Political correctness gone sane

We don't stand outside the Houses of Parliament chanting "UK, UK, UK" after a national triumphs like the Royal Wedding or winning the Olympic bid, because a bit like whooping, it's just not British. In fact as a nation we tend to be self depreciating which can lead us to overlook some of the good things about Britain such as the progress we have made toward eliminating racism, sexism and homophobia.

Whilst it's true that The English Defence League and the BNP still exist in opposition to our national characteristics and there are undoubtedly all sorts of abuses still occurring, like this week's attack on Celtic manager Neil Lennon, we've still come further than most other countries I can think of. Our tolerant national character has been codified in progressive legislation which has, for example, served to massively reduce workplace discrimination. Every time Clarkson, Littlejohn and their ilk whine about 'political correctness gone mad' it's worth peering at countries without progressive legislation.

Take the continent of Africa where 35 countries have banned homosexuality. Just this week the Ugandan parliament is debating a bill which would make it law for gays to be imprisoned for life, just for being gay. This new bill is actually a toned down version of the original legislation which demanded the death penalty for people who had previous convictions, are HIV-positive, or engage in same sex acts with people under 18 years of age.

This milder bill has yet to be seen as its author, MP David Bahati, hasn't released the new version. This means that in the 21st Century a country is seriously debating whether to lock away people for life or execute them just because of their sexuality. It is estimated there are 500,000 homosexuals in Uganda and so if the law is passed the world is looking at pogroms and genocide. Quick Ugandan gays, start prospecting for oil and then NATO might intervene!

Earlier this year the-braver-than-you'd-imagine Radio One DJ Scott Mills was interviewing the bill's charming author, Bahati for a BBC programme called 'The Worst Place to Be Gay.' It must have looked like they'd found it when Mills stated that he was actually gay, which sent Bahati ballistic, calling for armed backup and trying to make an arrest. Mills and the production team fled only for Bahati to phone one of the crew asking where they were staying and for their number plates.

We can only speculate on what motivates this man's visceral hatred of gay people, although I think it would be foolish to discount powerful but deeply repressed homosexuality urges. If Mills had been Ugandan he wouldn't be safe on our more tolerant shores as the bill includes provisions for nationals who engage in same-sex relations outside of Uganda to be extradited to face punishment back home.

Meanwhile the US under Obama is making progress with politically correct legislation, even if progress is sometimes checked by a retrogressive rearguard. This week the Navy reversed its decision to train chaplains to conduct civil ceremonies on bases in states where gay marriage is legal. This was due to objections raised by House of Representatives Republican Todd Akin of Missouri who believes that using military chapels and personnel for same-sex marriages would violate the Defense of Marriage Act. Despite this the US ban on gay Americans serving openly in the military was only repealed last year and so even debate over civil unions in the open on bases can be viewed as a big charge forward.

Political correctness is a good thing, it motivates legislation that makes the world a more fair and tolerant place, they don't have it in Saudi Arabia where women can be beaten for showing an ankle on the street, they don't have it in Russia where black footballers are still pelted with bananas and they don't have it in Uganda where being gay mean a death sentence. Political correctness has helped Britain become a more tolerant nation than most, an achievement of which we should be proud.