I really wanted to write this column in terribly abusive terms. But I'll try to stay in a decent field. For example, I cannot be called a retrograde at all, I welcome many things in the modern world. Many things are reasonable. But what the whole reasonable Europe is discussing now goes beyond the boundaries of this most reasonable. The journalists learned that the European Commission has prepared a special document "Handbook for inclusive Communication". Tolerant European politicians have planted a bomb in it. In this case, I don't even want to write this word in quotation marks.
That's the bomb. For the purposes of universal tolerance, new ethics and something else, it is not recommended to use the word "Christmas" in official messages, they suggest replacing it with the phrase "holiday season". It seems that "our dear population (now you will understand why this is so), we have a holiday." What, why, why – European officials do not consider it necessary to explain, so that, God forbid, not to offend someone from the sect of Voodoo fans or some other unknown demiurge.
"Not everyone celebrates Christmas holidays... we must take into account the fact that people have different religious traditions," the document says. Can you imagine the level of official insanity?
It is also recommended to refrain from the words "man-made" - instead of it, you need to use "artificially created" (synthetic) – it's even scary to assume who it might offend. Apparently, soon, in order to preserve the peace of mind of people with disabilities, we will have to forget the words "hands", "legs", "eyes", "fingers" etc. Just in case – forget the word "hair", if you use bald, they will be offended. Do not try to pronounce "Teeth" in a dialogue with people over forty years old. And even if you say "brains" somewhere in an official speech, it's time for you to apologize to the brainless.
Why does "population" sound in our address? Because "ladies and gentlemen", according to European officials, should also be forgotten. It is better to say "colleagues", "participants of our event" (participants) or some other "co-workers". Because, if you say "ladies and gentlemen" - and one of the ladies present here will turn out to be not a lady at all, but a being, for example, of a gender unknown to science. By the way, about the floor. Before communicating with a person, advanced Euro-linguists advise to clarify his "gender identity" and the pronoun with which you can talk about him. Both the names "Mary" and "John" say it is better not to mention, because it can cause a nervous tic in people who do not accept Christian names.
There is a special instruction about the future in the miracle handbook project. Do you remember that we are aiming for Mars? So "colonization of Mars" is now an inappropriate expression. Better – "sending people to Mars."
Yes, I almost forgot! Of course, officials from the European Commission have not forgotten their favorites (from whom, in fact, this whole carnival began a few years ago). Now it is not recommended to use the words "gay" (gay) and "lesbian" (lesbian). By the way, they are in the Big Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. It is proposed to use the phrase "same-sex couple" (same-gender couple) or use the word "gay" in combination with the noun person (for example, gay person). It turns out, as in one indecent parody of a children's poem "Well ... there is, but there is no word!".
I don't care about these carnival minorities at all. Let them call themselves whatever they want. But of course we won't give Christmas to anyone. And "Sunday", and "gift of God", and "stumbling block", and "letter of the law", and "forbidden fruit", and even "golden calf", and even "scapegoat". Although to admit, everything that is happening now with this tolerance and new ethics is a complete "pitch hell".
The good news is that this is still an inclusive directory project. And many deputies, for example, in Italy strongly protest against this extravagance. And maybe the Lord will bring the European bureaucrats to reason. For they do not know what they are doing.