Airing diversity
I am getting very tired of this diversity crap.
We are supposed to embrace every nationality and treat everyone as an equal which is fair enough if you are airing your views on Twitter or Farcebook. When it comes down to reality then things aren’t so simple.
For example, RTE wanted to do an on-air interview with a representative from the trade union Unite. They nominated a woman “who is of Polish ethnicity” [i.e. she’s Polish]. RTE requested someone else because they had an issue with her accent. This of course led to public complaints on the grounds of discrimination and “a ‘lack of understanding of the vulnerability’ of migrant workers”.
I don’t often jump to RTE’s defence but on this occasion they are spot on. What is the fucking point of putting forward a spokes[wo]man if the general public are going to have to struggle to understand her? She may be an expert in her field and an excellent debater in her native language but if people are going to find her hard to understand then what is the point of putting her on air?
I have my own views on immigration. My biggest complaint is the use of immigrants in areas where communication is critical unless they are fluent in the English language. When I phone some company and I am put on to someone who can barely string two words together I get very frustrated and generally hang up as it isn’t worth the struggle. On a phonecall however I do at least have the opportunity to ask them to repeat their last line of gibberish, but that option isn’t open to me if the speaker is on radio.
So fair dues to RTE. Their stance has fuck all to do with “inclusivity” [horrible word] and everything to do with lucid communication.
I wish other companies would follow their example.
Several times recently I have had to phone for help, and found the sweet tempered lady/lad most helpful. But could barely understand a word they said. Although from asking them to repeat their questions several times, it was still difficult to understand their answers. Could not "service centres" please check whether their staff actually speak English before employing them?
Note that many TV stations now put text under their interviews – great idea.
How's cat and Penny?
The subtitles are actually very handy. I have seen them in a few programmes.
Cat and Penny are both fine. Cat's asleep somewhere and Penny is grinning at me from the couch.
Couldn't they just have asked for someone duskier, or disabled, or LBGTQWERTYed.
Top trumps in diversity stakes.
I couldn't give a shit if they chose a transsexed Nigerian paraplegic just so long as they speak clearly so I can understand them.
On our side of the little bit of water, the fluffy SJWs only concern themselves with ticking the right diversity boxes: capability or efficiency doesn't even come into it.
It was actually the Union itself that complained at their representative being rejected. The SJWs never got a chance.
Mind you, RTE frequently interview the Healy Raes [a political clan from Kerry]. It's damned difficult understanding them their Kerry accents are so thick.