Have we become a nation so sensitive that one cannot open one’s mouth to express any opinions? What happened to freedom of speech? Have I missed some new ruling on censorship?

The events of the past weeks have made me angrier and more frustrated than ever. They point to the ever-increasing nonsense of the overly-sensitive do-gooders or malicious mischief-makers. First you had the story about Prince Harry and his “˜Paki’ reference from a few years ago. “˜Paki” has long been a shortened version of “˜Pakistani” but along the way, somehow, it received some negative connotations. So, now someone wants to cash in on the discrimination front by saying they are offended by the term. I say this is absolutely ridiculous! It’s like saying I would be offended by being called a “˜Yank”.

Then you have Clarkson calling Gordon Brown a ‘one-eyed Scottish idiot’. This caused a row with the Royal National Institute for Blind People, who claimed that there was a suggestion that disability equates with incompetence. I, for one, do not see that implication. If Clarkson had merely called him a “Scottish idiot”, would the Scots (hope that term doesn’t offend peoples of Scotland) then claim that he implied being Scottish makes Brown an idiot? In fact, the only offensive thing Clarkson said was “idiot”. That’s his opinion. He stated the truth when he called Brown “one-eyed” and “Scottish”.

Then Carol Thatcher was banned for calling someone a “golliwog”. Now, Ms. Thatcher belongs to that generation where “golliwog” referred to “Blacks” and it did not carry a negative connotation. I cannot see how the Brits (I may be offending some with that term) may consider that so bad when it refers to a black doll with curly hair, a character from a book. Shortly after that story, it was found that the gift shop at Sandringham carried the golliwog doll and it had to be removed due to complaints that it might cause offence. To whom, I ask? Are we being overly proactive by taking all these measures to prevent offences that have not even taken place? Have we surveyed the black community to see what their views are on this?

Then we have the NHS nurse who had been suspended for offering to pray for a patient. Thank God, she was reinstated. An inquiry into the incident had taken place because the patient complained to a supervisor. The patient herself had refused the prayers and said she was not offended. However, she feared that someone else might be. There was much row over the entire episode. Why? Have we become so atheist in this country? Are we bowing to the wishes of the atheists and evolutionists who have ruled the airwaves and the advertising world? We did not censure them when they placed their ad on the side of buses. It was meant to be a joke, but I personally find it irritating that these people are allowed to stir up trouble when the nurse was suspended without pay for offering spiritual support. As a Christian, am I allowed to claim discrimination against those who put up the “There is probably no God” banners? Can I say that it caused severe mental stress? Will that cause the signs to be removed? Or is the cry of discrimination only allowed for specific people?

There is now concern that you must think about every word that comes out of your mouth. I’m afraid that my mouth works much faster than my brain at times, so words sometimes come out garbled. If something sounds offensive to others, I apologise for the slowness of my brain waves. However, there may be times when the words come out clearly and offensively. For this, I do not apologise. I believe you should call a spade a spade. I will not call the donkey a noble horse, just because it will make the donkey feel better. Life is not about glossing over all the unpleasantness. Face up to reality and take it like a man. Am I offending the women? People are developing too thin a skin nowadays and if we give in to every discrimination claim, the skin only gets thinner. Or, at least, that’s what I’m led to believe when these troublemakers cry discrimination.