Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Politically correct cowardice and treachery

I always enjoy reading Major (retired) Nigel Smythe-Brown’s weekly columns in which he uses a hilarious anecdote to frame a more serious point. This week’s column involves his "current wife of 40 years", her two cats and the maid in getting to the ‘point’:
... the politically correct come with many preconceived points of view that cannot be changed even in the face of the facts.
On the BC government’s vandalism of historical art in the legislature:

I was appalled along with many others by the cringing politicians weak-kneed cover up of the those masterful tableaux down at the provincial legislature. To dismiss historically and culturally beautiful paintings because at this particular time they are not as correct as at others is cowardice and treachery to those who went before us.

We have been passed the torch of history to keep it bright and strong, not to douse it at the first sign of censure. If the pictures had not been painted on the walls themselves they would have been destroyed.

On the Indian residential schools:

It is the same with the Indian schools where it is alleged and now taken as fact that every teacher was a monster and that the sole purpose of the schools was to make every child miserable and afraid of assault. We now form five-year committees where the judgment is in before they start as if we were South Africa making up for apartheid.

Just as I was almost hung for what the cat Pericles got up to, many others will be made to hang their heads over an artificial shame that was history and consisted of many people trying to do the best they could with what they knew at the time.

I am reminded of my fifth form Latin master at boarding school - now there was a monster. I shall sit quietly at the club for the foreseeable future and sadly contemplate those people who are always right.

I couldn’t agree more.

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