4 Letter Word

[Pangurban]

The word CRIB has now been deemed to be offensive and unsuitable for use in public, according to the broadcasting regulators who govern R.T.E.  Apparently Athiests and Muslims are easily offended so us christians have to keep our heads down and say nothing until given permission to speak. Great living in a liberal democracy, isnt it

[FL/MAYO]

Yep, Santa cant say HO HO HO anymore as it is offensive to woman... supposedly.

[Puckoon]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crib

Im assuming they mean in the context of the nativity scene? Nativity will soon be outlawed too then. While Id never advocate white militancy, the accumulation of these erosions of our culture, and the increasing pressure on our established society to conform to make it a better place to live for those who are immigrants to our shores, is happening at an alarming rate. How did the world survive before such PC conciousness?

[SeanSouth]

Sunday Times 9/12/07

Christmas is cool, says equality boss
BRITAIN'S equality chief has attacked "politically correct" critics of traditional Christmas festivities for undermining diversity in society.

Trevor Phillips, chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, has condemned attempts to "brush Christmas under the carpet" for fear of offending other religions.

Citing cases such as schools scrapping nativity plays, he says that being oversensitive to minority views can lead to pointless embarrassment. "[This can] lead us down ludicrous paths; paths populated with winter festivals instead of Christmas celebrations; anodyne messages of 'seasons greetings' and pointless embarrassment over biblical nativity scenes." Phillips' critique will be seen as significant because he heads the quango set up by the government to protect the interests of the minorities whom the "PC" lobby claim are being marginalised at Christmas.

In a speech tomorrow he will warn that measures to downplay Christmas to avoid offence are more likely to "put the 'silly' into the silly season, much to the delight of tabloid hacks . . . looking for yet another example of political correctness gone mad".

I'm not religious, but...
In a reference to Muslim, Hindu and Jewish festivals, he adds: "The logic is baffling: to welcome Eid and Diwali and Hanukkah in celebration of our glorious diversity, whilst brushing Christmas under the carpet as an embarrassing episode in our mono-cultural past."

Phillips will say that it is unclear who is being offended by Christmas. "Let's stop being daft . . . it's fine to celebrate Christmas," he states.

His remarks, due to be made at a conference in London on racial equality, add to the debate about the role of Christmas in multi-ethnic Britain.

Last month a report from Labour's favourite think tank said Britain should continue to celebrate Christmas only if similar recognition was given to major religious festivals from other faiths. "Public organisations should mark other religious festivals too," the Institute for Public Policy Research said. It also said, however, that "it would be very hard to expunge [Christmas] from our national life".

Examples of the erosion of the traditional Christmas festival are becoming increasingly easy to find. Last year Tower Hamlets council in east London banned decorations at JobCentres. Cards wish "holiday greetings" instead of "Merry Christmas". One school even banned Mary being called the Virgin Mary.

A commission spokesman said: "[Phillips] is saying it's all very silly - people are worried about offending other religions when those religions are happy about a Christian Christmas."

[J70]

The word CRIB has now been deemed to be offensive and unsuitable for use in public, according to the broadcasting regulators who govern R.T.E.  Apparently Athiests and Muslims are easily offended so us christians have to keep our heads down and say nothing until given permission to speak. Great living in a liberal democracy, isnt it

According to RTE:

...RTÉ has denied banning the ad, saying it advised Veritas to clarify with the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland whether its prohibition of advertising 'directed towards religious ends' applied to cribs.

...RTÉ denied that it had banned the word.  Station spokesman Peter Feeney said over a month ago its copy clearance committee concluded that an issue might arise if the BCI considered that promoting the sale of cribs was directed towards religious ends, and therefore prohibited under its code.

RTÉ's committee advised Veritas to clarify the situation with the BCI.

It also said Veritas could alter the script, which it did, and it was then cleared for broadcast.

RTÉ understands that Veritas did not approach BCI with the matter, and says it continues to be willing to broadcast the original ad if BCI approval is given.

So you can't run religious ads on public broadcast media in Ireland. I did not know that.

I presume you'd be happy enough to see atheists and muslims advertising their particular beliefs on radio and tv then Pangurban?

If so, then maybe you need to pursue getting this law changed.

[Pangurban]

A fine bit of hair-splitting here, with a wide flexible interpretation of what constitutes promotion. It is worth noting that in the Ad. referred too, nothing was offered for sale. Does the display of Nativity scenes in public buildings constitute promotion. Does the sale of Christmas Cards with Nativity or other religious scenes constitute promotion. Many equality authorities say yes, and have taken steps to have them banned.  I believe our culture and religion is being eroded, and if we dont wake up to this soon, it will be too late.

[J70]

A fine bit of hair-splitting here, with a wide flexible interpretation of what constitutes promotion. It is worth noting that in the Ad. referred too, nothing was offered for sale. Does the display of Nativity scenes in public buildings constitute promotion. Does the sale of Christmas Cards with Nativity or other religious scenes constitute promotion. Many equality authorities say yes, and have taken steps to have them banned.  I believe our culture and religion is being eroded, and if we dont wake up to this soon, it will be too late.

