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AIBU?

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Original poster

Is fairy tale of New York a sackable offence ?

240 replies

Veeveeoxox · 07/01/2022 09:36

My OH played fairy tale of New York the censored version on a zoom Christmas party, he works in IT contracting moved from financial services to the public sector. They are now saying many people got offended and hurt by the song and they are wondering if he's a good cultural fit for this department .

AIBU to think this is absolutely ridiculous ? My OH is already looking for another job as the field is such in high demand he's not worried. They also waited until today to tell him instead of a month ago when the supposed incident happened.

OP posts:
OnTheBenchOfDoom · 07/01/2022 10:18

@Samcro I do love the Sound of Silence by Disturbed, I was searching for the Pentatonix one and stumbled on theirs, thought I'd have a listen. It is epic. Grin I am not a heavy metal person either.

tinytemper66 · 07/01/2022 10:20

The BBC - Radio 2 played the uncensored version on at least 2 occasions over the festive period.

MissConductUS · 07/01/2022 10:21

How odd. I'm a New Yorker and have never heard of this song.

lottiegarbanzo · 07/01/2022 10:25

I bet people 'heard' what they expected to hear. He needs to tell them it was the censored version, then forget about it.

The Pogues and Kirsty McColl are not American MissConductUS. It's a mid-C20th Irish immigrant take on NY and, that it is not popular or even known in the US, does not surprise me!

SameToo · 07/01/2022 10:26

The sound of silence by disturbed is an abomination. S and G version all the way!

Wasn’t there a big thing recently about FTONY being ‘made’ pc? Are they jumping on that?

Hoppinggreen · 07/01/2022 10:27

@maddening

Yanbu, as he is a contractor he has no protection, he is right to find a new role, it is ridiculous and working there would be untenable once they showed their colours imo.
DH is an IT Contractor There is plenty of work out there, your DH doesn’t need to put up with this nonsense
CorrBlimeyGG · 07/01/2022 10:30

Are you sure there was not more to it? In itself it seems a big overreaction, which would make me question if there have been other complaints.

Wanlight22 · 07/01/2022 10:30

Is he in a trade union ? I would seek urgent support from them or he could phone ACAS(if UK).
It never fails to amaze me that people get annoyed at the homosexual slur but not the misognist one of this song.
Shane McGowan is a poet.

grapewine · 07/01/2022 10:32

This is utterly ridiculous. I can't believe it's serious. I mean, I can because the world has gone mad.

Tiredalwaystired · 07/01/2022 10:34

Our choir sang the uncensored version in the middle of the town centre for the switching in of the christmas lights!

Very unreasonable!

HesterShaw1 · 07/01/2022 10:34

Did it really offend people in huge numbers for thirty years before this was acknowledged? And is it now the hurt is being properly dealt with?

Or have people decided recently that it contains certain words which MUST be considered offensive, and therefore everyone should join in the concern about the said offence?

I'm inclining towards the second one but I'm willing to rethink if necessary.

Your husband's work are insane. If we wants to move on to a more sensible workplace and will have no trouble finding the job, he should go for it

Sonex · 07/01/2022 10:34

Ludicrous. That's the UK public sector for you. He's right to just get the F out of there (ex-IT contractor) - it will drive him insane working with these woke virtual signallers - assuming it was the version without the F word which I can understand now offends many people. I note the version on Spotify is uncensored mind you.

As others have said though, and as he knows, IT contractors are effectively a disposable resource that they can get rid of on, normally, a week's notice and once your cards are marked there is no point attempting to hang around - no matter how stupid the reason is. I was once terminated early because 'I didn't participate in football banter' - I kid you not! Really, it was just an excuse, as it probably is here. The head honcho from corporate head office had flown in unexpectedly and yelled at my hiring manager that he was spending too much on contractors and to get rid of one immediately. You're effectively a box of paperclips as a contractor and most decisions around you are financial ones, which they dress up with nonsense when they decide you're too expensive.

WhosThatBehindTheFlask · 07/01/2022 10:36

A contractor?

Up and leave would get my vote.

Sonex · 07/01/2022 10:38

And good luck with that handover :)

How long has he been there out of interest?

Hobbesmanc · 07/01/2022 10:38

@Tiredalwaystired

Our choir sang the uncensored version in the middle of the town centre for the switching in of the christmas lights!

Very unreasonable!

I'm surprised they sang without any changes. I adore the song but I think the "faggot" slur isn't really something I want to hear
Momicrone · 07/01/2022 10:39

I love the song, I'd rather remove all the misogynistic crap that's out there about hos and blow jobs

cstaff · 07/01/2022 10:39

So do these offended people get offended every time they hear it in a store, on the radio or TV or at a Christmas Market and if so do they complain to the management each time. Jesus wept.

Postchristmasflab · 07/01/2022 10:40

He is a contractor they can get rid for anything at any time as long as they stick to the exit agreement in the contract between them and I assume his Limited company. Ex contractor here, I have had contracts terminated without warning because the company decided that particular project I was working on was going to move to later in the year and they didn’t have any alternate work.

But it’s still a shitty reason

Dixiechickonhols · 07/01/2022 10:40

If he’s a contractor he’s not employed so can be asked to go for any reason. It’s why contractors are paid more no rights/sick pay etc. Hopefully he can get new role in next few weeks and move on.
I wouldn’t find it offensive, radios pay it but it sounds like an excuse to get rid - if not that they’d have said something else.

JSL52 · 07/01/2022 10:42

Ridiculous

Tal45 · 07/01/2022 10:43

That is one of my favourite Christmas songs!

I would ask them to tell you what specifically people were offended by as all the offensive words had been censored. I would also ask them to explain exactly how he is not a 'good cultural fit' when he censored out the offensive words.

The wokeness in this country is just getting fucking ridiculous.

BobMortimersPetOwl · 07/01/2022 10:45

So much depends on why people were offended.

Dontgetyerknicksinatwist · 07/01/2022 10:46

Welcome to snowflake culture. And it will get worse. Pretty soon it will be like living in China and we will have to check everything we say for fear of losing our job and being “cancelled” from society…

steppemum · 07/01/2022 10:51

Well, I am 54 so not snowflake and pretty robust, but I do think the 'faggot' insult is pretty outdated now, and on mainstream radio etc I think it is appropriate that that word is censored out.

I've just looked at reports about it. Radio 1 mostly plays censored version. Radio 2 mostly plays the uncensored version.

But your dh played the censored version, so the company has not a leg to stand on.

Porcupineintherough · 07/01/2022 10:52

I dont think its particularly snowflakey to not want to hear the word "faggot" in a Christmas song if you are a gay man. I'm old enough to remember when it was often the precursor to an assault and I bet many gay men are too.

But the censored version, what's the problem?