Brits Outlaw "Bad" Phrases and Words

I'm reminded of George Carlin's bit about the 7 Words You Can't Say on TV. He made a point about how words themselves aren't bad - it's just the meanings that we attach to them. So what if you decide to attach a bad meaning to a word or phrase that doesn't offend the majority of the population? Well, obviously, you're correct, and the government needs to step in!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6806502.ece

Some of the things they're outlawing for being racist or sexist include:

whiter than white
gentleman’s agreement
black mark
right-hand man

Also, the Learning and Skills Council wants staff to “perfect” their brief rather than “master” it, while the Newcastle University has singled out the phrase “master bedroom” as being problematic.

You have to dig pretty deep on some of these to find the "problem".

However, the last paragraph of the story contains the voice of reason:

Marie Clair, spokeswoman for the Plain English Campaign, said: “Political correctness has good intentions but things can be taken to an extreme. What is really needed is a bit of common sense.”

Obviously NOT a Racial Hate Crime

Akron police investigate teen mob attack on family

Group of white people attacked by a group of black people yelling "This is a black world", but it's not racially motivated.

But it's not racist

Couple's 'buy black' experiment becomes a movement

Just imagine if it was a "buy white" experiment...

Disney's First "Black Princess"

Some people are never happy. I'm not going to say anymore, just post the link and let you read it for yourself.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6163710.ece

RNC Rivals Discuss Racial Song

Republicans who are vying to lead the national party offered a mix of reactions yesterday to the decision by one candidate for the job to mail out a music CD including the song Barack the Magic Negro. Chip Saltsman defended his actions, telling the Hill newspaper that the song -- and others on the CD, which was mailed to party members -- was nothing more than a lighthearted parody. But his rivals in the contest to chair the Republican National Committee said it carried an inaccurate message about what the GOP stands for. "In my opinion, this isn't funny and it's in bad taste," said Michigan GOP chairman Saul Azunis. "Just as important, anything that paints the GOP as being motivated in our criticism of President-elect Obama by anything other than a difference in philosophy does a disservice to our party."

I'm going back to my philosophical home, the lunatic fringe Libertarian Party.