Interesting Quote

That post Jingle is beyond despicable . And where the fuck is the 'poor me'?

Oh God. Here we go. "This relates to poor me".

And actually whilst you 'PChas gone too far' posters are at, perhaps you could give examples using disability? When I think what attitudes, language and the discrimination against disabled people used to be like - it's not perfect now but it's much better and I personally experience the improvements daily . And if you want to take about fascism in this context - think about the thousands and thousands of disabled people exterminated by Hitler just because they were disabled - you and PDJ don't know the meaning of the word

It is going to be explained on there, what I am trying to say, apparently.

Any of you planning to watch the programme on thursday by Trevor Phillips?

Of being labelled racist, sexist etc etc.

Rockgran - well done to your ds. You should be pleased that a) he is so aware and b) that you have such a good relationship with him that he feels he can 'correct' you.
Soon - what are you talking about? maybe you mean the recent news about the investigations into the abuse of children by powerful white men which was allegedly shut down with threats of the official secrets act?

Afraid to speak up because of what soontobe?

"Ordinary" people have been afraid to speak up in the workplace, resulting in untold suffering, both for them, and who they had needed to defend.

Even politicians have been too frightened to speak out.

It certainly is a minefield these days. I have even been mildly corrected by my own son occasionally when using an inadvertently unacceptable newly "wrong" word.
I love to watch "Big Bang Theory" when Sheldon's mother is in full flow - making everyone cringe but meaning no harm and often making a lot of sense.

Some people will always take some things too far

Agreed. Trouble is, there are so many of them, and still going, that it has damaged our society in a big way.
And as always, the most vulnerable have paid the heaviest price of all.

petallus I don't understand what point you're trying to make. You raised the issue of the young men assaulting the black man on the Paris Metro. I didn't refer to them as yobs or chavs but since you ask I don't care what school they attended or what their background is - as far as I'm concerned, people who behave in that way are louts.

Eleothan the young men who would not let the black man on the train were pupils at a very expensive public school. Were you thinking chavs or yobs?

As I've said before, it is easy for people who are not being affected by certain words or phrases to be very relaxed about their use. "GrannyTwice* has stated that she would object to being called a "cripple". Surely, it is her right to say to someone, whatever their age, that she would prefer not to be described in such a way?

Not everybody feels "safe" enough to challenge language that they find hurtful or demeaning and so I feel a decent society should examine these issues and discourage language that stereotypes, insults or belittles specific groups of people.

petallus If by a "backlash" you mean that those who can no longer go to a football match and shout racist comments at players are angry at their loss of "freedom of speech" you may well be right. But "political correctness" didn't cause racism, sexism, homophobia, etc. etc. - it was a response to it.

Mamacaz You say "Even on this site I've seen the word bigot used to describe people who argue that things have gone too far". I've looked through this thread and have not seen any contributor described as a bigot and I don't recall seeing that word used anywhere else in relation to a Gransnetter.

Some people will always take some things too far. We have heard the Baa, baa blue sheep story and the instruction to teachers to say that their favourite colour is black or brown and countless other pieces of nonsense, some of which may even be true. I was told by a policeman that I wasn't allowed to describe someone as fat when giving a statement, even though he was almost spherical. Such absurdities still do not invalidate the basic principle.

They did not say it to the woman, just under their breath.

It seems Trevor Phillips has said he thinks political correctness is stopping certain topics being discussed because people are worried they will be accused of racial prejudice. He fears a backlash.

I wondered about a backlash myself. Bearing in mind the young people who stopped the black .. oh God can I say black man, er person of colour, from getting on the train, I was interested to hear, whilst out in London recently, three teenage girls saying, when passing a woman begging, get back to your own country, and then giggling.

Am I alone in finding some aspects of political correctness hypocritical?

If political correctness is supposed to be about "good manners", I don't get why it seems to be perfectly ok to insult those who dare to question some aspect of it.
Even on this site, I've seen the word bigot used to describe people who argue that things have gone too far. Surely that's an insulting word, isn't it, and not one that should be used to describe someone simply because they disagree with (some of) your views?

Better get my head below the parapet now before the attack comes

It can certainly be hurtful. But in my opinion, not as hurtful as when the person means it to be hurtful.
Insulting? hmm. Depends on the definition of the word I guess. I think that if a person used a word that they didnt mean to be hurtful, then that is an insult but not insulting, because to be insulting, the person would have to say a word to mean to hurt someone with it.

Sorry Ana – that was with reference to an earlier post about Benedict Cummberpatch regarding the self-appointed language police who seem to spend their lives just looking for an opportunity to complain.

soontobe Words matter and even if someone doesn't use a term with hatred because it's commonly used by others, that term can still be hurtful and insulting.

Should a person receive a phrase or word with hate, it the person sending or using it, didnt mean it in a hurtful way?

Farnorth, I do know what constitutes hurtful, insulting or dowright rude language, thank you. It's the people 'lurking in the shadows' etc. I didn't get.

My father was severely restricted by Parkinson's Disease. An aunt used often to tell people that he was a "vegetable". My mother wasn't too happy about her saying that, but never objected.

a.k.a. hurtful / insulting / downright rude

The concept of some language being politically incorrect.