Gorillas Get the Diss, Politically Correct Klan

Following complaints that it was racist, owners of a minor-league basketball team in Buffalo, N.Y. have changed the logo of their team, the Silverbacks, from a gorilla to some sort of panther-critter, according to the Buffalo News.

Members of Buffalo's black community were said to be upset with the previous logo — a red-skinned gorilla dunking a basketball — because they said bigots sometimes use terms such as "monkey," "ape" and "gorilla" as racial slurs against blacks.

The team is named after the adult male lowland gorilla. The new logo features a panther with a silver streak down its back, even though no such creature exists in the wild.

PC = KKK

A local council in England has told staff that it may not use the term "political correctness" at work because it might offend people, according to the Evening Standard.

In a 44-page booklet outlining its Equality Policy to employees, members of the Kirklees Council in West Yorkshire also told employees to refrain from using words like "policeman," "fireman," or "chairman" because they are classic examples of "exclusionary language."

It also warned against using the word 'ethnic' because it is not "appropriately descriptive," and said moving things around on someone else's desk is as serious as punching or kicking them.

Use of the phrase "political correctness" at work is akin to a physical attacks, according to the book's authors. "The term political correctness was coined in 1988 by John O'Sullivan III, who was a member of the Ku Klux Klan," they claim.

Begins with an 'N'

Mark Twain's classic novel, Huckleberry Finn, has been removed from high school reading lists at a school district in Michigan following complaints from parents about the book's language and portrayal of slavery in early America, according to the Detroit News.

Students at high schools in Taylor, Mich., will no longer be required to read the book after a parent complained. The complaint came from the parents of an African-American honors English student who objected to reading the book aloud in class. The News says the parent was outraged at the book's use of a certain racially charged word that begins with N.

The district says it is also studying other books students are assigned to read for objectionable material.

Atheist Rights

The Daily Southtown reports that an atheist in suburban Chicago has won her battle to be exempt from having to paste a city vehicle sticker on her car because the town logo includes a Chrisitian cross.

College student Nichole Schultz objected to the sticker required in Burbank, Ill. because the town logo features a soldier with his rifle kneeling at a cross.

In an out-of-court agreement with city officials, Schultz will be allowed to drive her car without a vehicle sticker until next year when new stickers are printed.

'Kinda Gay'

A sports commentator for ESPN has been suspended after using the word 'gay' in what was described by network officials as a derogatory fashion, according to the AP.

During the broadcast of a Northern Illinois-Iowa game, former NFL receiver Brian Kinchen was explaining the need for receivers to make catches with their hands because they are "tender" and can "caress" the ball. He then paused and said, "that's kind of gay, but hey ..."

ESPN said the announcer, despite his apology, would not be working this week and that his future with the network is "under review" following the incident.

For more doses of politically correct nuttiness, head over to the Tongue Tied daily edition.

Mailbag:

Billy S. in St. Paul, Minn., writes:

Obviously replacing electroshock therapy with an electric chair is a fabulous idea. Now they'll be promoting capital punishment. I'll bet some will be crying 'what about rehabilitating criminals?' I guess you can't please everyone.

Steve A. writes:

I've grown up in the era of political correctness. And I have to say that it's a bit maddening! We can't use any reference to any color on the palette it seems because some people or group associate themselves with that color and find it racist if someone refers to that color. Next thing you know, people will be offended by the word green because it might offend extra terrestrials.

And the gingerbread deal — how many of us have lost sleep at night, knowing that there isn't a female counter-part to the gingerbread man?! How many people are worried that there won't be baby gingerbread men because there's no gingerbread women?! I mean, come on! Let's get our heads out of our rear-ends and focus on something worthwhile rather than the fact that something might, could-possibly, (but only if you squint and turn your head sideways) hurt someone's feelings!

Bill U. writes:

Why didn't the bakers create two versions — gingerbread men and gingerbread women? It might have been interesting to see how many of each sold — presuming the public knew they had the choice. Who knows — it might have even increased sales slightly?

Matthew M. writes:

What I would like to know is, what was a spokeswoman for the Vienna Department of Women's Affairs doing in the men's restroom?

Ray S. corrects us:

Just so you know Demesia Padilla is a she. And yes I agree, it is more much ado about nothing. It is possible to make a point criticizing a black man without being a racist. The point was made in the local paper that because the ad is a caricature and not an actual photo that makes it inherently racist... whatever.

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