What is unbelievable is a bouncer being so sensitive! As you say, the world had gone mad!
Bye bye Taffmog, Paddymog etc!!
Mr Stride,
In late July I was "required" by my employer to spend a morning on a training course designed to bring us all up to speed on the consequences of recent changes in UK law pertaining to Diversity, Prejudice and Respect in the work place.
My conclusion? Yes the world has gone mad.
The only safe way to address, or refer to a colleague is by his or her family name, so Mr Stride it must be, unless the person has specifically infrmed me that it is acceptable to call him or her by their given nicknames. So may I address you as John?
Nicknames are dangerous ground, even if the person welcomes it. So I may not call an Irish man "Murphy" or "Paddy" even if they request it as in so doing I may offend someone else who hears me do this. I'm not joking. We were told that there is a case going through the courts where an Irish man asked to be called "Padmik", as his given names are Patrick Michael. It seems a co-worker (female) heard this and was offended as her partner is Irish and gets very offended by the use of these nicknames. Under UK law she has a case and has claimed damages.
The defense is that Paddy and Mick are established Irish shortenings of Patrick and Michael and are a person has a right to request that he is called by these mames. It may well end up going to the European Court as PadMik has counter claimed his human rights would be infringed by not allowing him to be called by his prefered name.
The lawyers are making money, the system that allows this is out of control.
Next, all humour that focusses on any aspect of race, religon, colour, sexual orentation, etc., etc., must be removed from all forms of communication, so:
TaffMog must become MineMog or SteelMog or LavaMog
PaddyMog must become EmeraldMog, HarpMog or possibly SoftMog
As a line manager it seems that if I don't actively stop my direct reports from abusing their colleagues I can actually end up being sued for damages, along with my employer, and in extrem cases can go to prison. I'm serious.
I repeat, the world of work has gone mad and it has been helped by lawyers selling the idea that there is "money" compensation for a perceived or real slight.
A few weeks after this I formalised my retirement date. I really don't want to bother with all this nonsense.
Sorry for the rant, but it really gets to me!
