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The Bad Kind of PC

LA county has banned the use of the terms Master and Slave to refer to hard drive arrangements, on the grounds that it's offensive to black people (sorry, "African Americans"; even though half of them aren't even decended from Africans, at least no more than the rest of us). Well I guess if you're prone to that type of offence then Greeks, Babylonians, Persians, all Europeans (it was essentially all feudal at some point) and pretty much everyone from any major civilisation from the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates until, unfortunately, still today should be offended that some small minded bigot in a California beurocrazy thinks that the suffering of many millions of slaves from all over the world throughout history somehow pales in relation to the relatively brief enslavement of a small number of West Africans.

Political Correctness seems to be utterly hated by anyone I've spoken to. How has it survived and spread like a rash over the (otherwise) civilised world? Who's idea was it to refer to the physically handicapped as 'Life-Abled'? And who was responsible for that person not being immediately shot, for crimes against the English language? What in the blue Hell is offensive about caling someone 'black'? Or 'handicapped'? Or 'too far up their own ass to see the light of day'?

Comments:
Tue, 25th Nov 2003 (14:29)

I agree! It's like the whole concept of hate-crimes (ie race related violations of the law). It's as if murdering someone is worse if your a different skin colour to them. If anyone saw South Park last night (which I think is getting, like Ziggy, a bit too preachy) I'm sure they'd agree with Stan, Kyle and Token when they said that these laws only serve to segregate an already divided community. Everyone should be the same in the eyes of the law. Also it really burns my buns when they change words! First they were called Negroes, then blacks, now African Americans! What next?!

by Gary
Tue, 25th Nov 2003 (22:37)

The worst part is that throughout writing the post I was being really careful not to offend hypothetical readers (most of my readers are hypothetical, or should that be 'differently real'?) Why should I have to do that? If you accept that I'm not a discriminatory person then it should be hard to take offence at what I say. People aren't given the benefit of doubt in these matters. One slip up and the PC thugs pounce.

by Rory
Wed, 26th Nov 2003 (01:47)

I'd like to congratulate djinn on the shortest lived comment in SoylentRed's short history. Try anything like that again and penalties will be created and enforced

by Rory

About this post

This piece was posted on Tue, 25th Nov 2003 at 11:18.

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