A lot of comment about what gives offence recently. In general, it is good manners not to give offence unless you mean to and it is also good manners not to take offence unless a verbal slight was intended.
Recently, scriptwriters for the BBC are protesting that they are not allowed to use the phrase "Sweet Jesus" as an expletive in a sit-com. Of course, this phrase is offensive to Christians when used in this way and the BBC Trust is responding to complaints. Surely there are other phrases commonly used that do not give offence. Deliberate use of this phrase after notice has been given that it is offensive must mean that the writer intends to give offence.
I am offended my the PC use of 'partner' instead of 'wife'. I heard recently of a young widow whose husband was killed a few years ago in Iraq and had now remarried being asked at an antenatal clinic, "It is a long time since your last child; are you in a new relationship?" To her it placed her among a group of women who flitted from one man to another and she was offended by the implication.
Those anxious to be PC seem unaware of the offence they are giving. Christmas Greetings are now Seasonal Greetings or Happy Holidays! Muslims and Hindus were never offended by the Christmas holiday. They were happy to join in in many cases. I know some extreme puritans who insist that Christmas is just a Christianized pagan festival and will have nothing to do with it, but that's their choice. they certainly don't spoil it for everybody else. (At least not since Oliver Cromwell.)
So, lets have a backlash. When you spot a PC statement that offends you, don't be held back by good manners. Let them know how offensive it is. In a polite sort of way.
2 comments:
Dr. Hamblin: It seems to me that Christians expressing offense will be ineffective, until we develop the habit of burning and beheading when we feel slighted.
In the US, of course, it is 'Merry Christmas', and anything else just sounds off to me.
In the office, we no longer have a Christmas party, it is the holiday party.
Of course, I ALWAYS refer to it as the Christmas party, just to bug the PC crowd.
I wonder why other groups don't seem to be as obsessed with being meek and mild.
We have a case in the US of a man from Iraq who ran down and killed his daughter because she was 'too Westernized'. They lived in the US for goodness sake! His defense will be that he cannot be charged, because it is a custom of his people to have honor killings (what a phrase), so it is racism to do anything about it but agree with his actions.
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