In honour of St George's Day

[kuang.livejournal.com]

This is something I posted a while back to my own journal, but thought I'd wheel it out for a second airing here as it fits the occasion nicely. It's getting harder to enjoy St Georges Day in many ways because of the amount of fuckwittery that surrounds it - sometimes it's good to remember where you came from, take pride in your nationality and celebrate the events in your home country from the past that you should be proud of. Sadly England is mired in misplaced political correctness that often does more harm than good and tends to assume the actions of a moronic few represent the many, and this is a prime example.

I received an email to say that the presentation PC that sits on our reception desk had been turned off because it was displaying an 'inappropriate image' and could I fix it? I wandered through to have a look and was told that the machine had been displaying 'a red cross on a white background' and it was felt by the deputy principal of the college that it could be seen as racist.

Powerpoint had failed to load a full-screen image and the cross was the diagonal 'image not found' icon stretched to fill the screen. I presume that the moron in question felt that any red cross on a white background could be likened to the George Cross (ie. the flag of England) and got an attack of the political correctness-induced shits. Not only did we have one of the highest people in the college showing a remarkable degree of ignorance, but somebody who is supposed to be behind the colleges policy of 'celebrating diversity' effectively saying that anything representing the country that funds the college is inherently bad and should be hidden.

Comments

[jdotmi.livejournal.com]

So... is it a bad thing that I saw "St George's Day" and immediately thought of this (http://chroniclesofgeorge.nanc.com/)?

o_o

That said... How dumb are people? x_x I get it, he's probably smart "in his field of expertise", but I'd hope that there are at least some basic computer skills to be had. At lest enough to recognize that image.

[kuang.livejournal.com]

Heh :)

It's not the failure to recognise the image that annoyed me, as I wouldn't expect many people to see it that often other than on b0rked websites - more the confusion between that and his own national flag, and the subsequent reaction. It put me in mind of the Microsoft/'Swastika' debacle of a couple of years back.

[axessdenyd.livejournal.com]

At least we know that stupid isn't restricted to America.

...

[kuang.livejournal.com]

Yeah - next time you're over I'll introduce you to our deputy prime minister.. ;)

[axessdenyd.livejournal.com]

It's a long drive.

It's a long drive

[irishmasms.livejournal.com]

and there be dragons on the way

Re: It's a long drive

[axessdenyd.livejournal.com]

Or draggin's.

[trixtah.livejournal.com]

In this instance, I think you need to blame the fuckwits who actually use the St George's flag for their own purposes, so that the only time you do actually do see it these days is in a racist context.

I agree that the PC thing has swung a little bit too far, but you know, we don't use the swastika as a symbol of the sun anymore either, because of its current misuse.

I think people should be happy to use the St George's flag, but it needs to be made clear what kind of context people are using it in. Unfortunately.

But your staff member is an idiot.

[sigurther.livejournal.com]

SUR, WE HAVE A NEW WINNAR AT TEH INTARNETS!

YOU SUR AER TEH WINNAR!

Seriously, that's gotta be the best one yet. I offer you my most sincerest condolences at having to be the sole witness of this prime example of human insufficiency ;)

Now go out and celebrate with a pint and some crisps.


Mmmm. Crisps.