Political incorrectness I do miss it!

There was l lovely little book called 'The Specialist' I've still got a copy somewhere I think!

So where is the backyard if they are back-to-back? (or just being thick)

Well, they were called back to backs but they seemed to come in all shapes and sizes. We lived in one that was up an entry; the houses were back to back with an entry inbetween which led to a yard. Our house was on it's own in the yard next to the brewhouses and a row of shared toilets. My aunt and uncle also did the music halls; they eventually settled in Brighton. Their daughter, Hetty seemed to have been farmed out somewhere until they eventually settled down in one place; in fact no one knew she existed for a long time. My grandparents had a shop on Hockley Hill. Most of it has gone now; I was going make a little trip to see the old places but most have been pulled own. Someone did send me a photo of the bus stop where I used to catch the bus to school, but even the church from my church school was demolished . My father in law worked at Winson Green Prison. It was so strange seeing all the photos in the books I've got.

Do I miss political incorrectness? Well let's see - do I miss being patronised by men just because I am female? Do I miss jokes about "gingers" when my gorgeous 2 1/2 year old DGS has the most wonderful head of auburn hair? Do I miss my mother in Scotland being told she had no right to an opinion about the government of the day because she was "just a bloody German"? Do I miss jokes about Scots being mean, the Irish being thick and the Welsh and sheep? Do I miss ageist carton birthday cards which are frankly obscene? Do I miss offensive words such as Paki/nigger/ chinky/ loony / nutcase or Frog/Hun/Paddy or Eyetie?
What do you think?
No offence - but what planet are some people living on? Of course there will be instances where nonsense is perpetrated in the name of PC ("happy holidays" instead of "Happy Christmas" is one, "hers" instead of "hymns" is another) just as "Health and safety" is corrupted into elf an safety nonsense, but thank God we do not let children work machinery or let people take foolish risks on farms or in workshops. I can only assume the OP was tongue in cheek, but it is amazing how seriously some people seem to take it

I think you'll find the ageist cartoon birthday cards are alive and well and being sold in a store near you, Soutra...

Is Paddy offensive? I thought it was short for Patrick or Patricia. Help!! I know a lady called Paddy .....

Message deleted by Gransnet for breaking our forum guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

Well said Soutra and yes, * rose quartz* tread carefully.

'political correctness' is an artificial construct often aired to undermine a group/way of thinking/values that one disagrees with. Often not based on any solid truth!

I know two women called Paddy, as a diminuitive for Patricia.

When used as a generic and derogatory term for Irish labourers it's just wrong. It is not difficult to understand the difference is it?

Comedy is a personal matter. I have never found Ken Dodd funny but I laugh out loud at Tommy Cooper. I accidentally saw Richard Herring live talking about his Penis Survey..it was hilarious!

It think jokes 'against' people or groups of people are not really jokes.

Jokes about people , told with affection can be very funny. It's the way you tell'em

Oops!

Unfortunately, JessM, it was not really meant as a joke, just something I have come across during my working life. I forgot about other people's sensitivities.

How ridiculous was that deletion? There was nothing offensive about your post, rosequartz - in fact I nearly added one of my own relating to my past work in a legal office. It's perhaps as well we don't have many Irish GNs at the moment...

Well I thought the level of innuendo expressed in the now deleted piost was offensive and I am pleased that I am not the only one although frankly I would still have objected if I had been in a minority of 1. This denigrating of other races/colours/ intellwctual abilities /creeds/ is a mindset which we need to change by example not by protesting about inequality and then perpetuating it by (at best patronising) anecdotes or at worst, falling into the trap of the cheap jibe.

And what Ana would your objection be to GNetters who are Irish?

I never thought that Paddy was an offensive term for an Irish labourer. You live and learn on here.
I just thought it was a rather affectionate dimunitive of a very popular Irish name.
We won't be able to call people Geordies, Brummies or Taffs soon

Just don't join the RN anyone - no-one gets called by their correct name in the Navy!

Innuendo? of Wales.

Just stating a fact, examples of which have come to my attention over my working life. Not a joke. Not at all politically incorrect.

Seek and ye shall find. Political incorrectness that is.

We have had references to things others have come across in their working lives which were just as shocking. The revelation that sometimes people in rural areas whose sexual lives are unfulfilling have been known to resort to the animals under their care is not a new one.

Inuendo? Probably on record somewhere and verifiable, like the exploits of some children's entertainers. Is any reference to them to be deleted in case other entertainers are insulted?

Not sure what you are getting at elegran. Where sexual proclivities are linked with a racial stereotype surely it is highly offensive for people of that race or racial background to be referred to in this way is it not? So to say "ah well you know what they say about the * and Iknow because I have come across it in my professional life " is not what I am happy reading on GN. I have no argument with your opening point just the hackneyed stereotypical racism implied (not by you) when associated with one nationality.

Stereotyping is the first step to prejudice. All the difference, Elegran isn't there, between saying that a few people in certain circumstances do something and casually implying or assuming that a whole nation, gender etc do it.
In Western Australia many believe "poms (i.e. british immigrants) are smelly.
I suspect this originates from the fact that most were a bit whiffy when they got off boats where they could not have a bath or shower. They then tended to live in very poor housing which may not have helped. For whatever historical reason this stereotype prevails and my son was highly amused when a recent Indian immigrant to WA said, sounding very surprised: "You're not smelly are you, even though you are a Pom!".
He would not be so amused if his children got called "smelly pom" in school though. And stereotyping like this could result in prejudice and discrimination e.g. I won't shortlist this job application because he will probably be smelly. But the chap in the pub who casually calls his mate a smelly pom will say its just a joke and why should anyone mind.

I agree with all that, but what Rosequartz was saying was stating a fact, that she had come across such cases, not stereotyping all Welsh. She doesn't think that all Welshmen are into bestiality. The Australians who think all poms smell were basing a stereotype on a probable long-ago truth.

Exactly. And, Soutra, I have no objection at all to GNetters who are Irish, of course. I just thought some may not have liked the term Paddy being used.

I had a friend who was married to an Irish chap - and he introduced himself to me as 'Paddy' (his name was Patrick), even his wife called him Paddy. Maybe we're back to context again.

The Aussies have a joke they like to tell in front of British people as they did to my brother when he arrived in Australia: how do you know when a plane load of pohms has landed? When the engines are turned off you can still hear whining. Was my brother offended? No, he laughed because he thought that was quite funny.

Whilst it should never be acceptable to insult people because of the way they were born, I do think some people see insult where none was intended and most people, once it's pointed out, will cease to say it.

I saw Rosequartz's post before it was deleted and it did not come across as stating a fact about some individuals. It sounded to me like a sly innuendo about the residents of one particular country. I accept that it was not meant that way but the short, casual appearance of the comment gave that impression.
If someone wants to make a factual statement then they should make it clear that that is what they are doing.

Elegran said :
like the exploits of some children's entertainers. Is any reference to them to be deleted in case other entertainers are insulted?

Clearly not, but comments which appear to denigrate all entertainers would not be acceptable.

Soon we will be unable to open our mouths, frightened in case we say something wrong, we might as well live in a police state. I am sure all you over the top PC brigade would relish in reporting us if the deleted posts on gransnet are anything to go by.

Thank you * FarNorth* that was my reading and GNHQ clearly thought likewise. And ana you don't have to be Irish to object to the use of Paddy as a reference to the Irish any more than you have to be Scottish to object to Jock or female to object to bitch.