Political Correctness gone mad?

[Irony's Acolyte]

Um... excuse me, but the term "mad" is offensive to some people. The politically correct term is people of dubious mental stability.

All of this talk of PC gone too far makes me think of are those line from Muse's "Take a Bow":

"And our freedom's consuming itself,
What we've become is contrary to what we want"

Seriously, how is it fine that they change "Baa, baa, black sheep." into "Baa, baa, fluffy sheep." but the Westboro Baptist Church is allowed to celebrate the death of a gay soldier at their funeral? What the fuck happened to Freedom of Speech?

The fault lies not in the law but with the people themselves. Making things illegal will not stop people from doing those things. People becomeing more mature will.

The people who use "Politically incorrect" words as true offensive material aren't going to suddenly stop because "using racial slurs is harmful to the minorities." No fucking duh! Why do you think they were using them in the first place.

Plus people are becoming to easy to offend now a days. How is "Baa, baa, black sheep." Is the slightest bit offensive?

Ugh... I've gotten into a rant here. I'm going to stop for now.

 

[Harley Q]

Jack and Jill was about the beheading of a French king, and Three Blind Mice of a conspiracy against Bloody Mary.

I wouldn't touch on Grimm's fairy tales, as the version you likely know are not the original.

And Mary Mary Quite Contrary is about Bloody Mary's torture instruments, they haven't banned that.

And Ring a Ring o' Roses is a euphemism for the Black Death, or so I think anyway.

Some of those rhymes are very violent in reality.

Yes, it is.

It isn't, that is a common misconception, this was explained on QI. Please watch.

 

[GingerCactus]

Political correctness hasn't "gone mad" but it can be a bit silly.

For instance, many schools have difficulty deciding whether the classic book "Of Mice and Men" should be studied, because of the racism, sexism and general prejudice. Now OMaM is one of my all time favourite books and the racism and sexism play a small part, and the prejudiced characters are usually unlikeable as characters so it shouldn't influence the children too much. not to mention that the prejudice leads to a very sad ending which can't have a positive influence on anyone.

Also, while at primary school, in my later years sports day stopped being about winning races and became about stupid things like throwing bean-bags into hula hoops or (and I wish I were make this up) space-hopper racing. The idea was so that non-athletic children (or to use the non-PC term, fatties) didn't feel left out.
Boo-F***ing-hoo!
If a child doesn't like sports then they shouldn't have to go to sports day, the system shouldn't change to cater for the lazy sods!

I feel I'm beginning to rant so I'll end this post by repeat my earlier statement that political correctness can be bad but is at the same time not a bad thing. Some things are blown out of proportion a little but on the other hand it keeps people from saying the wrong things. I mean think about it, if there had been political correctness in 1939 there may have never been a WWII.

 

[Dexiro]

It's just adults reading too much into nursery rhymes.

Kids don't have half a clue what they're singing about, they don't delve into what hidden meanings they could have, some people are too stupid to realise that though.

Like how is singing about a black sheep racist? Even if it did say or imply something negative against the black sheep, which it doesn't, kids aren't going to equate that with black people having the same characteristics.

 

[TheSentinel]

...fashism...

What has John Fashanu ever done to you?

 

[Jack_Uzi]

...fashism...

What has John Fashanu ever done to you?

Hahaha! I blame him for that typo!

 

[Asuka Soryu]

Jack and Jill was about the beheading of a French king, and Three Blind Mice of a conspiracy against Bloody Mary.

I wouldn't touch on Grimm's fairy tales, as the version you likely know are not the original.

And Mary Mary Quite Contrary is about Bloody Mary's torture instruments, they haven't banned that.

And Ring a Ring o' Roses is a euphemism for the Black Death, or so I think anyway.

Some of those rhymes are very violent in reality.

Yes, it is.

It isn't, that is a common misconception, this was explained on QI. Please watch.

The hell is QI? Watch what?

 

[TheSentinel]

QI is a British panel television show hosted by Stephen Fry. A lot of their questions are based around common misconceptions.

 

[A random person]

The majority of people I see using that phrase are usually extremely racist, homophobic and/or xenophobic - not that you are.

I never even notice so called political correctness to tell you the truth. It just seems to be something for people to whine about.

This, this exactly. Most accusations of political correctness I've seen are just attempts to shame vaguely leftist ideas (paradoxically, the mens movement, one of the accusers, goes on and on about shaming language). Hell, the basic pretense of opposing some political orthodoxy is a political orthodoxy.

Also, it deeply disturbs me that many people who are usually rather incisive observers seemed to have gobbled up this idea of political correctness gone mad. Really, while I'll acknowledge that sometimes sensitivity goes too far, in essence it's only as bad as my not making Jersey jokes around my friend from there.

 

[Mariakitten]

Thats why for nursery rhymes and fairy tails I go to the Grimms fairy tails. Oh so wonderfully dark.

 

[BlumiereBleck]

Wow....censorship gone horribly wrong..

 

[Harley Q]

QI is a British panel television show hosted by Stephen Fry. A lot of their questions are based around common misconceptions.

Although, Stephen Fry could tell me anything and I would believe him.

 

[Booze Zombie]

People are getting up their own arses with trying not to offend each other.
If you don't mean offence then you've nothing to worry about when you talk, if you do, expect hatred and anger directed at yourself.

 

[Elle-Jai]

You're correct, they have gone way a little too far. I heard about Ba Ba black sheep,

In Australia there was alot of news about a principal changing the last line of a beloved, iconic Australian song from

"Laugh, Kookaburra laugh, Kookaburra gay your life must be".

He substituted gay with fun.

OMG that was what I was thinking of when I read the OP. My school principal was also our guitar teacher, and he taught us the original song with none of this "fun" rubbish.

It also reminds me of Enid Blyton's books being edited; "Dick" is now "Rick", "Fanny" has been renamed (I never bothered to find out what to, I'd rather just ensure my children get the original books), and Golliwogs have been booted out of Toyland, to name a few.

Then there's the uproar a few years back about Bob The Builder not wearing a seat-belt. Come again?? The guy has TALKING and INDEPENDENTLY MOVING machinery, and he doesn't sit INSIDE his friends, he hangs off the outside. Of course he's not wearing a ruddy seat-belt.

*facepalm* I just wish it would all... Stop.

 

[Wintermoot]

next safety scissor,s get banned

 

[Cain_Zeros]

Seriously? Baa, Baa, Black Sheep? It's about a sheep with dark-coloured wool! That has nothing to do with black people! I don't care how much you stretch it, there's no fucking link!

 

[Harley Q]

Seriously? Baa, Baa, Black Sheep? It's about a sheep with dark-coloured wool! That has nothing to do with black people! I don't care how much you stretch it, there's no fucking link!

Some people seem to think that Baa baa black sheep is based on the slave trade. Even though there is no actual evidence to support this. Although, even if it were related to the topic, why should that period of history be hidden?

 

[Cain_Zeros]

Seriously? Baa, Baa, Black Sheep? It's about a sheep with dark-coloured wool! That has nothing to do with black people! I don't care how much you stretch it, there's no fucking link!

Some people seem to think that Baa baa black sheep is based on the slave trade. Even though there is no actual evidence to support this. Although, even if it were related to the topic, why should that period of history be hidden?

Ok... I guess I can see where that idea comes from, but it's a stretch, and it's part of your history, even if you don't like it.