!?!

[Nurse57]

"Talk about taking a nursery rhyme too far. Thats where it originates but it doesn't mean that any more, its just an educational rhyme. Does a 3 year old kid really care about the slaves in the old days?"

Please note I did not post a view on the rhyme. I just posted what the rhyme was actually about, so others could make an informed decision.

[AngRemembered]

Originally posted by AlexBigBrother

but if you did an indian accent people go mental, i dont get what thats all about!?!

Alex i could kiss you, thankyou for pointing this out, so how come Jade (who I DONT LIKE) gets kicked off a show for doing that, like you say if she had copied John Cleese Nazi walk and german accent she'd be now Britains best comedian, although heaven forbid

Again, I was out shopping and hammed up my Jamaican accent to tell some kids to stop kicking a ball around near where the shop windows were, it was meant to be light hearted I didnt want em offended, one kid said "ok then mama" in a joke jamaican accent back it was hillarious and done the trick, they were going to now stop.
Then out of nowhere came the PC robocop cop in the form of this old man who shouted at the kids for being cheeky and RACIST!!! the world has finally evolved into clowd cuckoo land.

[Nurse57]

People conveniently forget stuff.


He got slaughtered for wearing a costume you can hire from any costume hire shop.

[Sunny_01]

I am concerned that this thread is going to end up another racism thread when it was created to talk about political correctness. If those wonderful powers that be stopped getting caught up in what "could" cause offence and actually left people to get along then there would be a whole lot less problems. Look at christmas festivals now having to be called winter festivals in case we offend other religions! Not one person from any other religion that I have ever spoken to would be offended by a christmas festival.

We all have to be so careful before we say things just in case the latest legislation has made something we may have previously sad illegal and offensive.