THE
BBC AND POLITICAL AND LINGUISTIC CORRECTNESS
It is
increasingly hard to take the management of the BBC seriously. I have
no idea who was in the 'Green Room' with Carol Thatcher (of whom I am
no fan) but to be concerned because they disapproved of her describing
somebody (probably because she couldn't remember the name) as 'the
gollywog' (presumably as much because of his hair style as his colour)
is derisable. The word itself cannot be offensive unless some racist
tries to make it so and some recipient feels it so.
Since the same
could apply to any word chosen by racists for this purpose we could
eventually lose the use of the entire English language as the formerlly
correct becomes progressively unusable. We should not forget that the
word 'lavatory' was once a polite euphemism for shit-house. Now we have
euphemisms for lavatory and Americans call it the bathroom. It is time
to stop the proper use of words being an offense and realise that the
misuse and the deliberate use of words to slander or libel is the only
offence that should be recognised as such.
Things said on
the air are a different matter. They engage the responsibility of the
broadcasting company. Jonathan Ross was likely rebuked. He sets a very
poor example in many ways, being an opinionated, loudmouthed git with a
very high opinion of his agile but meagrely informed mind. He is
seriously overpaid.
As for Jeremy
Clarkson, calling Gordon Brown an idiot is not going to enhance the
listeners' opinion of Clarkson's own intelligence. Brown certainly
knows a lot more about his subjects of politics and economics that
Clarkson does about cars, where his knowledge is in my view superficial
as it is on the other matters he has made some albeit entertaining
films about.
He praised the Australian PM for appearing to be scared out of his wits
by the economic situation, and calls Gordon Brown an idiot for not
appearing equally panic stricken. The situation is every bit as scary
as the Australian PM.thinks it is but his overt fear may be because he
has only just realised it could be like that and wished to deny all
responsibility. Gordon Brown will have been only too well aware for
some time, as we can see from his now ancient public statements that
the world financial system was in crisis, and therefore knows it has to
be tackled. Australia has serious water problems, the UK has personal
and industrial debt problems, and the whole world has a serious problem
caused largely by idiots who think like Jeremy Clarkson, impressed by
growth, power, size, speed, quantity, winning and to hell with the
consequences.
The BBC will of
course let Clarkson and Ross plough on regardless of the damage both
do, as it is now run by people I shall spare you from comment on. If
they did it in the name of free speech that would be fine, but we see
from the Carol Thatcher episode this is not the case. The future will
deal with them.