Political Correctness is it out of hand?

I’ve lived in London all my life and it has changed a lot even in this short time, especially in regard to multiculturalism and Political Correctness.

Here in England the law states that:
Currently it is unlawful to fly a national flag without consent from the council unless it is flown from a vertical flagpole. (what with that its the British flag?)

In schools now in England they can’t even call a black board a bloody black board anymore it’s a “Chalk board” but it’s still alright to call a white board white. They are thinking about calling the term Christmas break Winter break, why even bother changing it, that’s just confusing. There only a small amount of people who actually are racist and that’s because there brains the size of pea and can’t see reason.

A few months back a woman who worked at Heathrow airport was told that she had to remove her Christian cross of Jesus which was really small and hardly noticeable and when she refused they sent her home. She was told that unless she removed the cross she would not be allowed back at work. Yet a Sikh man can wear his turban and up until 9/11 could even wear a traditional knife, called a kirpan. Now I’m not saying that the Sikh should take off his turban that’s not right. It’s just everyone should have the right to their religious beliefs and they should be respected.

Immigration seems to be happening to fast I have many friends who have all been to college studying in the building trade etc, all now are either out of work or doing other jobs like security. How many more other industries / trades are going to be effected like this especially with growing expansion of the EU?

I wanted to ask peoples opinion on is:
When do multiculturalism / Immigration or integration of other religions on a country for example England go too far?
Why are we so quick to turn on our culture?
Is a country in danger of losing its own identity or culture?

Please post your opinions on any of these topics.

in the us its the same with the winter break/holiday/christmas crap... its stupid


also some people want the word "god" out of the pledge of allegiance here in schools...


its completely out of hand

Originally posted by racerzeke
in the us its the same with the winter break/holiday/christmas crap... its stupid


also some people want the word "god" out of the pledge of allegiance here in schools...

freedom of and from religion
it's in the first amendment
i, as an atheist, am just as much of an american as you are
however
i have to say that the country is under something i don't believe in
why can't we just say "1 nation, indivisible"?

its completely out of hand

you're right, 15% of the population looking to assert their right of freedom from religion is completely outrageous

Wow! I'm really sad to read that England is being caught up in the P.C. B.S. that we're forced to endure here in the U.S.

Not only have they already changed Christmas break to Winter Holiday here, but the schools are overcompensating by bending over backward to have minimal mention of Christmas or Hannakah while almost PUSHING Kwanzza on my children. When my 5 year old twins came home telling me we should celebrate Kwanzaa I went nuts. Rather than let them spew the stuff that they were told in school I made all four of my daughters sit down with me and we researched Kwanzaa in it's entirity. The history of the founder, the year it was founded, the 7 principals or whatever they are that were exclusive of all races BUT african americans, how it has evolved and how it has gradually changed. My girls are only 9, 7, 5, and 5 but even THEY could see that spending time on Kwanzaa while brushing aside Christmas and Hannakuh was silly. Furthermore, if the PC crowd is so hell bent and determined to expose children to all religions and cultures, why in the world aren't they teaching my children about Ramadan or other Muslim holidays???

I love England and have always thought of it as a very open minded and accepting place. I'm so sorry to hear that a place I love so much is getting caught up in the Political Correctedness that I think CAUSES more problems than it solves!!

FIGHT IT!!!

Jemison

Jemison, there's a fundamental difference between hannakuh, christmas, and kwanza

the first 2 are religious holidays
the third one is a celebration of cultural heritage, no religion is present
it was developed for people to celebrate AFTER the religious holidays of the season

i really dont believe in god either, but it really doesnt affect me if i say god or not in the pledge... and i do get your point though


if they do end up taking it out i'd wear a shirt that said "god" on it just to see what would happen

Hey don't feel that bad your country has been assimilated by the borg, I mean the US.

Now we all share something in common.

What in the world is wrong with my post!!!! they keep showing in pairs.

sorry another double post.

[edit on 10-1-2007 by marg6043]

What I think is the funyest about this whole PC farce is that its usualy not the people certain words are used discriminatly against that push for these laws and PC regulations.

Its usualy middleclass people with to much time on their hands that between going to church and baking cookies get active in all sorts of right leaning activist groups that push for these laws.

They are usualy as racist as the next one and wouldn't even be caught living next to someone of color, but they push for these laws and PC regulations as a way to act asif they are the ones on the moral highground.

They are the majority pushing for this bullocks.

Granted, you do have guys like Jesse Jackson in the US who makes a big ruckus about everyting ever done to black people in the US, but hes in it for the money and to take the religious moral highground.

That moral (and often religiously driven) highground seems to be the silver thread trough the brunt of it. But the moral highground is only the front, there's always an alterior motive, like money, or hidding that your actualy the biggest racist on the block.

If black people in the US had so much against the word "'n-word'" why would they address eachother with it all the time? Ever heard black americans talk slang or sing rap songs? Most of the songs have that word in them a douzen times and barely ever as insults, but mostly to address eachother or themselves just like the word dawg is used.

"Multi-culturalism" is not bad, it is respectful & inclusive of all cultures.

However, what you're seeing in the western world in not multi-culturalism. It is a belief that some cultures somehow deserve more recognition than others. The cross wearer and the Sikh are good examples. One expression is ok, the other is not.

