Editor resigns in row over Irish jokes
An Irishman who resigned as editor of a community magazine in Cornwall after a complaint about its publication of Irish jokes said today the situation was due to “political correctness gone mad”.
“The Irish are the first to have a joke at themselves,” said 58-year-old Denis Lusby. “I can understand why racism laws have been tightened up, but it has given loads of powers to people to take it to extremes."
The 56-page magazine edited by Lusby sells about 500 copies for 30 pence in the Blisland and St Breward areas of Cornwall.
Mr Lusby, who moved from the North in 1969 to get away from the Troubles, said he was deeply hurt by accusations of racism.
The jokes he published in the monthly magazine included some involving people called O'Toole, Murphy and Gallagher. The jokes had been submitted to the newspaper.
Grandfather Mr Lusby, chairman of the local parish council, said the magazine had published all sorts of jokes, not just ones about Irish people.
He said today he had received support from a lot of Irish people living in the UK.
“I have had telephone calls from people with Irish jokes saying the ones I had published were not very good,” he said.
He said rural life was a struggle for many people, and he felt humour could help.
Mr Lusby quit as editor of the magazine after the head of Cornwall’s equality and diversity service, Ginny Harrison-White, wrote to primary schools at Blisland and St Breward.
She asked whether they felt it appropriate to have their news printed alongside “such derogatory material”.
Mrs White, who said she was acting as a concerned local resident, said the jokes used racist language or ridicule as defined in the Race Relations Act.
She said the jokes could affect the attitudes of the children, and asked the schools to bring pressure on them to be removed from the magazine.
Mr Lusby said he had made a complaint about Mrs Harrison-White to Cornwall County Council. He said there had been no complaints about the jokes published in the magazine since he took over.
There had also been jokes in the magazine about people from Essex, said Mr Lusby.
“To be accused of racism, specifically anti-Irish, has hurt me very deeply,” he said.
He said he always “champions the underdog and try to counter racism whenever I come across it”.
In a statement Mrs Harrison-White said she firmly believed it was the responsibility of all members of society to support each other and ensure any actions, comments or public materials did not cause offence.
Mr Lusby said today he would not change his mind about resigning, adding: "It was not a decision I took lightly."
