General Chat

This is a copy of a letter which I wrote to our local newspaper, the South Wales Echo, and which is printed in today's edition. Could I say I wrote it before I found out why our troops were ordered to change into civvies! I just wondered if others on here agree with my views?

"I have spent some time reflecting on the events of 2007 with particular emphasis on all those times when we as British citizens have been forced to compromise our ideals, our beliefs, our culture in order to appease people have have chosen to live in our country.

Many things have occured over the past year and Christmas seems to bring out the worst of these travesties. Take a school deciding to call Nativity plays Jesus's party!! Now who came up with that idea and who exactly was supposedly offended by the words Nativity play? I'd really like to know.

A Christian worker at a British airport banned from wearing a small crucifix around her neck for fear it would offend non-Christians! Never mind that this lady was probably dealing with passengers wearing their own religious symbols, or wearing a veil.
Armed forces returning to this coiuntry from Afghanistan and landing at Birmingham airport to be informed that they could not enter the airport building in uniform and forced to change into civvies on the runway - in January!! Allegedly in case they caused offence!! Offence to whom may I be so bold as to ask?

My son is a train driver and recently his guard was shown a rail card by a veiled female passenger. He pointed out that there was no way he could see if she was the holder of the card as she was veiled - he apolgised and said he was unable to allow her travel on his train. Fair enough I thought, but not his superiors - he was hauled to a disciplinary for this. This farce applies also to the veiled women we see driving cars - if asked to produce their licenses how can police know if they are the license holder? This is not racial discrimination, it is just plain common sense.

I am now beginning to wonder if there is ever going to be an end to this discrimination against British citizens or will it just continue until we have no identity, culture or traditions left? "

My only criticism Ann, if criticism is the right word, is that you're too polite about it!
I feel so strongly about these matters it makes me really mad. Grrrrrrr .............
x

Ann..............very well said.............


GO GIRL............................


Glynisxxx

Ann - agree with every word you utter in your letter (apart from the troop changing debarcle - but then I accept the facts took a while to come out)...How about standing for government?

....when I worked in Birmingham city centre I was given a little rubber pink pig (publising a web site) at the train station. In the office I put it on top of my PC...Lord you would have thought I had a porn photo on the wall, I was hauled into HR and told (not asked) to remove it as it may offend muslim colleagues. I refused and was threatened with disciplinary action until that was half my staff who were muslims e-mailed HR and asked them to stop over reacting...crazy country we live in these days Ann...Col x

Glenys - I did put quite a few more salient points in but they were edited out! Presumably in case someone was offended!

Ann X

As I recall the airport worker was told to remove the cross because jewellery was against company policy, nothing to do with giving offence. And the company revised the rule and now it would be allowed.

The fiasco at the airport was down to MOD rules for the safety of the troops, nothing at all to do with giving offence.

Gwynne

Gwynne - I did mention that when I wrote the letter I was unaware of the reason for the troops having to change - I now know it was for their own safety.

Ann X

Hi Ann,
It's the same every where political correctness gone mad !!!
Darlene

Well put Ann

Unfortunately it is the non-british cultures and traditions that makes us feel discriminated against when actually it is the governments who chose to knock the british culture and encourage the new cultures.

All in all these issues need to be directed to the govt.

skwirrel

Gwynne, thank you for pointing out those two important issues regarding both airport cases.

However Ann, I actually agree with the main point of the letter in that we are now hiding our own culture to save offending people to such and extent that we are losing our own identity. It's as though our thousands of years of heritage don't matter any more.

Colin, you're right, much of this is over-reaction by the PC do-gooders. I remember an outcry over mince pies a year or so back, saying they may offend our Muslim neighbours, but when a young Muslim man was interviewed to get his opinion on it, he said he didn't understand what the fuss was about, and he likes mince pies anyway!

The problem here is, with all this over-reaction from the PC brigade, it actually causes people to resent different cultures and blame them for all this. I get the feeling that in the main, most people of different cultures and religions wouldn't actually give a damn if we celebrate our own culture, as long as they are allowed to celebrate theirs.

Well done Ann,The trouble is "The Truth Hurts The PC Brigade".Its about time the People we Elect ( Not the Quangoes) remembered the old saying " When In Rome Do as the Romans" otherwise Sod Off. **M**.

My sentiments exactly Merlin! If I visited your house and didn't like the decor, would I mention it? Course I wouldn't - none of my business.

Its getting worse all the time, a couple of years aso i worked as a Customer Service Manager for a company and I said to one of my dizzy staff ''gosh you're having a blonde moment'' she complained and I was forced to apologise for insulting her....It isn't just ethnic minorities you have to tread on egg shells with

Well put Ann - can I add my name to the bottom of your letter as well please!!
Regarding the PC brigade I sometimes wonder if it's all a con and they are actually stirring up trouble for their own ends

I blame the media to a large extent for making "cultural issues" out of situations, like the jewellery and the airport, which are nothing to do with culture or being PC.

Both of those situations were made to look like something they were not by the media. Would the papers have picked up on it if the woman who broke the jewellery rules had been wearing a locket and not a cross? I don't think so.

When she took the job she was told that necklaces weren't allowed.

Gwynne

You could have a point there Nolls, you do get the feeling of a 'hidden agenda' with them don't you? It doesn't make any sense otherwise, it just seems they are pushing this PC madness for the hell of it.

Teresa, They,re just trying to Justify the huge amount of money spent on their stupidity. **M**.

Our government welcome all foreign people and say it gives us a diverse culture, But our own traditions are more and more being not allowed cos they could cause offence to foregners! Come on lets carry on having Christmas carols, wearing a cross, teaching our kids prayers and traditional nursery rhymes, and keep our good humour

Merlin, you say everything I'm tempted to say! lol

And Teresa - in your last-but-one posting, your last paragraph said it all. Well said, you.

Ann - loved your reply to me on first page! :-))))

Carole - well said!
x

I agree with Ann and Merlin this is a British Christian country lets keep it that way.
The army has not let soldiers go home in their uniforms for over 20 years, for their own safety