Black and White Minstrels, Dwarfs and Choirs

As we enjoy the unravelling of the hated European Union we can only hope that soon political correctness will follow. Political correctness is one of the more subtle forms of fascism but nevertheless very effective. What makes it so effective is that it doesn't require a great deal of obviously oppressive legislation, just a largely dense and pliable population. But, like any form of totalitarianism it does throw up some bizarre anomalies.

I would imagine that anybody wanting to reunite the Black and White Minstrels would get short shrift. It just isn't politically correct for white men to black up and sing in the negro/Al Jolson style anymore.

But a theatre in the Midlands decided it was alright for a group of kids to dress up as dwarves for their pantomime, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Some politically correct muppet decided it wasn't PC to have dwarfs running around on stage playing dwarfs. No, I don't see the logic either, but that's political correctness for you. Quite rightly unemployed dwarfs, who can earn a good livinmg in the panto season, are absolutely furious at being so patronised and denied a few weeks good money.

A very good friend of mine has recently left her local choir in protest at galloping political correctness. Yes, it's tenticles creep far and wide. Whenever I hear somebody use the phrase 'I have issues with...' my PC alert rings. In most cases I find people use that phrase to condemn something that they dislike or disapprove of, but don't like being definite in their condemnation, often because they fear offending somebody and are therefore weak and lack the courage of their convictions. Alternatively they are being politically correct but don't actually know why they 'have issues' with whatever it is. This is how the choir incident began.

The head honcho of the choir introduced a Latin song one afternoon but a little delicate hand was raised at the back. One of the thirty strong choir had issues singing a song in Latin because of the religious implications. My friend isn't Roman Catholic but was appalled at such bigotry, especially as the poor, easily offended flower at the back hadn't had 'issues' when singing the negro spiritual earlier in the afternoon. Another example of the stupidity of political correctness. She finally walked away from the choir when they decided not to sing carols as one or two choir members 'had issues' with being seen as a religious choir. So PC ensures the tyranny, in the interests of ensuring people don't have 'issues', of the self-righteous ignorant minority.

So, I hope and pray that as the EU crumbles the people wake up to the sinister sickness that is political correctness and see off that pervasive and divisive doctrine too.

Which all reminds me of my favourite old Christmas joke, the one about the politically correct pantomime: Precipitation of Indeterminate Colour and the Seven Persons of Diminutive Stature.