From Grayling:

"Political correctness has earned itself a bad name, because from legitimate and worthy origins it has mushroomed into folly. Its origins were that people unthinkingly reflexively spoke in ways that denigrated and insulted others: ‘niggur’, ‘wog’, ‘wop’, ‘Mick’, ‘Frog’, ‘Kraut’, ‘Chink’, ‘Nip’: the first denoted black people, the third Italians, the fourth Irish, the fifth French, the sixth Germans, the seventh Chinese and the last Japanese, all in negative and denigratory terms (and alas! Only consider the etymology of ‘denigration’ itself: to blacken is to represent something as bad). There is an entire vocabulary of condescending and diminishing labels applied to women, such as ‘chick’, ‘bird’, ‘dame’, accompanied by stereotypes about their behaviour. Indeed, the hostile habit of lumping anyone different into crude and simplistic categories under a variety of demeaning labels, doubtless a hangover from our tribal past, meant that no one was exempt from being treated in those terms, and therefore from suffering discrimination as a result. For those at the top of the food-chain in economic terms, the fact that others call them names is a matter of indifference; but for those who are prevented by these labels – and all the prejudices that accompany them – from fair participation in society. They are not ignoble matters."

Goodes is a well-paid footballer. However, many Aborigines aren’t and have suffered from their denigration. It hurts and has caused suffering. The denigration of him was more denigration of them.

We accept your surrender to our incisive logic, Poirot.

Children should not hurl abuse at anyone at a public event, Poirot. But from reading the article, she was just emulating thousands of others who were making ape noises, which is effectively the same thing.

Prohibiting the drinking of alcohol in the USA did not work, because too many people liked to drink. Prohibiting racism won't work either, because like it or not, most people prefer their own people. And racist comments in everyday life are an everyday occurrence, especially where a bit of racial tension exists because of differing proneness to welfare dependency and violent crime.

It has been going on for thousands of years. The Romans called the British "Brittanculi" (wretched little Brits), while recently in Libya, some racist jokes about Roman soldiers were found chiselled into the foundations of a Roman building.

Get over it

<< …she was just emulating thousands of others who were making ape noises… >>

Yes LEGO, apparently this was the case. There is an entrenched culture of that sort of thing at football matches and the like. Always has been.

The various authorities have allowed it to exist, unfettered. It has really been an integral part of team-sport tribalism, where you vigorously support your own team and give the other team and any member therein heaps of flack!

It can’t really have any significant downsides, or else the authorities would have clamped down on it, wouldn’t they? If it does have serious downsides and the authorities have allowed it to continue, then surely they are the parties that deserves the greatest level of criticism here.

For one person to be pulled out of the crowd of like-minded and like-acting people, who are behaving in a long-held acceptable manner, and vilified in national and indeed international media is very seriously wrong.

It is totally the wrong way to go about addressing this issue, if indeed it needs addressing at all… which it doesn’t.

The following link may clarify a few things:

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/txt/s3759900.htm#transcript

As the Indigenous MP, Linda Burney pointed out,
"This is a much deeper issue than a couple of
statements..." She told us that she was really sick of
hearing "It was a slip of the tongue," or "I didn't
really mean it." As she stated these things are not good
enough anymore. I don't think anyone blames that young girl.
Certainly not Adam Goodes.
She has probably learned the best lesson and as Linda
Burney tells us - perhaps the young girl has started a
conversation that we actually needed to have.

However, we as adults should by now know better. As Linda
Burney tells us - "it is not acceptable and we are saying no
to it." That's the message that should come out of all this.

And so the next tiime I get off a train at Midland and a group of Aborigines scream out 'You white &^*%' Linda Burney will do what about it? Smack them on the botty?

Dear Cody,

No Linda would try to tell them that their
behaviour is unacceptable.

However to lighten things up here's something
just for you:

"Of course we love you darlin
You're a bloody top-notch bloke
And when we say you're clever
We don't mean it as a joke

So you like your beer and belching
That's no big deal to us
We know you'll keep on ape-ing
Just please don't fart or cuss."