Oh, excuse me, the Scottish police officers in question are probably not allowed to use the word "crook," lest it indicate a prejudgment as to guilt -- along with all sorts of other new words and terms that British police are now warned not to use, including "old" (as in people), "homosexual" (since it historically implies a mental disorder), "rule of thumb," and "nitty-gritty." The latter two are particularly entertaining in their banishment, since it's based on bogus etymology.
Oh, and don't even think about using the term "manhole cover" (sexist). Or about asking people (suspects or witnesses alike) if they're married (potentially offensive to gays).
Maybe they should just shoot first and ask questions later, when the questionees aren't around to be offended.
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Yeah, but what really gripes my cookies is that the article says, "People are very quick to take offence." How dare they make such an offensive generalization? Ooh, that makes me so mad!
"Sometimes sarcasm makes us see things more clearly."
--Dogbert
It is, after all, a self-fulfilling prophecy. If people are quick to take offense, and therefore are coddled so that nothing can offend them, they will simply be encouraged to be more easily offended.
There would have to be, I'd think, some sort of a media res. As has been noted before, words mean things, and ignoring the impact of careless (or even intentionally hurtful) language would be foolish. On the other hand, part of what makes society is learning how to compromise and get along, not how to just get your way and never be offended.
ZT is not politeness, it is, in fact, the opposite. It's Newspeak.
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