That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore

'Its political correctness gone mad' is the common cry amongst a belligerent minority whenever they get into trouble for some wretched racist joke or off colour sexist comment. 

However in the real world the real threat to freedom of speech isn't about Jeremy Clarkson getting grief for proclaiming that people on strike should be shot.

In the real world someone got arrested, sacked and a criminal record for making this comment on his twitter account: "Crap! Robin Hood airport is closed. You've got a week and a bit to get your shit together otherwise I am blowing the airport sky high!!"

Thankfully Paul Chambers has had the case against him quashed. But its unbelievable that a whole series of individuals from whoever it was that spotted the comment; the arresting officers; the prosecutors through to the  original judge all seemed to think that it was something to be taken seriously.

I can imagine that some people will say things like 'Better safe than sorry' or 'In the current climate you shouldn't make jokes like that'. But seriously how long are we going to let ourselves be ruled by this perceived threat?

I'm not about to belittle 9/11 or 7/7 or the Madrid bombing or any of those things. I'm sure there are threats that have been thwarted as well. But if the people you are relying on to stop terrorists think that the tweet I quoted at the top of this article is a serious threat then you've got to wonder. They describe this sort of work as 'intelligence' after all.

At a mate's wedding a few years ago I got talking to somebody who worked in the police force that guards nuclear installations. He was a nice enough bloke but he couldn't help himself bigging up his job. Giving me all that 'You wouldn't believe some of the stuff that goes on' kind of thing. To be honest with you I wasn't too convinced.

Is it cynical to think that if someone is earning a lot of money to do a job - they are not going to admit that they aren't doing much? There is a lot of talk of plots been thwarted but a remarkable lack of arrests and convictions.

After all government after government think that empty gestures such as missiles sited on roofs and tanks at airports will be enough to make the gullible public feel safe.

Two wars have been prosecuted on the premise that if they don't happen we will be at greater risk from a terrorist threat. In fact its widely accepted that senior politicians have lied over the perceived threat that Iraq offered and yet they haven't been dragged out of their office in handcuffs. Perhaps if they'd done it via twitter things would have been different?