When and why did PC appear?

Like most people I was brought up from childhood to be polite and respectful of all people. As all in mining communities, never judging others by what they possessed, and wary of behaving badly both out of knowledge that everyone knew who you were and certainty that news of any infraction would quickly reach the ears of parents. Respect instilled as exampled even when 'playing out' mindful of the fact that the pit worked three shifts and hence that there would always be someone's dad sleeping in our streets. No racism or alienation, exampled by the way our neighbour Charlie Williams' much respected uncle shared life in the pit and showed a willingness to participate in the commonplace banter of working people when asked how he knew he was clean after his pithead shower, by responding that it was easy - - he simply looked at his towel afterwards.

So where did PC come from for it seems almost tantamount to 'lying' or 'inaccuracy.' Was it purposely introduced for a time those generously accommodated and their children educated demand sensitivity of us whilst we must take care of what we say for fear of being labelled 'racist' or 'bigot'. Of course we're all mongrels, but should not stand by and see our way of life surrendered or permit our tiny island to become inundated. For whilst argued that only 'some' will come in the New Year, the fact is, they could ALL come if they wanted. And it's only just started!

 

Yes, you're right, there were no problems with race in the 1950's and everything was idyllic, people lived in perfect harmony and we didn't need to do anything.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1958_Notting_Hill_race_riots

 

Most things described as "political correctness" have nothing to do with political, it's just about a correct manner to behave.

 

Spot on.

 

Political correctness is just a fancy name for civil behaviour. If you acted like you claim, which I've no reason to doubt, many, many people did, then you were being politically correct. Nobody would have called it that, because the phrase didn't exist, but what you were doing is exactly what political correctness is. Being a decent person and treating everyone with respect.

Political correctness has become a term of abuse, but it shouldn't be.

Some people in the past weren't like you, they called people names who were a different colour or from a different country or had a different sexual orientation or were a different sex. Or they blocked them getting jobs, or beat them up, or paid them less or generally treated them like dirt. Decent people, like yourself, decided that you were no longer going to stand for that behaviour and everyone should be treated the same. Those that didn't want to treat everyone the same claimed what you were doing was 'political correctness' and the term became one used to deride. People should be proud to be politically correct and if anyone tries to abuse us with the term, we should say "Too right I am, what are you a bigot?"

Immigration has nothing to do with political correctness. You're allowed to have concerns about immigration and be politicly correct. You'e not racist or bigoted if you express those concerns.

Someone came on here yesterday arguing the case against immigration. People weren't up in arms because he held that view. They were appalled that he referred to people from other countries as 'rats' among other things. That is exactly the kind of thing your community was so against when you were being brought up. You can call it political correctness, but it's just being decent.

 

^^^This^^^
'Like'

 

I agree with much of what you say Jay. However what you have not done is made reference to the massive part played by government legislation. Did the racist chanting heard at Oakwell years ago stop because the chanters chose to behave decently? No, it stopped because it was unlawful to do it. Government legislation protected women's rights in the workplace. Disabled people have some rights and protection in law. Without the 'protection' of the law these groups would still be harassed and discriminated against.

 

When I said decent people, I included politicians in that. There have been some.

Did the racist chanting at Oakwell stop because of a change in law? You could argue that is the case, but you could also argue that it was due to more and more people sat/stood at the side of these chanters telling them to shut the **** up.

I suspect it's both, just as I suspect the new laws were brought in to reflect the views of the general populace.

 

No. People were not telling these chanters to shut up anymore than people tell those who chant obscenities to shut up nowadays. Before government legislation the populace of Barnsley was racist - some openly. Government legislation forced a change of behaviour. Whether it changed attitudes to racism is debateable.

 

I know for a fact that is wrong because I've told people to shut up myself. A number of times. I also know I'm not the only one, not by a long chalk.

"Before government legislation the populace of Barnsley was racist"

I was born and bred in Barnsley. I'm not racist. Nor are any of my family. Neither is my wife, also born and bred in Barnsley. Or any of her family. Or any of my friends from Barnsley. We haven't taken on these opinion because of a change in the law. We've always held these views.

I'm not arguing that there weren't or aren't any racist people in Barnsley, there were and are, but what you've just written above is complete rubbish and a mass generalisation of the worst kind.

 

Google "cultural Marxism" and "The Frankfurt School" and you'll find out OP.

 

Mid 2000s. To save our club.

 

Hehe, reverse posting...

 

Couldn't resist.

 

People were telling them to shut up. I was one of them stood in the middle of the Ponty in the 80's and there was a group to the left of us who regularly chanted racist bile and we used to tell them to shut up and then we got verbally abused. A change in general public behaviour prompted government action

 

its funny you put that ponty,because when I first saw the thread I thought it was a pi55 take and was going to be about Mr Cryne.

 

Just edited that for you mate.

 

It was the other way round. If public behaviour alters there is no need for government action. Government action came about as a result of increasing racism.

 

Try telling that to my son-in-law (Afro-Caribbean heritage) - try telling that to my son who was beaten up in Barnsley because his sister was 'going out with a black man.'
Government legislation will alter behaviour it may not always alter attitudes.

 

My attitude has certainly changed today.

It's not often you hear someone brand a whole town racist. Your home town, where you've been brought up and where all your family live. Tarring everyone with the same brush for the actions of a tiny minority. Plus tell you the very things you have done yourself never happened.

I've certainly got a different opinion about someone than I had at the beginning of the day.