Right, I think the British society has lost the plot when it comes to what is acceptable and what is not. Infact, I dare say it is teetering on extremism! Just today, it was reported in the news that a toy shop removed a pig from its toy farm set for fear it might upset muslim and jewish parents. It has indeed led me to ponder why Britain as a nation has to bend over backwards just to accomodate everyone. Let me clarify, I am not against the idea of treating everyone equally. Equal opportunity is probably one of the best things ever invented and Britain is definitely the poster child for that. But I am afraid there has to be a line drawn somewhere and especially when it comes to sensitive issues like religion. The story above is not the first of its kind. As the years have gone by, it has definitely seen more politically correct warnings about how the society should be mindful of doing anything just incase it comes accross as "offensive" to people, especially muslims. While I am a strong advocate for diplomacy and respectfulness towards other humans, there is a fine line between "freedom of speech" and outright disrespectfulness. The trend these days is getting sacked or sued just because there is a risk that one's statement can be viewed as insensitive. I mean, what is going on? Surely when one migrates to a different country, there's the contemplation that you have to adapt to certain things like language, weather, food, etc. There is no requirement that you get rid of your culture entirely but you can not go about expecting things to be exactly as they were in your home country. For example, you cannot go on holiday to Saudi Arabia wearing a bikini by the beach or start kissing in public because their laws forbid it. Come to think of it, how many churches are there in Saudi Arabia and how many mosques are in Britain? I am sure the difference is clear because the focus is indeed on only one part of the society. What about the christians, sikhs, buddhists etc? Does any one really care if anything offends them or not? It is good that Britons have opened their arms and pockets to many but it is definitely not being appreciated especially with the whole attitude of taking offence even when none was meant. It has got to stop as I for one, cannot continue biting my tongue and not having an opinion or expressing myself the way I want to, just because there is a possibility that some one out there might be offended. This is not intended as a jibe towards any race or religion, I am simply fed up of all the political correctness going on and would like to see a society where everyone's concerns are met equally, no preferential treatment, just pure regard for one another. Conclusively, my advice for anyone who thinks the toy farm set with a pig might be an insult to their belief or faith, do not buy it as other people who want it should not be deprived of the chance simply because of that.
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