Paxo’s right: Britain has lost its stuffing
I AGREE with Jeremy Paxman that political correctness has suffused every aspect of life (Mail). There are far too many over-sensitive snowflakes and minority groups who object to everything. But those same guardians of all that is politically correct do not eschew pouring bile on those who, in their opinion, are not so finely tuned. Anyone who is perceived to be Rightwing is fair game for being automatically assessed as hateful, uncaring and racist, regardless of how that assessment might cause offence and however wrong it may be. We live in a society where common sense is disregarded. There have been incidents when emergency ambulances and fire crews have stood around awaiting for a risk assessment while lives have been in danger of being lost. The police have a recruitment crisis and are struggling to deal with the number of burglaries, but are still expected to prioritise hate crimes. Education is being politicised to the extent that parents feel they have no control over what their children are taught and at what age. Religious belief is no longer held to be of any influence or relevance. Of course, society is subject to change, but if that makes people less tolerant, less humorous and less inclined to act with plain common sense then perhaps we need to question the relevance and pace of that change. Compassion, tolerance and caring is not confined to a Left-wing cabal of politically active, but sometimes misguided, zealots. Most ordinary people are able to make their own decisions about what causes hurt or offence and are perfectly able to express themselves. I am an old person, just like Jeremy Paxman, and admit I am not always politically correct, but I believe I am genuinely considerate of others. If I don’t know how to behave by now, there is no guide book or instruction manual that will alter me. My mantra is ‘Do unto others as you would like to be done by’ and for me that encompasses common sense and humanity.
DAVID ROLL, Cardiff. I HAVE never been a great fan of Jeremy Paxman, but his views on political correctness resonate with me. The chattering classes have gained the ascendancy, freedom of speech has been suppressed by the snowflake society and we live in fear of the thought police. My father would have said ‘God help us’, but I now realise even that is just a pious hope. AMALIA RENNIE, Chester. OLD folk can bite back, Mr Paxman — if they’ve got their dentures in! VINCENT HEFTER, Richmond, Surrey.