Its as though this faux "multi-culturalism" is attempting to sterilize the white christian segment, while allowing other cultures to prosper.

Patently unfair, and not the type of multi-culturalism that I support. Equal standards for all!

I agree with all the terms like chalkboard instead of blackboard while still be able too call a whiteboard a whiteboard. Its just getting crazier and crazier, here in Australia they are, i think, changing Baa Baa Black sheep, the nursery(sp?) rhyme into Baa Baa Ranibow sheep

wasnt the money in usa under some controversy cause of "in god we trust" ?

While I do agree that people need to be more culturally sensitive, I think it has gotten entirely rediculous in certain areas.

I don't celebrate Christmas. I am not, however, offended during the holiday season if someone says "Merry Christmas" and frankly don't care if they say that, "Happy Holidays" "Happy Solstice" or "Happy Non-Denominational and/or non-religious observation of your choice". At least they're saying something, rather than greeting you with the typical apathetic grunt of acknoledgement.

Now the Ba Ba Rainbow sheep thing is thoroughly silly and I hope that's noticed soon

Also, I support the idea of freedom of religion. I'm not offended when someone wears a cross, or a turban or bindi or what have you. That's entirely their religion, and their choice, and it isn't my place or anyone else's to say that they cannot exercise their freedoms.

As for the pledge of allegience, well, I have no personal stake in it, but one could point out that (as has been noted) freedom of religion can also mean freedom FROM religion, and one should also keep in mind that not everyone worships the same god even if they ARE religious. Also of note is that the 'Under God' bit was not originally part of the pledge, but was added in to differentiate 'us' from the 'godless commies' in the (I believe) 1950's.

(Edited twice due to lack of caffene)
[edit on 11-1-2007 by Digitalis_Purpurea]

[edit on 11-1-2007 by Digitalis_Purpurea]

Don't throw the baby out with the bath water, remember the basic principles of pc were originally intended to protect those who were vulnerable to the predjudice and labelling of a bigoted and often cruel old school that wanted everyone to know there place and retain the status quo. Sadly now it has gone too far and ironically has become a means of oppression in itself and as has been pointed out seems to be weilded most heavily not by the minorities it is supposed to protect but by misguided and affluent do gooders. Personally though I don't want to go back to the good old days of police harrassment, women being groped in the workplace (but it's just a bit of harmless fun darlin) or any one who was perceived as different being treated different.

As i posted on another thread a while ago it is getting out of hand here in Australia also.
If you are attending university here and you come from a non english speaking background you are given extra time to complete exams even if you read/speak/understand english perfectly. Thats just nuts and blatantly unequal imo.

*gets flame retardant suit ready* I am 100% for fee speech regardless of the nature or my personal belief or disbelief of the speaker's topic. I think this P.C. world of hysteria in which we are being forced to live in is getting ridiculous.

Its all "reverse racism." Which IMO is just plain oold racism. Everyone is so anti-white these days. There is a TV channel called BET black entertainment televison. They play only afro-centric programming. Which I have no problem with, I watch many of the shows they play (just not on their channel). Where my problem comes in is here: if anyone tried to make a TV channel that played only caucasion based programming, they would be sued in court and crucified in the media. Its ridiculous. Don't even get me started on affirmitive action - which as far as I am concerned is the grandfather of this PC craze.

I was of the same impression as some other posters in that things were better in Europe. From this post and a program I was watching on the discovery channel, its seems that it is worse. most European countries are much less tolerant of the "free speech" concept - especially when it comes to racial matters. While I don't agree with ANY of the (insert race here) supremist groups, I do agree that they have a right to their opinion and a right to voice it.

As far as the holidays in public school issue, I have no problem (I even welcome and encourage) teaching other religious beliefs. I do have a problem with discriminating against any of those beliefs. You wanna teach Kwanza? Fine. You wanna teach Hannakuh? Great. Teach Christmas too.
Black history month? How about white, hispanic, asian, female history months too?

Oh and BTW white people aren't the only evil ones on the planet. FYI - blacks had slaves in the past too. Some Asians think other asians are inferior. Hispanics are pretty rascist too - trust me I know. The bottom line is: IF YOU WANT TO PREACH TOLERANCE, BE TOLERANT TO ALL.

What I find even more curious about PC and affirmative action, is the irony inherint in our "welcoming american arms".

If by some sheer stroke of luck a mexican crosses the border, we call them illegal, treat them like dirt, and hunt them like witches. If by another chance an immigrant comes from any non-south/non-central american country we roll out the red carpet and grovel in humbleness for being insensitive, even before we open our mouths. Then we offer them asylum from their horribly oppressive country of origin.

Hmm, what's the difference between illegal immigration, and legal immigration? It's the law made by the descendants of white settlers who illegally immigrated to the U.S.A. It's a way to keep our tree-house "Boys Only"

Also it's to keep any new homesteaders out without an agonizing process of application, where their current home situation will probably kill them before they get the chance to better themselves. So by making them wait so long, we get less migration, or in desperation illegal immigration. America is weeding out those who wouldn't be good "law-abiding" citizens.

If they didn't survive their wait, well we didn't know them anyways...

-ADHD