London’s Sun newspaper reports that managers of the Eden Project (search), a tourist attraction in Cornwall, have banned the word Christmas (search) from the premises so as to avoid offending non-Christians.
Managers have reportedly renamed Christmas "Time of Gifts" in an effort to make the eco-project as friendly as possible to everyone. A gift shop at the site has been re-named the Great Gift Grotto.
Eden Project spokesman Ben Harding tells the paper, "We are having a seasonal celebration so there is no need to mention the C-Word because it’s a celebration for everybody."
Heterosexism
The student government at Dartmouth College (search) says the school’s reluctance to approve more co-educational housing is heterosexist and biased against women, according to the Dartmouth.
The Student Assembly voted to approve a resolution calling for more co-ed housing because the current dearth of it is insensitive to gay students on campus. Apparently, the current policy assumes that everyone is heterosexual or feels comfortable living with someone of the same gender.
Tim Andreadis, a chair of the assembly’s Diversity Affairs Committee, said he also believes that the current bias against co-ed housing stems from a belief that women will be unable to resist unwanted sexual advances from their male roommates.
When Art Attacks
An art project at California Polytechnic State University intended to spur discussion about gay marriage did just that by openly questioning it and offending a good chunk of the campus community in the process, reports The Tribune in San Luis Obispo.
The class project, part of a landscape architecture course, featured wooden cutouts of gay couples getting married. One of the cutouts featured a man in a tuxedo standing next to a Dalmation and the phrases "Legalization of gay marriage leads to social disintegration"; "Where would u draw the line?"; and "It's a slippery slope."
Students who saw the display called it disgusting, offensive and possibly in violation of a new anti-harassment law on campus. Others said they felt threatened by the sentiments expressed in the exhibit, which might incite violence. One even said it ruined his whole day.
Role-Changing
The University of Washington has scrapped its tradition of having a homecoming king and queen in favor of non-gender-specific "homecoming royalty," reports the Seattle Times.
The Associated Students of the University of Washington (ASUW), the campus group that organizes homecoming, has broken from the annual tradition of a homecoming king and queen in order to make the competition for a scholarship that comes with the titles more equitable.
"In our day and age, a lot of the traditional definitions of roles are changing, and this follows in line with that," said Emi Nomura Sumida, one of this year’s winners. "Once people realize that this is not just a popularity contest but one based on qualifications, they'll hopefully understand and accept it."
For more doses of politically correct nuttiness, head on over to the TongueTied daily edition.
Mailbag:
Kellie R. writes:
Perhaps that Brazilian legislator should be more concerned with making sure the Brazilian children are getting fed before attacking the issue of their tender feelings being hurt by hearing a dog being called "Pedro."
Cary R. writes:
The Brazilian law banning human names for pets should be changed to include banning non-human names for children.
Psychologists should study the effect of going through life with a name like Sunshine, Charity or Moon Unit.
Pamela F. writes:
Usually every time I read this section, I am rolling my eyes in disgust, as I have grown tired of "Political Correctness" run-amok. Yet this time I do have to agree with the Minnesota Zoo wolf keeper, as down through history, wolves have gotten a raw deal.
They really are great animals, and shouldn’t have an association with terrorists.
Nathan G. writes:
I think it is ridiculous that a Christian school cannot have a Christian name in the UK, a supposedly democratic country. The fact that authorities think it may offend atheists or people of other faiths is preposterous. This is a restriction of people's liberties. Perhaps, as we are seeing in France with the ban on wearing crosses, Alexis de Tocqueville's fear about the nature of democratic government is coming true in Western Europe: "Too much democracy leads to tyranny. ...Tyranny of the majority need not be institutionalized by law. Public opinion, when regarded too highly, also excercises tyranny."
Thom writes:
Oh thank you Kemosabe for your wit and wisdom. It is good to be reminded that there are those other than myself who find the PC cult maddening and amusing. Keep up the good work my trusty friend.
Joshua B. writes:
This story brings to mind a classic "Far Side" cartoon by Gary Larson that shows an old Lone Ranger reading an Indian dictionary and seeing that the word Kemosabe means "horse's ass" and saying "What the hell?" The cartoon caption reads "Late in life, the Old Ranger makes a startling discovery."
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