"I agree this isn't russia and there is no KGB. What we have is far worse, a minority holding the reigns of our media."

With all due respect, this is among the stupidest things I've ever heard. What we have here in Australia is worse?
Have you any idea how lucky we are in Australia? You'd honestly rather take the KGB option?

As far as somebody holding the reins of the media, quite frankly, as I've said in other posts, this is just another 'blame the media' for all our ills option. As I've said in threads such as this, it's just bull. The media is a mirror of society which is out for profit and the lowest common denominator.
There's a more in-depth discussion on it in this thread:

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=1272&page=0#22672

It's not a conspiracy. Most of the people who believe it is a conspiracy tend to be disgruntled cranks who are annoyed their cause/paranoia isn't held up as the highest priority.

In Australia, unless you're urging violence or harassing minorities, you're free to say whatever you want, provided you're willing to cop criticism for it.

It's people who don't like the criticism who tend to cry that they're victims of PC oppression. Well, tough. Some views cop a lot of criticism. Generally for good reasons.

Boaz can say what he wishes in these threads, but he's got to be willing to cop criticism when people disagree, especially when his posts are so consistent in their critique of Islam and regular Christan preachings.

Passive, I’m afraid I with TRTL and CJ. It’s all a bit le Carre for me. You’re saying the principal organised a Christamas celebration. And was sacked. Her employer would have been the NSW government, so I assume it was the body that suppressed the dismissal in the media. Other people were bribed to keep quiet, presumably again by the government.

If it happened, this was an enormous conspiracy. Gagging the media is incredibly difficult. And *the media* doesn’t exist as one body. Did the state government muzzle both Fairfax and News Ltd? You say you don’t want to speak out about it because innocent people would be implicated? How?

Tammy Jo. Hallelujah. You win the prize.

I note, however, that it didn’t *actually* happen. Once the media got hold of this story and it was pointed out how ridiculous it was, shops and shopping centres insisted on ho ho hoing. So we *still* need to find an example of when political correctness actually silenced someone.

As it happens, I think I’ve found one. David Cameron, leader of the Tories in the UK, called the idea of taking school kids on trips to Auschwitz a “gimmick”. A furore has erupted. But no one appears to be debating if the trip really is a gimmick — it appears that everyone just objects to the words “Auschwitz” and “gimmick” in the same briefing note.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/feb/23/davidcameron.secondworldwar

In Australia, however, we have to be content with *one* story. The forces of PC tried to make Santa say “ha ha ha”. They failed.

Is this really what you guys are so afraid of?

What I’ve learnt from these two threads:
1. Everyone hates political correctness.
2. No one identifies as politically correct. The PC themselves are Snuffleupaguses.
3. While stories and rumors abound, political correctness rarely stifles free speech.
4. Political correctness is usually about trivial rather than serious matters.
5. People love to flatter themselves that they’re brave defenders of the truth is a sea of dark, PC forces, but generally aren’t.
6. Ginx was right.

FOXY'S JOKE...

She shares not just a funny story, but also a reality for some Christians. (GodHatesFags/Pastor Fred Phelps comes to mind)

Fortunately.. I am not one of them :) On the issue of 'denomination' I'm very flexible. Happy to worship and fellowship wherever Christ is named as Lord and Saviour.

I draw the line though at the cults. (JWs Mormons and others)
In our current fellowship, we have 2 rather LARGE former Catholic families. They are so beautiful.. both families and another have just returned from Uganda where they did so many things for orphans.. schools.. you name it they did it.. mostly at personal expense.. (built/relocated a school close to water) none of them could keep a dry eye as they related it.. (nor could we) they said "The children have NOTHING.. but they love God sooooo much"
In the dvd it was so heartwarming to see the whole families getting all grubby, carrying bricks.. making do to get the job done..
None of them will ever be the same again.

MY OWN JOKE... kinda

My little gorgeous grand-daughter is about 11 months old. She has been with us for a few days now. Her communication skills amount to 'nodding' if she things she is supposed to (based on voice inflection) and pushing away things she does not want to be given when she is placed in 'The Hole' (the cot)..

So.. I had a conversation with her which should put a smile on the faces of few of my 'enemies' :)

GrandPa . "Is Grandpa wonderfully handsome" ? *nod nod*

"Hmm..is Grandpa the most intelligent person in the world"? *Nod nod*

"Um.. is grandpa a right wing loony, armchair nazi, rabid dingbat who rants toooo much on OLO" ? *NOD NOD NOD NOD* :)

have a nice evining all

Boazy: "Ever since Ginx mentioned she has to be in 'court' I have had all these wild fantasies.. I keep on connecting her with one of the defense team for the 'infamous 12'.. there is a lawyer who has weird dyed hair.. and 'looks' soooo much like Ginx sounds.. good grief.. I'll probably not sleep well 2night :) hmmmm better pat kitty for a while to replace the fantasy.. "

Boazy is one very weird unit, I reckon. No wonder some people have to remain anonymous (including him).

Hilarious jokes Foxy - I particularly liked the last one :)

Great Joke Foxy
Passive, You know I would like to repond to you remark you left for pale . Firstly you dont know pale very well that clear. They are the ones always putting up jokes They have for years and belly complained so much tinking every joke was about him- god knows Why! they just stopped, Unless posting with Foxy who is fantasic.
The other issue you raised is pale joined as a Institutional member.>
People Against Live Exports
People Against Live Exports is a Institutional member of The National Forum. To visit their website, click here.

You can check this by going into the front and looking under members.
I also know that when I posted as pale Robert complained so to save trouble EVERYBODY stopped posting under pale.
Antje Struthmann was but then everybody started again., They were even allowed to open a car park to complain and discuss how pale posted which i do not understand because REALLY the OLO staff should have just said No this is unreasonable because pale are not breaking any rules by posting as what they joined by.

Love Jokes Passive, I will see what I can find for you. Hi Foxy hi All

Dear Vanilla,

Now to get serious... This is in response to your request for examples of "Political Correctness" gone awry.

Recently, a historic photograph of the New York firefighters raising the American flag over the ruins of the World Trade Center was going to be made into a sculpture as a memorial. But history's revisionists used Political Correctness to dictate that other minority faces replace some of the faces in the historical photograph. Fortunately, in the end that didn't fly, due to the outcry of firefighters and the public.

I remember a few years ago in one of our inner city suburbs there was a City Councillor who was determined to make a name for himself. He led a group of constituents who demanded to have his list of 'offending' books removed from the local library. The books were considered 'immoral' and 'unorthodox' by the Councillor and his group.
Yet the books had not only passed government censorship, been recognized by school boards, book selection committees, and educationalists generally, but had won local and internationally recognized awards.

I remember some of the titles, "Came Back To Show You I could Fly"
(1989) by Robin Klein (won the 'Older Readers' Book of the Year' for 1990) it dealt with the issue of drugs. "After the First Death" (1979)
by Robert Cormier, asked the reader to consider the fragility of the distinction between patriotism and fanaticism... "A Tide is Flowing," by Joan Phipson, relentlessly examined the trauma of a young boy who had the burden of being the only witness at his mother's suicide.

The list went on. Definitely heady issues. Because, they were all -
"Head' issues. But immoral - the library luckily thought not.
They found it immoral to force one's morality standards on others.
It also turned out that none of the group (including the Councillor) had read any of the books. The library stood by its decision. The books were not removed.