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Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Mary O'Rourke Gone Wrong

I know I don't often post twice in the one day but I found a really interesting piece about the media reaction to Mary O'Rourke's 'worked like blacks' comments. It's astonishing that a member of the Seanad should be able to make such remarks, refuse to apologise and be let off so lightly by the mainstream media. I could be wrong but I can't imagine it being tolerated in any other Western European country. You'll find a link to a video clip of the speech here. O'Rourke is actually trying to play it down as political correctness gone wrong but it isn't. It's actually the very basis of what political correctness originally was; an attempt to root out prejudice. Political correctness may have been twisted, stretched and abused but asking someone not to make demeaning and racially stereotyping remarks is hardly 'gone wrong'.

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3 Comments:

Anonymous said...: You should work for the equality authority, you're so well versed in the 'political correctness" ideology. I bet you were a 'cultural studies' student. Leave Mary alone for Jesus (or indeed Mohommed's) sake. Anyway, where did this notion of blacks working hard come from? I could make a joke here but it would probably be deemed too prejudicial for your sensitive young blogging mind.; 12:37 AM
Bif said...: I've never been a student of any kind. My mind is neither sensitive nor particularly young and I hold no real ideology of any sort. But if the government is going to lecture us on one hand to be more tolerant and then on the other make outdated racist quips, then they're open for attack. They set themselves up for that and there's something utterly cowardly about the press reaction. Other than that, I couldn't give a flying fuck about politics or politicians, or you for that matter.; 4:14 PM
Anonymous said...: Ah Mary.

I think her comment refers to coal miners, though that meaning has been lost in time somewhat. How things have changed...; 4:18 PM

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