It was in the news today that some companies are afraid to put up Christmas decorations in case they would insult non-christian workers....are we taking political correctness a bit too far?
2006-12-05 23:16:39 · 27 answers · asked by gb512 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
Yes. We've exchanged Freedom of speech for political correctness.
2006-12-05 23:18:56 · answer #1 · answered by Shogun 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
A lot of the stories are made up by both the News of the World, The Express, The Mail and the Sun to promote a particular agenda or are twisted to serve a particular political view. Even the phrase was invented by the media to pour scorn over the fact that people should not use derogatory language to enforce a stereotype or demean a particular person or group and such endeavours should be celebrated. The things about Christmas and such are made up. My local council decided only to have a few white lights on the trees outside the town hall offices to save money to fund facilities and so that it could be used for several diferent celebrations around the Christmas period but there was an item in the press about political correctness, if they had spent the money on a big christmas set of lights they would have been castigated for being profligate with taxpayers monies and damaging the environment so they could not win either way. I think people should be more discerning rather than believing everything they read in the papers.
2006-12-05 23:40:29 · answer #2 · answered by albert_rossie 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No.
1) Politically correctness is about trying not to offend people. Another word for that is politeness.
2) We have this same debate every Christmas! It has no basis in reality and is just a way for editors to fill space in their papers without having to come up with an actual story (just like The Express and their Diana obsession!!). The BBC carried a report on this but couldn't find a single workplace that had banned Christmas decorations.
2006-12-06 22:24:28 · answer #3 · answered by Monkey Hobbit 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the UK, there is a scourge of political correctness, usually bred by local councils and large businesses.
It usually comes from paranoia, because of issues such as racial awareness and 'health and safety'. We should all just get along, whatever faith, colour etc. we are. We're all human beings, not Politically Correct machines.
There is nothing wrong with PC as a concept, but in cases where the rulings are founded on nothing (eg. Don't put Christmas decorations up because it will offend other faiths), there is a definite problem.
There is too much, and its based on not wanting to get in trouble. Indeed, it's self-perpetuating. Those who control what is PC worry eachother into making more and more rulings on what can and can't be said. When in fact, all it takes is COMMON SENSE.
By the way, I can confirm that for quite a while now in Britain, we have heard stories of local councils forbidding Christmas decoration. So for me, it's not news.
2006-12-05 23:25:26 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes Yes Yes.......
Anyway it doesn't bother me as I still speak as I have always done and I love Christmas and have no intention of changing anything about it because I never set out to hurt anyone's feelings. It is the PC police who are being silly.
As I said they will not bully me into giving up hundreds of years of a tradition which was fine untill someone with little to do.... thought..."Wait a minute I am not Christian so I will object to this festival called Christmas"...Well let them mind their own business and grow up. It is only a word and it will not be changed even if they throw their toys out of their pram.
Happy Christmas.
And for Heaven's sake, deck the halls. You will find the really normal people of whatever creed or colour will enjoy the prettiness. Life is too short to be bothered with such piffell....
2006-12-06 07:55:59 · answer #5 · answered by Learner 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The story is fake. It was made up by a Sun journalist. If a company is not putting up Christmas decorations, it's because the boss is too mean. Our local Muslim owned newsagents is covered in Christmas bling.
Political correctness is an American confection designed to hide the fact that we don't respect people. If we show respect to our fellow human beings, there is no need for it. As the Sun story - repeated on Yahoo! - illustrates, for as long as there are morons who promote this rubbish, respect is at a premium.
2006-12-05 23:23:27 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think we are in the case you have referred to regarding Christmas decor. There is a place for political correctness, but unfortunately people don't know when to stop. It is a downward spiral once absurd precedents are set though. Then people can pretty much justify any manner of politically correct stupidity.
2006-12-06 02:19:43 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I do believe that we are taking being politically correct too far. I think that as people study history and see all of the racism and the errors of the past, they believe that history will repeat itself. Maybe that's why people can take things the wrong way. Plus, I think we, as society, are trying to be more open to letting everyone in this Nation celebrate or practice what they believe. I think that there are two sides of this question. Taking it over the top, yet being able to allow others their freedom.
2006-12-05 23:24:17 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well if it was in the SUN it must be true. Mustn't it? Some companies are banning christmas parties too. Is that politically correct or just to save money?
2006-12-06 00:46:35 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's been taken too far, years ago. The second they called a town's Christmas lights "festive" lights so as not to offend the muslim community it was taken too far (read it in the paper about 4 years ago).
Why is it that we have to bend over backwards so as not to offend the minority? 99.9% of them aren't bothered by us celebrating our religious festivals, and we're not offended when they celebrate theirs (I grew up in a town where there is a very large hindu community and neither group was offended/bothered by the other. All of a sudden we had to tone down our festivals in case we offended them!)
I have Hindu mates, I'm an Athiest (Ex Christian) and we weren't ever offended by eachother. If anything, I was slightly curious of their customs and why they did things in certain ways.
We should drop all of this Political correctness now. The PC police are offending everyone by carrying on with their quest!
2006-12-05 23:37:38 · answer #10 · answered by genghis41f 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
it is my personal opinion that we are getting so worried about offending ethnic minorities that we are losing our own identity and offending the majority of the English race.
it appears to be OK to be Scottish, Welsh or Irish, but the English have to be British.
the Muslims, Jews etc can proclaim their identity and faith to the world by their dress but we cannot put up decorations or celebrate our festivals. I think its time that 'Political Correctness' is extended to the NATION regardless of faith, race, colour in the form of tolerance of each person's beliefs. That would be true POLITICAL CORRECTNESS
2006-12-05 23:31:23 · answer #11 · answered by Liz 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