Racism (again) - Page 5

Less · 10-05-2006, 02:25

Now, now, people you know how upset I get to see you arguing, take a deep breath give each other a big hug and Rindy! don't steal busmans hanky he needs it just as much as you do!

There now doesn't that feel better

KIPAX · 10-05-2006, 07:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mancie

blinkin ell.. thats a bit personnal guvnor..next thing you'll be askin if bods are paying the telly license.. are you a copper guv?

Its whats known as having a SOH .. Maybe a warped one or one only I get... but think clark gable ending gone with the wind.

Mancie · 10-05-2006, 07:48

SOH? you been trying to pull in the dating ads again kipax??

KIPAX · 10-05-2006, 08:07

I only gave up smoking so I would get more replies

WillowTheWhisp · 10-05-2006, 09:30

If we go back to the opening topic and the question which was:

Quote:

What other countries are flouting the PC rules??

We'll probably find that most countries try to flout the PC rules and that some succeed more than others because there are fewer peple there who support the "PC Brigade" - ie who actually agree with political correctness. (It's a common enough turn of phrase because we are at a loss to know who actually comes up with all this nonsense.)

It's unfortunate that there isn't PC Quango or Committee where we can take our grumbles and try to point out the blatantly obvious facts that calling a blackboard a blackboard isn't racism and ask who on earth decides that a nursery rhyme has to be reworded as "baa baa rainbow sheep" which is complete and utter nonsense. There just seems to be a faceless numberless "group" (for want of a better word) of people who see offences where non are intended. Even remarking on the fact that someone is a member of a particular ethnic group osn't in itself racist. We ought to be able to be who we are without being afraid of upsetting someone else who is of different ethnic origin. It made me smile to see that my daughter has on her MSN group of friends someone who calls herself something which I am not allowed to say.

Down the ages Jews have told Jewish jokes, Irishmen have told Irish jokes etc. The fact that they are a member of the group being joked about makes the joke acceptable where it wouldn't be accepatable if someone outside of that group told it. I've seen Asians telling "pa*i" jokes and other Asians laughing at them. Yet we still have shops being afraid to put "Merry Christmas" in the window for fear of upsetting someone who isn't even in the particular ethnic group it is deemed to offend.

When we laughed at "Till Death Us Do Part" and "Love Thy Neighbour" we weren't laughing at the people Jack Smethurst and Warren Mitchell's characters were ridiculing we were laughing atthe bigotted attitude of the mockers. Sadly the PC Brigade seem unable to see that.

Is it really as insane in other countries as it is here or do they take is all with more of the proverbial pinch of salt and carry on regardless?

Mancie · 10-05-2006, 09:57

there's a big difference in joking and saying things that are meant to offend, the example of ba ba rainbow sheep is nonsense and from what I heard the only complaints to the people who thought it up were from black parents, thats assuming any of it really happend at all!

WILLOW,where are these shops that are afraid to put merry christmas in the window?.. is this something you heard ,or you actually know of for real?

WillowTheWhisp · 10-05-2006, 11:22

I think it was Oxfam the Christmas before last.

Then there was that daft council and its "Winterfest" idea.

Recently there's been a news item about making sure 3 year olds in nursery integrate properly with all races. When my kids were 3 I don't think it dawned on them that there were different races. They saw skin colours the same way they saw eye and hair colours, just as variety but not worth bothering about.

I will still call a blackboard a blackboard and I will still sing baabaa black sheep. Sheep are neither black nor white really but then again neither are people.

cpcman · 10-05-2006, 23:08

This has kicked up a bit of a fuss what do you say?

cashman · 10-05-2006, 23:13

i think it is coming, in some european countries willow although definately not with the same vigour as the cretins here are going at it, one day i shall probably be jailed cos i speak as it is.also the europeans seem to be much more tolerant i find.

