Political Correctness

international | history and heritage | opinion/analysis Sunday September 10, 2006 22:25 by K.T. Walsh - Social Justice

Political Correctness

Could Ireland face riots like the Brixton riots in the next five years?

Why spend so much to process immigrants in such an ineffectual manner?

Acceptance and Tolerance by all......

I am willing to stick my neck out tonight and speak the forbidden word and the forbidden wording is to ask, in other words, don't question the wording political correctness. Well I will and I will state my reasons accordingly.

I am in Dublin now 7 years after many years in the USA. I can see the riots coming down the road in the next 5 years. I ask tonight are the Irish people blind and deaf because the main conversation in taxis, cafes, restaurants, bars is 'Can we sustain the numbers of immigrants when the economy drops and yes it will drop because it depends on construction right now'.

I welcome to Ireland anybody - creed, colour, religion, we are all human beings looking for the right to work. But I question the Irish government - how could we have spent Euros 1.1 billion on processing these people over the last 3 years. Where is our Civil Serivce, Public Service, Immigration Service? The question I ask is there an undercurrent of other bureaucrats, like the one's that produced the computerized version for voting system (now obsolete - cost was Euros 47 m.). This is a far cry from the 1.1 b. for processing. Where is the Common Sense in all this?

'Man once possessed complex knowledge concerning his place in nature and was to that extent content and free. The knowledge has been replaced by abstract theories he does not understand and must take on trust from experts he does not know. But should humans not be able to understand the basic constituents of their lives'

Now I again ask the question - What is Political correctness? Is the meaning for all people - I am sick and tired of Irish Radio and TV saying that Irish are Racist? Should not every group, every culture be able to influence, revere, reserve in accordance with their free will beliefs and wishes. Is not the present separation of experts and sheep one reason for the much deplored social psychological imbalance.

In basic English I am asking is this. Tolerance and Respect is not just for the Irish citizens, it is for the people also coming into Ireland and they should respect us also.

1.1 billion is an enourmous amount of money. So I ask the question, right in the face of the word, Political Correctness, and I have that right as an Irish citizen - Why so much money and what does the word processing mean in this serious assessment really mean? Sometime ago, I witnessed a taximan being slapped in the face and being called White Thrash when he charged a certain Nigerian woman in relation to her buggy and shopping. This working Irish citizen put his head down and walked away. I ask why and the answer is the word again - political correctness.

One of the most fundatmental questions in our lives is to find out what we value. What principles we want to live by and which codes we will use to guide our behaviour? Most of us want to live a good life but what in today's dying Celtic Tiger, does Good really mean? Good to me means Respect for all people and that includes all of our Irish citizens who live in fear of being called Racist.

Diversity and acceptance begins at our schools. I welcome multi-culture but we also have our culture. I am saddened to hear sometime ago that a Crib was removed from a certain Dublin hospital during Christmas because it offended a Muslim doctor. We have our religion and our culture and nobody in my view has the right to change it as applies in their country.

I now ask the question before we have something like Brixton - would people wake up? We need to try and educate all of us in acceptance and tolerance in today's changing Ireland.

I notice Senator Mary McCarthy's reply to Eirigi on the Indymedia site, I would appreciate views from others.

Quotation:
Juido Krishnamurti 1895-1986
'Religion is a frozen thought of men out of which they build temples'

K.T. Walsh