EU advice on inclusive language withdrawn after rightwing outcry

An internal European commission document advising officials to use inclusive language such as “holiday season” rather than Christmas and avoid terms such as “man-made” has been withdrawn after an outcry from rightwing politicians.

The EU executive’s volte-face over the guidelines, launched by the commissioner for equality, Helena Dalli, at the end of October, was prompted by an article in the Italian tabloid Il Giornale which claimed it amounted to an attempt to “cancel Christmas”.

A series of politicians on the right, including the former president of the European parliament Antonio Tajani, a member of Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia, subsequently jumped on the issue to voice their opposition to the “absurd” advice.

“Inclusion does not mean denying the Christian roots of [the EU]”, Tajani tweeted.

In response, Dalli, who had tweeted a picture of herself with the guidelines on 26 October, along with comments speaking of her pride in launching the document, issued an apologetic statement.

She said: “My initiative to draft guidelines as an internal document for communication by commission staff in their duties was intended to achieve an important aim: to illustrate the diversity of European culture and showcase the inclusive nature of the European commission towards all walks of life and beliefs of European citizens.

“However, the version of the guidelines published does not adequately serve this purpose. It is not a mature document and does not meet all commission quality standards. The guidelines clearly need more work. I therefore withdraw the guidelines and will work further on this document.”

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/world/eu-advice-on-inclusive-language-withdrawn-after-rightwing-outcry/ar-AARj06f

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‘How dictatorship works’: Hungarian academic quits in censorship row

A prominent academic has resigned from a Hungarian higher education body, alleging censorship and accusing the top European standards organisation of turning a blind eye to waning academic freedom in central Europe.

Andrea Pető, a professor at the Central European University in Vienna, said she had resigned from the Hungarian Accreditation Committee’s humanities subcommittee last week after she was asked to change part of an article she wrote that was due to be published in an academic journal.

Academic freedom in Hungary has been under pressure since Viktor Orbán returned to power in 2010. Under the prime minister’s self-proclaimed “illiberal democracy”, the ruling Fidesz party has sought to take control of courts and public institutions, while shrinking the space for independent media and NGOs. The Central European University was forced to leave Budapest for Vienna in 2018, and observers have voiced concern about a tax on institutions helping refugee students and researchers.

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/world/how-dictatorship-works-hungarian-academic-quits-in-censorship-row/ar-AARisX9

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http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)

http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM)

http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)

http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)

http://australian-politics.blogspot.com/ (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS)

http://awesternheart.blogspot.com.au/ (THE PSYCHOLOGIST)

https://heofen.blogspot.com/ (MY OTHER BLOGS)

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