PC views are 'threat to society' BY SUZY AUSTIN

POLITICAL correctness has gained a 'vice-like grip' on British society and is threatening freedom of speech, a think- tank claimed yesterday. 'Intolerant and sanctimonious' PC attitudes cause more harm than good and have led to censorship, rising crime, poverty and poor discipline in schools, according to experts. PC views have also created Muslim ghettoes which produce young men who 'commit mass murder against their fellow citizens', said Civitas - know as the non- political Institute for the Study of Civil Society. Civitas member Anthony Browne said factually correct truth was often ditched in favour of PC truths which relied on an argument's emotional appeal rather than on the facts. He writes in the book, The Retreat Of Reason: 'PC has now become a threat to society. By closing down debates, it restricts the ability of society to tackle the problems that face it. 'Political correctness promotes a victim mentality, discourages people from taking responsibility for their own lives, suppresses free speech and distorts debate, leading to bad policies being adopted. 'If someone is poor because they are lazy, ill-disciplined, addicted to benefits and resentful of those who aren't poor, then encouraging them to blame other people rather than emulating them will in fact just perpetuate their poverty.' Tory MP Philip Davies, of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said Mr Browne had 'hit the nail on the head'. He added.' 'We are unable to say certain things, not because people will take offence, but because the liberal elite rules that these things can no longer be said. 'Political correctness is not about being polite to each other. 'It is about restricting freedom of speech and we are now witnessing a generation of people who are afraid to say certain things.'

PC FACTS OR FICTION? ADHERENTS of political correctness routinely blame the explosion in Britain's HIV infection rate on teenagers having unsafe sex, Anthony Browne points out. But he says the 'factually correct truth' is the rise was triggered largely by the arrival of HIV- positive African immigrants, a fact accepted by the Public Health Laboratory Service. Women's pay is lower than men's because of sex discrimination, the PC brigade claims, when in fact it is because 'women make different choices and give up work to raise a family'. A recent increase in anti-Semitic attacks is due to whites, according to PC, when in fact many attacks are committed by Muslim youths'; And African poverty is blamed on the West not failing to cancel debts, when in fact much is 'due to bad governance and despotism'.