All Things Piggy To Be Banned By Oxford University Press To Avoid Offending Muslims and Jews

Oxford University Press (OUP) has taken political correctness to an absurd level. Apparently, the schoolbook publishers have decided to ban references to anything porcine in their children's books in order to avoid offending Muslims and Jews. That means no mention of piggies, bacon, sausage. Nothing porky. Authors are being asked to take into consideration any 'cultural differences and sensitivities" when writing kiddies' books.

The bizarre clampdown, apparently aimed at avoiding offence among Jews and Muslims, emerged yesterday during a discussion about free speech on Radio 4’s Today programme.

Presenter Jim Naughtie – whose writer wife Eleanor Updale is in talks with Oxford University Press (OUP) over an educational book series – said: ‘I've got a letter here that was sent out by OUP to an author doing something for young people.

‘Among the things prohibited in the text that was commissioned by OUP was the following: Pigs plus sausages, or anything else which could be perceived as pork.

‘Now, if a respectable publisher, tied to an academic institution, is saying you've got to write a book in which you cannot mention pigs because some people might be offended, it’s just ludicrous. It is just a joke.'

A spokesman for OUP said:

 ‘Many of the educational materials we publish in the UK are sold in more than 150 countries, and as such they need to consider a range of cultural differences and sensitivities.

'Our editorial guidelines are intended to help ensure that the resources that we produce can be disseminated to the widest possible audience.’

The decision has been ridiculed by many including Tory MP Philip Davies who responded:

 ‘How on earth can anyone find the word “pig” or “pork” offensive? 'No word is offensive. It is the context in which it is used that is offensive.’

‘On the one hand you have politicians and the great and the good falling over each other to say how much they believe in freedom of speech and on the other hand they are presiding over people being unable to use and write words that are completely inoffensive.

'We have got to get a grip on this nonsensical political correctness.

‘The political correctness brigade appear to have taken control of our schools.

'The Secretary of State needs to get a grip over this and make sure this ridiculous ban is stopped at once.’

And by both Jews and Muslims. Muslim Labour MP Khalid Mahmood said:

"... That’s absolute utter nonsense. And when people go too far, that brings the whole discussion into disrepute."

Spokesman for the Jewish Leadership Council added:

 ‘Jewish law prohibits eating pork, not the mention of the word, or the animal from which it derives.

I know the Jews are not offended by things like The Three Little Pigs, and photos of bacon, but was glad to see the Muslim measured response. That's not to say there aren't Anjem Choudary types who were probably thrilled to hear about the ban, and who are offended by anything to do with pigs.  In Germany last year, Muslims protested a butcher shop that had a decorative pig display because they were offended. Back in 2007, a school in Amsterdam stopped teaching about rural life because the Muslim refused to talk about the pigs.

This has to stop.

Source and video: Daily Mail