What snivelling cur of a so-called public servant would make such a huge issue out of a trivial event like this - presumably only to try and gain some kudos from his political masters. There are no words adequate to express the contempt I feel for his actions.

And yet the larger issue is the evident total demoralisation and corruption of our public services that have become so politicised by this most destructive of all governments that sycophancy is apparently necessary for survival.

If the day comes that we in the UK aren't allowed to criticise terrorists or murderers, then it's time to leave the country.

We're in the age of the anti-hero, when criminals get awarded huge amounts of compensation and victims next to nothing. When all immigrants know what they're entitled to in the way of benefits and support than those who have lived here for generations, we know it's nearly time to abandon ship.

Why?

Because in 10-20 years time, those who can afford it will have left the UK and those left will be working and paying taxes to support an ever increasing nanny state, home to a large population of people who don't want to work.

Shameful and disgusting, but really, what can you expect from socialists? They value equality of outcome above all other things. Criminals and decent people - there's no difference to them. Responsible people and slackers -- there's no difference either. All must be equal -- all must have prizes.

I am a serving prison officer and I would like to say that I am amazed at this story. But I can't. Political Correctness has taken over the Prison Service and we {ordinary prison officers at the 'sharp end'} are silenced by the diversity police. I am grateful to writers like Melanie and Littlejohn for highlighting the destruction of Britain by these petty Stalinists

Well said William! This politically correct government and local councils are making life impossible for honest and hard working citizens who pay their taxes!

It's wishful thinking that the thought police should be banished into the Twilight Zone never to be heard of again!

"All must be equal -- all must have prizes."

A child I knew many years ago, came home from grade-school, dismayed that EVERYONE had gotten a prize for a competition. "If everyone is special, then no one is special," he said.

Out of the mouthes of babes!

Lili

Stop the world I want to get off.

What has happened to this country? I never believed that anything like this could happen - are there no sensible people anymore? Are all our public services being run by Stalanists? I hope and pray that one day not too long away - we will wake up and find that we have been having an Orwellian nightmare?

Lilith, not sure if you are aware, but "All Must Have Prizes" is the name of one of Melanie's most famous books. I've just finished it. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it. I bought it used off of Amazon; it's not easy to find in the US.

Why should anyone be surprised that a prison officer gets sacked for inveighing against OBL, in a country that is currently considering rescinding a deportation order against a Kenyan who was thrice refused asylum and who, while appealing these decisions, kidnapped and brutally raped a woman; was sentenced to a lengthy prison sentence; was released inordinately prematurely; then appealed against the deportation order that was part of his sentence on the grounds that his human rights would be violated by such an order. And all this whilst housed and maintained by the DHSS, just two miles from where the victim lives. It seems that his appeal may be granted because he married a prison visitor whilst partially serving his sentence and, according to his shrink, is a reformed character. Perhaps he has, as a 'friend', one the trick cyclists who released a mass-murderer from a mental institution in North London recently?

I am reminded of the time in the 1960's when I witnessed a notorious Maltese gangster, roistering in the streets of Soho after collecting the days takings from his whores in a clip-joint off Greek Street, shit-faced on a mixture of booze and cocaine, throwing a handful of fivers into the air at passing tourists and shouting at his drinking buddy, "No wonder they call it Great Britain! It's fucking Great! Ennit?"

Welcome to Dizzyland, folks! It has a Mickey Mouse government, Goofy as Prime Minister and the Seven Dwarfs form the cabinet. Just enjoy the entertainment, all provided free by the British taxpayer. Rule Brittania; God Save the Queen ... and God help us all. SOL (as opposed to LOL).

Nanette - if you're considering Australia as a destination when you jump ship, guess again; things aren't much better here, are rapidly getting worse, and in some cases are already worse than the UK (e.g. the Racial & Religious Tolerance Act in the State of Victoria), where you'd better not say anything about Islam to a mate in a pub having a quiet beer, unless you want the Victorian Equal Opportunity Commission to assist the Islamists (or any complaining nutter) to sue the pants off you.

A 20 y.o Islamic kid was arrested in the past 24 hrs in Sydney and charged on terrorism-related matters. Already some well-known Islamic mouth-pieces are claiming he's, "..just misunderstood". At least they could have tried to come up with something more original.

The moral outrage against the sacking of the Prison Officer is totally justified. However what is so frightening is the clear demonstation that considerations of perceived political correctness now out-weigh logical thought processes.

Prison Governors and Home Office Officials are not stupid people. I should imagine that their thoughts were somewhat along these lines.

1. The UK Government has declared publicly that it is at war with Terror.
2. The UK Government has committed armed Forces to Afganistan in an attempt to Kill or catch Osama Bin Laden.
3.Consequently any UK citizen who inveighs against Osama Bin Laden is accurately reflecting the settled policy of the UK Government.
4. There is no evidence that anyone was offended by the Prison officers remark.
5. If anybody was offended then given the above points it should follow that the UK Government position is that it is up to the offended individual to re-examine their consience rather than for the rest of us to refrain from offending them.

Yet despite consideration of the above, the Prison Service and Home Office officials decided to overide common-sense and sack this man.

People who take decisions such as this can not be persuaded to change their opinions by rational argument. They have elevated Political Correctness to the level of an irrational religous belief and are determined to apply their new faith with a fundamenalist vigour.

We live in a truly frightening world. Threatened on the one hand by terrorists who wish to destroy our way of life and take our lives and on the other undermined by spineless placemen and women who confound all logic and rational thought in their attempt to placate their new God!

Here's some more on this story:

Prison Guard Sacked For Insulting a Muslim ... specifically, Osama bin Laden.

http://dailyablution.blogs.com/the_daily_ablution/2003/12/prison_guard_sa.html

It is a confused government confusing everyone else. It is "fighting a war on terror" but does not like the thought of being 'confrontational'. It is upset that the terrorists are not open to compromise and a nice chat with Tony, who could offer them a blancmange to house their aims like he stores his.

I wonder how those people detained under Section 18b in the last war reacted to hearing cusses about Hitler or Mussolini.....have to see what Diana Mosley thought of it.........I doubt it would have fazed her at all.

The sensitivity is on the part only of an administrative class sensitized to political whims........I should hate to depend on the Metropolitan Police for anything....they are not quite Dixon of Dock Green which was reassuring; and now more like PC Penrose........

Thanks for the tip James Riley... :-)

Hmmm,

This is quite unbelievable...

where is this man's MP?

Quite outrageoous example of a boss who appears to have let PC subvert his ability to think and act with logic, common sense and sublety...

I seem to remember something esle similar not long ago in an argument between neighbours where the court found one guilty of inciting racial hatred because he responded to accusations of being a Zionist with a tirade about 9/11 and bin Laden...

quite incredible...