Actually the very words 'politically correct' are an oxymoron. A bit like 'Sky Gourmet' or 'friendly fire'. We all know what they are meant to mean, but they don't really bear scrutiny.

In the time we were away from the UK this 'political correctness' (appeasing the losers and whingers, who really just need a smack) has run rampant. A story in the Telegraph is a depressing case in point:

Muslim salesman 'hurt' by wine prizes

A Muslim insurance salesman alleged he suffered religious discrimination because his employers offered only alcohol as a performance incentive.

Mr Khan claimed that the bottles of wine on offer put him at a disadvantage because, as a Muslim, he could not drink alcohol and was therefore unable to claim the prizes.

British-born Mr Khan, who works for Direct Line Insurance, is seeking damages for "hurt feelings" under the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003.

Mr Khan's team leader, Louise Cummings, said she introduced the incentives as a means of "improving staff morale and performance". "If I had realised that I had hurt anyone's feelings, then I would have taken steps to rectify that immediately," she added.

Tariq Sadiq, for the company, said that another Muslim worker, who had won an alcoholic prize in a similar scheme, had "simply" exchanged it for an alternative. Most employers would have surely been happy to exchange the alcoholic reward for an equivalent?

Unbelievable. On a number of counts. First, that you can take legal action for 'hurt feelings'. Second, that this actually went to a tribunal and was not resolved pronto and in house. A sound a reaonable use of your tax dollars that's for certain - because guess who's paying?

Mr Khan, we respect your religious views, but was this really the most appropriate course of action? Has it done you any good? You've marked your card with your employer, your colleagues probably think you're a bit of a twit, you could have just asked to exchange the booze - or you could have accepted it in good grace and then either given it away or flogged it to a mate.

The availability of legal redress for the most inane of events seems to have robbed us of the ability to apply a bit of common sense.