PC hits the racetrack

Forget the expression Political Correctness gone mad, it was totally insane at birth and no degree of psychiatric help will ever get it back. Over the years we have witnessed a series of attacks on names. The iconic brand, Coon Cheese for example which was named after its creator, Edward Coon has had to fight off challenges for years.

Now a horse has had to have a name change on the basis of one complaint:

One of Australia's top trainers has been ordered to change the name of one of his young racehorses. Hall of Fame trainer David Hayes has been told two-year-old filly Blackman cannot keep her original name.

The filly, whose father is Excellent Art, was named after renowned Australian artist Charles Blackman. But the change was ordered by Racing Information Services Australia (RISA), which controls the registration and naming of racehorses, after it received one complaint.

"Certainly the name itself is a surname and certainly respected the connection back to the artist Charles Blackman after which it was named," RISA spokesman Myles Foreman said.

"But (RISA) also found that where the name is used without the known context back to a surname, it could be construed as being offensive which is where ultimately the complaint started.”

This action by RISA is only likely to exacerbate the situation whereby vexatious activists trawl through such things as names of horses, locations, products, and so on looking for something to be offended by. Pantywaisted, PC whipped wimps who kowtow to this sort of behavior only encourage more of the same, and in doing so take away our freedom of expression bit by bit.

Politicians are fond of proclaiming in defense of nanny state restrictions on our freedom, “If it only saves one life, it will have been worth it.” Now RISA is claiming that if it only saves one nut case from being offended the same applies.

Not long ago, a person offended by the name ‘Blackman’ would have and should have been regarded as neurotic. Now, such people seem to have the right not to be offended, something the sane neither have, nor ask for.