Bigoted or free speech

[DaveinGermany]

Although all over the media & press the last couple of days there's been no comment on here about Jeremy Clarksons latest & to date "most offensive" & heinous derogatory exploit.

The supposed use of the word "nigger" in an episode of Top Gear from 2013, but causing a furore only now after its being highlighted & brought into the spotlight as stated by the press (daily mirror I believe broke the story), mainstream television news & public forums etc.

The debate, as it is rages on from both sides. those in defence of free speech & right to use a language to its full potential & those that would castigate this as blatant bigotry & casual racism!.

I assume that the lack of comment is due to folks fearing to raise the issue because the finger would be pointed & they'd be tagged as being either a racist bigot or a lefty PC whiner, dependent on the stand point taken, who knows?

However controversial some subjects seem, I do believe that they need broaching, bringing out into the open & then being honestly discussed, all this without without recourse to infantile name calling & derogatory belittlement.

Now then, do I have any takers for open debate? Or will this thread, like so many of the injustices & unpleasantries that people face daily be quietly sidelined & hopefully forgotten in the hope that it may just go away by itself?

[Boeing Guy]

Your a Brave man Dave....
Okay well having watched the offending episode when it was broadcast, having reviewed the Daily Mirrors footage and being a reasonable well adjusted adult (by my standards), I feel there was nothing for him to apologise for.
Its all the usual Bull.... by the gutter press. Sadly the anti racist brigade have grabbed it.

Interestingly, this week I received a BNP leaflet, in my name as I am sure others have, with much more inflammatory rubbish than anything Jeremy or anyone on TV have ever said, I wonder if that is why they never show The Dam Busters any more on TV because Guy Gibson's dog was called Nigger.


But of course if someone is wishing to be insulted there is nothing you can do.

[Less]

If he was being a bigot hasn't he got a right to be even if it doesn't make him popular?

I have been castigated on this very forum for using the 'N' word, I was using it as a reference to the colour brown, I explained that in electrical terms it was used as reference to brown coloured wires in the auto industry, it's many a year since I was involved in that side of electronics, I wonder what they are forced to say as an alternative these days?

[Margaret Pilkington]

What he was reciting is an old nursery rhyme......so is someone going to go through all the nursery rhymes and censor them? It seems crazy to me(but then I am from a generation who didn't take offence at inconsequential things) that people can get so hung up on such things when there are other things going on in the world that we should be appalled at.
Unless this word is being used in the context of racial abuse.....like directing the term to a particular person.....(that is racial abuse) anything else isn't .

I am not a fan of Jeremy Clarkson, but I don't think he had anything to apologise for.

I will now wait for my castigations.

[accyman]

Originally Posted by Less

If he was being a bigot hasn't he got a right to be even if it doesn't make him popular?

I have been castigated on this very forum for using the 'N' word, I was using it as a reference to the colour brown, I explained that in electrical terms it was used as reference to brown coloured wires in the auto industry, it's many a year since I was involved in that side of electronics, I wonder what they are forced to say as an alternative these days?

it was also used to name a shade of boot polish

green i think it was

odd thing is i have black american buddies who i chat with on skype and play games online against and as long as i call them a lucky nigga and not a lucky nigger they are more than fine with the word

hell it was only a few weeks ago teh press were slating clarkson for saying the bridge had a slope on it (which it did) in reference to how badly they had built a bridge to cross a river but because one of teh people he had worked with side by side for days and into the night happened to be brown and on the bridge the press said he was using an old term for blacks slope to be racist.I think it fair to mention that neither clarkson,may or hammond beat or whipped these black people while building the bridge or at least not on camera

all i can say is if your the type of person who looks for things to complain about on other peoples behalf then you are guarenteed to be what i like to call a complete funt

[DaveinGermany]

It appears it's a generational/age issue (and isn't that also a bone of contention too?) from the comments I've seen. I admit I enjoy top gear so may be slightly biased in my views but I concur with the majority of folk, the word supposedly used can be seen as offensive when directed as a personal insult to an individual, but it's contextually offensive to my mind. So in generic usage as in a nursery rhyme which the Clarkson case claims to be or in colloquial usage such as books & culture it's just another aspect of our language, admittedly with some negative overtones but at the end of the day just another word.

[accyman]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

What he was reciting is an old nursery rhyme......so is someone going to go through all the nursery rhymes and censor them? .

dont think ba ba green sheep is allowed either


damn it looks like the PC mongs have got at it as i typed ....

did you spot the word that is still used today yet frowned upon

i still call my brother one when he messes up although i usually go with spaz or spacker they roll off the tongue easier

[Less]

My parents were disappointing bigots they got me a Gollywog for my birthday, Good grief mum said I, I'm seventeen I'd rather have an Asian blow up doll! yes it was a few years ago.

[Accyexplorer]

I think it's more context/intent, than the actual word.
The word “nigger” isn't racist. A word can't be racist can it?
(My opinion is that the only way a word is racist if it is used with racist intent)
What happened to words like "sambo"?
Jezza may of mumbled the word "nigger" 2yrs ago, is it "news"?, hmmm
It's worse that he was forced to give a apology imho

[Less]

Originally Posted by Accyexplorer

What happened to words like "sambo"?

One place I worked a young apprentice started he was a 6' buck Ni, erm really black lad, his parents had a sense of humour, they had called him Sam!


He was a really grand lad as well.

We got a visit from Health and safety, she heard us call for him, after he left she said it hardly seemed appropriate because she thought we were being racist. How are we being racist the company owner asked? That is his name!

[Margaret Pilkington]

And have I read or heard it wrong? That it ended up on the cutting room floor...it was never aired?
Or that he stopped himself from actually using the word because of its implications, and the possibility that it may offend(although that has not stopped him before).
when something like this furore hits the headlines, it always makes me wonder what bit of news it is to distract us from? Something far more important, and worthy of getting our drawers in a twist about.

[maxthecollie]

I miss my collection of Robertsons jam golliwogs. There was no talk of racism then.

[Accyexplorer]

I'd also like to point out that there's also a difference between the word "nigger" and "nigga"."Nigger" is offensive to black folk, for example:
Most youngsters today have at least one racist grandparent.
Except me, cause grandma says racism is a crime.....and crime is for erm (sorry couldn't think of a better context)...
..whereas "nigga" is used between black folk all the time as a non-derogatory term, I think they use it in place of words like "bro" or "man".
image.jpg

[Less]

Originally Posted by Accyexplorer

"Nigger" is offensive to black folk

Who says it is?

I bet it's not black folk, just white folk trying not to offend.

Strangely the more they try, the more they offend every race.

[Accyexplorer]

Originally Posted by Less

Who says it is?

I bet it's not black folk, just white folk trying not to offend.

Strangely the more they try, the more they offend every race.

I think we both know, the 'problem' lies in folks personal morality, political correctness etc.
It's (generally) accepted in today's society (well at least amounts blacks), that "nigga" is used as non-derogatory.
It is, however, generally understood amongst the very same aspects of society that when non-blacks use the word it is meant in some sort of derogatory manner.
Not that I think your bothered but, my thoughts are that if folk are offended by a 'word' it's tough luck.
After all I'd like to look at every race as equal,as I'm sure you would?
But if black folk are allowed to use the 'N' word and other races aren't, then that divides us,are am I missing something?