The term ‘Brit’ has never really been seen as offensive, whereas **** has a legacy of nastiness.

True, a fair point, but how far do you take it. Black has also been linked to nastiness. Ginger has. We’re ruling out whole swathes of dictionary because someone else at some point used them offensively.[/quote]

Like Blackboard can’t be blackboard. Get to **** if thats offensive. Any black person who finds it so needs bagging up. And not because they’re black, because they’re soft as shite.

A mate’s brother was expelled from school a few years back because his black friend put some glasses on and he said “You look like Trevor Macdonald!”. Who’s the racist, the kid or the teacher for bringing way too much undue attention to the fact the kid’s black? Boil’s my blood sometimes, tells ya.

Racism and banter is a fine line, but why is it any different to calling me bald? That gets my goat, but can I report them for being hairist?

Farmer John; it’s a bit like black people calling each other ‘****’, I suppose. If the word, which can often be used in an abusive context, is used by someone the same as yourself, there can surely be no harmful intent. I see it as possibly similar to homosexual people re-appropriating the pink triangle symbol, as a symbol of their sexual and social identity. Maybe I’m a bit out on that one, I don’t know. IE, it takes the negative aspect of the word away, so it no longer hurts.

Interestingly, I grew up with the term ‘Chinky’ being quite popular. I don’t ever remember it being used in a negative derogatory manner, simply a term of description ‘oh, you know, that Chinky bloke lives at number 12, he’s good with cars and stuff’, or ‘fancy a Chinky tonight?’, when planning a meal. It is not a term I use nowadays, as I’m not sure it’s at all appropriate. But we had Chinese and Vietnamese playmates, at school, who we’d refer to as the ‘Chinky kids’. We all got along fine, actually, and the Oriental children didn’t seem to mind at all, as the term was never really used in a negative abusive context. More, a term of affection, I think.

This has actually been a very interesting discussion. Very sensible, for the most part, and intelligent.

The boy was loose with his tongue and it was all probably acceptable within the company he was in, so, so what………. BUT….. I was a bog standard police officer for a goodly while and I am certain that had I done the exact same thing I would have been sacked BIG TIME. I do not think that is going to happen to him and I think he is in a far more responsible position than I ever was. The boy is probably “connected”. Thursday night meetings blah blah blah, band of brothers on the bloody square, blah blah. Level playing field? I don’t think so!
Bitter?
Yes please, mine’s a pint.

When exactly did **** become offensive?

I think during the 1960s and 70s, when gangs of racist skinheaded thugs would rampage through Asian populated areas of London and other cities, going ‘****-Bashing’.

Myself, my father, some friends and several members of my family have been physically attacked for being ‘****’. Every member of my father’s family have, at some time, been racially abused. My mother was attacked and called a ‘**** Lover’, one time, when she and I were coming back from the shops. I was about 4 years old, at the time.

Sorry I can’t be bother to read all the comments, but I still want to say my two pennies worth (yeah bad I know)

A lot of fuss about not very much imo.

Yes calling someone a **** to their face is undoubtedly offensive. But he didn’t do that. And he wasn’t speaking in public. He’s in the army ffs, not **** finishing school in **** Switzerland ❗

And it was several years ago – who gives a toss ?

……… well they wouldn’t have, if it wasn’t for the NoW – they are the ones who are the trouble makers. The poor guy probably didn’t even know that he’d been called a ‘****’

And another thing, there’s nothing wrong with referring to a ‘**** shop’ I do, and I love my **** shop – the people are always very polite, and hard working, and open late, and very reasonably priced too. God bless **** shops I reckon.

And oh yeah, the scene in East Is East when the little **** boy comes running in saying the “the **** are coming” is one of the funniest scenes in the best british movie ever made. I reckon that too.

oh btw, I’m pretty sure that the people in my ‘**** shop’ weren’t actually Pakistani, but that’s beside the point – I still like them.

Ernie, I get where you’re coming from, but you can appreciate the hate wrapped around that word.

Got to say, if I heard someone say ‘**** shop’, I’d prefer them to just say ‘corner/paper shop / offie’ or whatever, to tell you the truth.

That scene in East is East had me on the floor. There were moments of that film that made me cry, too. Bit close to home. Brilliant film, though!