I don't see how the sale of religious cards could be interpreted as government promotion of a particular religious belief. That is a private affair. Nativity scenes in public buildings is unquestionably promotion, and not something I have a problem with, as long as other religions are given similar access to public space should they desire it. The idea that the majority religion should have such access, but that everyone else can go to hell, I have a big objection to.

And unless your culture and religion are dependent on publicly-owned space, be it buildings or national broadcasts or whatever, I fail to see how equality rules can lead to them being eroded. No one is going around preventing you from going to mass or Sunday service,  or forcibly converting you to some other religion.

BTW, I thought RTE broadcast radio and television masses on Sunday mornings?

[his holiness nb]

Re the word "crib", surely its not a religious word, just the thing that christians believe jesus lied in?

I really dont get this, by that logic they will ban the words "donkey" and "wise men" next. 

By these standards surely christians in Ireland should complain about muslim terms saying they are offensive. Maybe get the word "koran" etc banned.
Its not a serious suggestion but we need to draw a line in the stand here and say enough shite.

Somehow I cant see them entertaining that, its only our own culture we are prepared to stifle 

[his holiness nb]

BTW, I thought RTE broadcast radio and television masses on Sunday mornings?

They do, and the angelus is on every day. Although I have heard a protestant freind complain about the angelus before, saying they were offended by it. I just dont get that at all.

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

On talkback last Friday (I think) on Radio Six counties - man from Veritas or some other Catholic organisation was being interviewed, your man says that he was on Primetime a while ago, discussion was on weither or not RTE should show the Angelus as it was offense to other faiths.
Interviewer introduces your man, then goes to top boy from Church of Ireland, "well, what do you think of the Angelus on RTE?" says she, we have absolutely no problem with it, says he! Interviewer looking shocked goes to the next guest who was a leading member of the Irish Jewish community - same question, same response!!

It's not other faiths that are complaining about these things, it's secularists and "lefty" twats!
I have no problem with the Indian community in Belfast celebrating Dawali in the Waterworks, infact I attended as I was curious, so let me celebrate Christmas, without interference.  

[J70]

Who is interfering with your right to celebrate Christmas?

[lynchbhoy]

I'm sure MTV will be campaining tokeep these words in use, otherwise thier newly named show
'celebrity homes' just doesnt have the same ring to it...

this PC sihte gone mad is way OTT and irritating.

Christmas and all its images etc are meant to be decency inspiring , but these lefty idiots are ruining it for everyone !

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

Who is interfering with your right to celebrate Christmas?

People who are: stopping playgroups putting on Nativity plays, stopping places of work putting up Christmas decorations, trees etc, stopping Santa saying Ho Ho Ho (seemingly women may find it offensive!), making people say "happy holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" etc, schools (which still do put on the Nativity) not using the term the Virgin Mary!, Belfast City Council not having a carol service this year, instead their having a multicultural music show! FFS

That is just a very small list, there are many many more examples (and while most of the ones I've listed have a small baring on me, they all influence and spoil my over all enjoyment of Christmas - not least because, this PC bullshit annoys the f**k out of me!! 

But this creeping dilution of Christmas is worrying, and if not addressed could lead to future Christmas's being sterile and totally commercial events!

[J70]

Who is interfering with your right to celebrate Christmas?

People who are: stopping playgroups putting on Nativity plays, stopping places of work putting up Christmas decorations, trees etc, stopping Santa saying Ho Ho Ho (seemingly women may find it offensive!), making people say "happy holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" etc, schools (which still do put on the Nativity) not using the term the Virgin Mary!, Belfast City Council not having a carol service this year, instead their having a multicultural music show! FFS

That is just a very small list, there are many many more examples (and while most of the ones I've listed have a small baring on me, they all influence and spoil my over all enjoyment of Christmas - not least because, this PC bullshit annoys the f**k out of me!! 

But this creeping dilution of Christmas is worrying, and if not addressed could lead to future Christmas's being sterile and totally commercial events!

Well you don't have a right to not be annoyed!

I think you have a fair point regarding stuff like the city council changing from the carol service, but they're elected representatives, so if enough people care, you can get it changed back. Are catholic schools really not using the term "virgin Mary" or ceasing to put on nativity plays? If schools that cater for all beliefs are doing it, I don't see a problem. I also don't see how some misguided shopping centre manager prohibiting his Santa from saying "ho ho ho" could be seriously construed as an assault on Christmas either (unless this trend had mushroomed out across the globe in the last week or two?). Workplaces and Christmas decorations is a private affair, and a weak complaint, in my opinion. The employer is the boss, and if he thinks its going to be a distraction to his business, he is perfectly entitled to prohibit such decorations. I've stated my opinion on "happy holidays" here before, so I'm not going to get into again, beyond reiterating that I think it is a perfectly acceptable and totally inoffensive term to use in a place like the US where several religious holidays fall around the same time.

The bottom line is that Christmas will survive as long as people want to celebrate it, regardless of whether the kid in the supermarket says "happy holidays" or there is tree at work. And given the commercial stakes involved, its certainly not going to disappear any time soon.

[Billys Boots]

future Christmas's being sterile and totally commercial events

Tell me you're joking GDA!