PC Facts
Monday, June 15th, 2009
In recent years there has arisen a trend for organisations to be so fearful of litigation that previously sociologically acceptable behaviour is amended to what they consider will be less offensive to any theoretical thin-skinned minority which may or may not actually exist. This trend has become labelled, “Political Correctness”, or PC. Originally, PC served a positive and useful purpose, challenging out-moded traditional customs of thought and behaviour that failed to adapt to a rapidly changing, inclusive society. But the term has itself become anachronistic and is used lightly in parody, or scathingly in lambast, to describe the ludicrous bureaucracy and abuses of petty power that result from the misapplication of correction. Politically correct is now a contronym of itself, as the concept it describes is itself generally accepted to be politically incorrect.
Examples of PC gone awry….
—————
The St. Mary’s airport in the Isles of Scilly (sic) has advertised for the post of Air Traffic Controller, offering potential candidates application packs in Braille, large text or audio formats.
It’s been suggested this is “political correctness” gone too far, but the Council stated that this was standard practise for all job ads.
Ananova
—————
Tunbridge Wells Council banned it’s employees from using the word, brainstorm in case people with mental illnesses were offended. Staff attending a training course were told to use the term “thought shower” instead.
—————
Pendle Council officials advised that the word “senior” should no longer be used in job ads as it could be discriminatory towards young people. The council’s executive committee threw out the suggestion. One councillor described it as “politically correct crap”!
—————
Graduates at the Anglia Ruskin University were told in 2008 that they should not throw their hats in the air as is customary at the graduation ceremony as someone may get hurt by the falling mortarboards. This example may also be termed “health and safety gone mad,” which is a phenomenon related to that of PC. Students suggested that perhaps the university might like to cancel the whole ceremony in case someone was injured while travelling there!
—————
A Police officer pulled over 18-year-old Ben Smith for a spot check on tyres and road tax. All was well until the officer asked Ben to remove the England flag from the parcel shelf under threat of a £30 fine. Apparently the flag was thought to be offensive to immigrants.
—————
The British Arts Council has asked organisations applying for grants to list the sexual orientation of their board members. Director of grants, Audrey Roy, said that the council needed to understand who its audience was and to whom its funding was going. “We see diversity as broader than race, ethnicity, faith and disability,” she said.
Times Online
—————
A leaked Home Office memo in 2006 revealed that prison officers were no longer to refer to young offenders as “prisoners“. Instead they were to be called by name, or “young man”.
—————
A park warden for Oldham Council ordered a couple to stop taking photographs at the swing park, even though they were taking snaps of their own daughter!
A spate of similar incidents where police and minor officials have intervened to prevent the taking of photographs in public has reflected confusion over the law and public rights in the age of terror and paedo-phobia.
thislondon
—————
Critics accused Slough Council of being over-concerned about excluding ethnic minorities from traditional cultural celebrations when they banned bonfires and the burning of guys on November 5th 2007. The council said the ban was on environmental grounds.
—————
British Airways attracted controversy after it told a stewardess wearing a religious symbol, in this case a crucifix, to cover it up, however an employment tribunal ruled that there had been no discrimination.
—————
Supermarkets and shops in the UK have renamed gingerbread men as gingerbread people!
—————
Objecting to a planning application caused a Rochdale man some grief after the council’s software blocked two emails because they contained the word “erection“! By the time the objection managed to find its way through the ban, the planning application had been approved.
—————
Optician Pauline Millican wanted to advertise for a “hard working” receptionist, but the local Job Centre said that the phrase was discriminatory!
—————
Source of all above: Daily Record, Saturday July 12th 2008, unless stated.
Tweet This Post 
Buzz This Post 
Delicious 
Digg This Post 
Facebook 
MySpace 
Reddit 
Stumble This Post