I worked in sales (a long time ago) where we had a client who was as bl8ck as the ace of spades and whom my colleague called ‘you bl8ck b8stard’. He called my colleague ‘h0nky’ and when I met the guy in question he seemed one of the nicest guys I’ve met. We got on really well.

Have heard other stories like mine as well.

Can’t we all (not the STW massive as this is a very good thread) just get over it and get on? The world would be a much better place… Sadly it seems the ‘papers can’t.

As a Royalist and someone who dislikes trash of any colour, I’m happy to be friends with someone who is nice whatever their colour or creed and I think most people feel that way. All my friends are like that anyway.

who was as bl8ck as the ace of spades

LOL ! “black” isn’t a swear word !

You don’t have to write it as “bl8ck” !

Thought it might not through the filter…

Well if I was black, I would be deeply insulted that you thought “black” was a swear word !

I don’t! But who knows what a PC filter might think? Or didn’t you read my first post? I had hoped that might make my position clear… 🙂

over the top ,imo gutter press at it again,im sorry but it seems such a petty thing the way they wibble on and on about it ,ffs ( not wishing to offend anyone ) just my thoughts

Firstly my bias, I’m for a republic and think that royalty is an irrelevance.

This is a nasty ill-intentioned beat up. The film was done by a young loon at an age when he is entitled to the odd mistake. In the section of the film I saw, I got the impression the context was affectionate and not intended as a slur or insult.

To my mind, intention is what counts, and what we should be cracking down on is the anti-free speech numpties.

Well i had a laugh at work the other day, an Asian colleague & myself were discussing our backgrounds (me from the North East & him from Huddersfield) & then he calls me a ‘foreigner’ (our workplace is in Yorkshire)to which I pi$$ed myself at the irony of the comment. Later that day I was sitting in a chair on C Wing & Faz rolls up & says, ‘Ha, lazy t**t, get some work done, If you don’t like to work in this country then **** off back home’ Once again I was in stitches & told him to pi$$ off.
Should I have filled in a Racial Incident Report Form?
(Anyone who so much as dares to answer yes to that question is a dick head & is party to the sh!t state this country is in.)

I pi$$ed myself at the irony of the comment.

Where was he born? In Yorkshire? If so, he’s got every right to! 😀

I like banter like that, though, as it reminds everyone of the stupidity of real prejudice. Relieves tensions. Me and some of me close mates call each other all sorts. Just absolutely ridiculous. But it never goes outside the group.

I like banter like that …………Relieves tensions

I once told someone at work, “Why don’t you **** off you ****”. Oh how I laughed …….. does that count ?

.
No idea where he came from mind.

I used to tell people that every day…

…not the best thing to do, when they’re customers! 😕

Still funny, though.

So I’m getting this “banter” malarkey right then ?

Cool ……. I can see I’m going to have a right giggle at work tomorrow 8)

Just like his grandpa innit.

🙄

Army officer in use of racist word non-shock….The whole response is getting away fronm the point of why its caused such a fuss, which is the complete and utter pointless at best and vile at worst concept that is royalty. Which is similar to racism really, your birth somehow makes you superior. as for is HArry racist well, I dont know never met him but it doesnt look good. If the comment was made beer in hand with a smile on his face to the guy rather than from distance without the guy hearing it would have looked better.

I have not read the whole thread – but I suspect he is a thick idiot.

this is the most pointless thread I’ve ever read

Ernie, I get where you’re coming from, but you can appreciate the hate wrapped around that word.

Interesting. I had no idea that there was a negative connotation. As a middle-class rural lad I never actually met a a **** until university. The only racism I ever saw came from **** when I went out with a **** girl. Oh, and from my Indian mates. They **** hated them with a passion. But I never associated the abbreviation as racist, appending b@stards on the end (by the Indian lads) yeah, but not the abbreviation.

So… I’ve managed 40 years without realising it was considered anything other than an abbreviation. I must be more careful around my nephews girlfriend…

The point of these ponderings?

If I can miss the racist connotation I can fully appreciate how a prince would miss it too.

Lots of replies here seem to consist of people saying “I know a person of asian ethnic origin who jokes with us whites about his racial identity, so therefore it’s fine to call people ‘****’.”

Do any of you also refer to your “**** friend” as a “good ****, not like the rest of them”?

Only guessing.

Interesting how some people work from the basis that people aren’t racist. In which case calling someone a **** is nothing more than an abbreviation. Others assume they are racist so **** must be a racist term.