WillowTheWhisp · 11-05-2006, 13:31

It's been said that it isn't racist if you are not intending to insult or to offend or judge someone as inferior due to their racial origins and yet we are not permitted to use a four letter word beginning with p and ending in i because in itself it is deemed to be offensive.

Remember when someone with not an ounce of malice posted that they saw no problem with p**i kids having thngs explained to them at school in their own language if they were unable to understand the instructions in English? People threw up their arms in horror that the "p" word had been used and yet it wasn't intended to offend. Quite the opposite in fact as there had been other posters complaining that "they should speak English if they're in England". They were far more offensive posts than the one which drew attention.

lettie · 11-05-2006, 15:40

I don't think that the 'p' word is offensive in that instance, but I also don't think that it is offensive to state that somebody living in any given country should speak that country's language. It is common sense, it aids integration and helps the speaker to receive the services which s/he needs. If any of us had to live in a non-English speaking country, would we not try to learn and speak at least a little of the language?

Tealeaf · 11-05-2006, 15:49

Just to change the subject slightly, what is this rumour I hear that Persia Street is to be renamed Iran Street? Supposedly, this is to avoid offending anyone. It's somewhat ironic really, because the name "Iran" tranlates from Farsi as "Land of the Ayrans". Mind you, it will be the land of nowt if George W. & Condi decide to nuke the place.

WillowTheWhisp · 11-05-2006, 17:32

I hadn't heard that rumour Tealeaf but if it's true it's bonkers. When that street was named Iran was Persia.

This is the sort of barmy PC nonsense that gets people's backs up.

I agree with you Lettie about people who come to this country who should learn the language but the story about schoolchildren wasn't that they should be taught in their own language but that they should be taught in English and if there is something they didn't understand then they could have a conflab about it in their own language just to clarify.

Ernie · 11-05-2006, 17:38

Quote:

if there is something they didn't understand then they could have a conflab about it in their own language just to clarify.

They do that already!

JohnW · 11-05-2006, 18:09

Sorry to join the thread so late, but with regard to the Mexican joke. This is very relevant here at the moment. America has literally millions of illegal immigrants, many of them Mexican. So really, the joke, in my opinion, was quite funny, especially as no earthquake has actually happened. Had there been an earthquake and two million people had died it would not have been at all funny. I think if we are to make jokes about death and tragedy they should not pertain to any actual happening.

I remember another joke, many may think is racist about the black guy on the dockside at Liverpool trying to get home to Jamaica or wherever. He was 50p short for the fare so went out on to the street and asked some guy for 50P. The guy asked him what the 50p was for and was told it was because he wanted to go home to Jamaica. Here you go says the guy, here's a fiver, take nine of your friends with you as well.

As this doesn't relate to any particular incident and as it pokes as much fun at the Englishman for thinking it only costs 50p for the full fare to Jamaica, I don't consider this to be a bad joke. However, I am quite sure that some people would consider it a racist joke.

Here's another one:

Three guys in a jail cell in South Africa, two whites and and black guy. The two whites are talking and asking each other why they're in the slammer. The first guy says he's in for attempted rape. "How long did you get?" says the other guy. 5 years he says, but the judge said that if I had actually gone through with the rape he would have given me 10 years. " What are you in for?" he asks. "Attempted murder" says the guy, "and I got 10 years, but like you, the judge said that if I had actually gone through with the murder he would have given me 20 years." They turn to the black guy and ask him what he is in for. "Riding a bike without lights" "How long did you get?" they ask. "20 years" he says "but the judge did tell me that if it had been dark he would have given me 40 years!"

Here again, this joke refers to a sad situation in general terms but does not specify some particular happening. It also pokes fun at the stupidity of a system which abuses people because of the colour of their skin. I think this is a funny joke, but I am sure there will be people on this forum who consider it racist. Ah well, we'll see if the karma starts to disappear eh?

The point I am trying to make is, I don't think it matters in which country you live, everyone has different senses of humour and what is acceptable to one is not acceptable to another. I suspect as far PC stupidity goes, if anything, America is even worse that the UK.