It’s political correctness gone mad, I tell you

Check this out. A man from Northern Ireland has been sentenced to 10 weeks in jail (suspended) for calling a Welsh woman English.

Apparently, being called English is a racial slur. Can I demand prosecution of the judges or magistrates who’ve handed down this silly sentence for declaring that being called English is offensive? They’ve offended me and my English son.

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Actually, I’m not that bothered about the English bit. What really bothers me:

The former lorry driver[Michael Forsythe], who is originally from Northern Ireland, but lives in Powys, Mid Wales, called Lorna Steele an “English bitch” during an argument after he collided with her parked vehicle in the Welsh market town of Newport in February.

Why is it OK for a probably big and burly trucker to hit a woman’s car and then call her a bitch. I’ll admit that “English” wasn’t the right label for the Welsh woman, but it’s hardly the end of the world. I’ll even grant that out of the mouth of someone from Northern Ireland, English does carry a bitter weight (whether they be Protestant or Catholic). But the hurtful, hateful part is indisputably calling that woman a bitch.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been called Canadian*, and I’m tough enough to take it. I’ve been called Yank**, too – and while I do find that offensive, I haven’t called the cops yet. But I’d be worried if someone hit my car and called me a bitch. To use that word is aggressive and offensive in anyone’s book. It’s usually meant to offend and when used by big, strange men it’s usually meant to physically intimidate, too.

I’ve noticed this before. Why is it OK to be misogynistic – but even the slightest, tiniest touch of “racism” is deemed worthy of 10 weeks in the poky? I’m not calling for the use of gender-based slurs to go on the books as a crime (we’ve got more than enough “hate” legislation as it is). But I bet his use of the b-word went without comment.

I’m not defending Forsythe’s behavior. Far from it. He sounds like a nasty man. But I’m inclined to agree with him here:

Forsythe has attacked the prosecution as a waste of time and money, according to the Daily Mail newspaper.

“I find it unbelievable that I’ve been prosecuted for this,” he said. “I’ve travelled all over Europe as a lorry driver and never had any problems with anybody and now they’re officially calling me a racist.

“It’s political correctness gone mad.”

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* The Canadians, rather churlishly, do seem to take offense at being called American, so a lot of Brits use Canadian first since we Americans don’t seem to mind.

** As a Southerner, I really don’t like being called a Yank. But I usually just try to explain to the offender what they’ve done.