Oxford University Press to ban references to pigs and pork in its children's books
- Thread starter Locutus
- Start date
Was actually going to type Pigasso - but wouldn't want to offend Picasso fans
I'm surprised they haven't already. I'm still angry that they got rid of the golliwog from Robertson's marmalade jars in 2002. You used to be able to collect Robertson's golliwog figurines, but even they've been banned now.
Once again, Richard Littlejohn has it spot on in his article today (if you enjoy reading Littlejohn, his Daily Mail articles appear every Tuesday and Friday):
Educational publishers have banned any references to sausages or pigs in schoolbooks for fear of causing offence.
Oxford University Press told authors to avoid writing about anything which ‘could be perceived as pork’ because Jews and Muslims might be upset.
Oh, for heaven’s sake! Where do they find these people?
Just because Jewish and Muslim dietary laws prohibit the eating of pork, I’ve never come across anyone of either faith who objects to pigs or pork products even being mentioned.
Plenty of Muslim-owned shops sell sausages and ham sandwiches. I’ve got Jewish friends who admit that they can’t resist a bacon banjo, even though it’s against their religion.
So banning pork-related references in textbooks is bonkers. Perhaps the publishers fear a Charlie Hebdo-style attack from terrorists inflamed by a depiction of a pig.
Meanwhile, a mad cleric in Saudi Arabia has issued a fatwa against snowmen, declaring them ‘anti-Islamic’.
You may laugh, but what’s the betting that headbangers from some of our more incendiary mosques put out a contract on Raymond Briggs and start sending gangs of vigilantes to kick down kids’ snowmen this winter?