Says a lot about the person jumping to the negative conclusion.

Like Blackboard can’t be blackboard.

Yes it can. That was one of those stories that the newspapers admit they just made up or distort, like the baa, baa rainbow sheep thing, or anything related to The War On Christmas.

i’m sure somebody said this before but he’s a racist idiot, bit like his grandfather really!

Yes it can. That was one of those stories that the newspapers admit they just made up or distort, like the baa, baa rainbow sheep thing, or anything related to The War On Christmas.

not all made up – you can’t say ‘brainstorming’, it must be ‘thought shower’ – at least this is what mrs yosh was told during one of her many guest speaker staff meetings – apparently brainstorming can be offensive to people with epilepsy………………no seriously, this is true!

not all made up – you can’t say ‘brainstorming’, it must be ‘thought shower’ – at least this is what mrs yosh was told during one of her many guest speaker staff meetings – apparently brainstorming can be offensive to people with epilepsy………………no seriously, this is true!

Made up and then passed on by others who believe it then 🙂

I’m a teacher. We brainstorm and we write on whiteboards (schools don’t have blackboards anymore otherwise we’d write on blackboards).

yoshimi – Member
this is the most pointless thread I’ve ever read

I disagree. From my perspective, it’s one of the most interesting ones in a good while.

this is the most pointless thread I’ve ever read

I agree with RudeBoy; I think this has been a very interesting thread. It’s pretty difficult to have a conversation about race and racist (or not) terms with a fairly broad cross-section of people in the real world, so this has been very useful.

@ Yoshimi

“people with epilepsy”

How dare you?!?

It’s “people living with Epilepsy” according to the latest PC nonsense in the NHS. Apparently I’m also not allowed to say I’m diabetic as that’s not allowed either. It has to be “I am living with Diabetes“.

Made up and then passed on by others who believe it then

thats a very good point……………………I do remember questioning the credentials of this guest speaker (or person of little relevance trying to impart their knowledge on people at the coal face as mrs yosh would say) when I was told this.

It’s “people living with Epilepsy” according to the latest PC nonsense in the NHS. Apparently I’m also not allowed to say I’m diabetic as that’s not allowed either. It has to be “I am living with Diabetes”.

I’m glad I only live with alcohol as opposed to being an alcoholic 😀

I still maintain this is a pointless thread – but I keep reading:(

An interesting aside on this. For many years I used the term – “**** shop” for the small grocers open all ours that we all know and love. Now I use the term “asian grocers”

Is “**** shop” offensive? I must ask my local asian grocer

TJ; what, actually ask someone who might be affected, what they think? Blimey, that’s an unusual tack. What a strange concept.. 🙄

Please, do. I’d be very interested in what they have to say, actually. Last couple of days, from talking to Asian people locally, it seems that most think it’s a storm in a teacup, and only a few think Harry was in any way being racist. But almost all said they’d prefer not to hear the term ‘****’ being used to describe themselves (especially as many are Bangladeshi, and don’t appreciate the association with a nation which theirs fought a very bloody war against). And one Pakistani bloke I spoke to, said that he felt the term had racist and abusive connotations, and that people had to be very careful about it’s use.

Interesting, the difference between what the papers say, and what ‘real’ people think…

Does any even half intelligent person not realise that like ****, **** is used as a racist term. Of course **** shop is an offensive term, whether or not someone is offended by it is another question but it is so obviously racist I cannot believe someone would be dumb enough to ask…… Its bringing race into the discussion of a corner shop and IMO it is therefore racist.

I think **** is an offensive word as it has become a generic term for everyone with origins in the Indian subcontinent, regardless of wether they come from Pakistan or not.

If used to describe folks from Pakistan, it shouldn’t be any more offensive than Brit or Aussie but over the years it has gathered a more sinister feel to it and I don’t think it’s a word that anyone should really consider using.

But almost all said they’d prefer not to hear the term ‘****’ being used to describe themselves (especially as many are Bangladeshi, and don’t appreciate the association with a nation which theirs fought a very bloody war against).

It is rather like an Asian calling someone British a German, isn’t it?

I think my local asian grocers are not of Pakistani descent anyway. 3 generations of them work in it and the two younger generations have Edinburgh accents.

**** shop has been used in my experience as a generic term for “cornershop run by folk from the Indian subcontinent open all hours” for decades.