Its still a great improvement from the pre-1976 days when those who bemoan "political correctness" and "professional grief whores" were free in law to call anyone, any race or any minority whatever the hell they liked, and overtly discriminate against them with impunity - anyone younger than 40 will simply not comprehend what a more liberal approach to human rights can bring - when you take a phone call from a client (as I did one day) asking for you to remove an electrician from their workplace and replace him with one who wasn't black (they didn't use the word "black" though) THEN you will understand better.

It is a vast improvement but it is far from perfect, perhaps the balance has swung too far. The case in Rotherham is pertinent here, kids suffered because police were 'allegedly' afraid to intervene because of the fear of being seen as racists. Surely the protection of vulnerable children has a higher ranking in society than a perception of racism?

From what I've read about Rotherham, it sounds like there were problems with how the Local Authority acted with too much political correctness for want of a better expression. However, the police should have investigated crimes a lot more objectively than they did. I don't know where the blame lies, but the police as a whole seem to have too cosy relationships with a lot of establishments.

Political correctness went mad about 10 years ago, it's currently reaching the certified insane status.

I'm far from PC but I know when and where to tone it down.

But, the situation is one of very many where, if "something had been done" at the time, before offences were committed, with the justification that "we are doing x, y and z to prevent young girls from being groomed etc", there would self-evidently never be any proof that they had saved a single person from anything. The criticism aimed at the authorities then would be that their actions were unnecessary, as the problem was imaginary, or at best, grossly disproportionate.

This btw is in no way apologist stuff for those authorities, but pointing out that their job is impossible, and so they have to do it and take the flak, since if no child is ever abused, they will still not be able to show that the reason is the "preventative" steps they took.

The only reason it is easier to "do something" now is because eventually gangs of men have been exposed, prosecuted and convicted and so the early victims have basically paid the price for becoming the justification for subsequent action, as nobody can any longer say "it never happens".

...and of course in the current economic situation a council department who cannot show tangible evidence that they do something or produce something is the sort of department primed up for budget slashing, or doing away with altogether - how on earth would you prove that if you weren't there then 1400 children might have been abused by people who you can't identify because they haven't done it because your department was there ?

As the C4 program I watched last night about the 70's so spectacularly highlighted. ITV still managed to show the feature length "On The Buses" film at the weekend. Women bus drivers! An outrage ITV executives can all still identify with obviously.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-30191100

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-30191100

So are you suggesting the perpetrators being Asian had no influence on the prevention and the outcomes in Rotherham?

On your first paragraph I don't think that stacks up - if we take health (another straw man Mr Fish) we know if we exercise, eat better etc it reduces the chances of us getting the ailments such as diabetes. We cannot identify which people that have benefitted - people still get diabetes even if they do all the right things and visa versa - but we know it is not imaginary - doesn't stop us peddling the message.

There was enough evidence early doors to suggest this was an issue that needed sorting, the fact it got as big as it did - if indeed it did - was because it wasn't nipped in the bud.

Another tree hugger - hopefully we are someway off the tyrannical regime that runs Saudia Arabia!!

Perhaps she should practise what she preaches - no wonder Mr Fish holds in such high esteem!!

Just point my in the right direction or simply copy and paste, surely that isn't beyond you is it?

Just how difficult would it be to actually find it yourself?

rlBottom of page one of this boardrl

There are only two pages in the thread so even you might not find it too taxing to read

If you have managed a contribution then it will not be too taxing for anyone else on here

www.express.co.uk/news/uk/540313 ... rown-Medal