No More Manholes? Is it worth it to ferret out every possible offense?

California has long had a reputation as a liberal state. And some cities, such as Berkeley, cherish their retro 1960s hippy culture, even as many in our country look at such things with more than a hint of derision.

Well, don't expect things to change much. Last week the Berkeley City Council voted unanimously to eliminate gender-specific language from the town's municipal code.

That means no more policemen or firemen. Now they will be firefighters or police officers. Craftsmen will be referred to as artisans. "Men and women" will now be written as simply "people."

The change that's getting the most attention nationwide is replacing the word manhole with maintenance hole. That's the kind of thing that just confirms the worst fears our more conservative citizens have about those on the left coast.

"It is both timely and necessary to make the environment of City Hall and the language of city legislation consistent with the principles of inclusion," said Council member Nigel Robinson.

No doubt Berkeley officials have good hearts and good intentions. And in the end the new city language won't mean a whole lot. It certainly won't affect most folks' daily lives.

But it's just one of those things that makes you shake you head. There is no way you're going to please everyone and these days it's hard to figure out just what will be perceived as "offensive." Is it really worth it to ferret out every possible offense? Most of us would say no. Obviously the answer is different in Berkeley.

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