[Closed] "Don't let's be beastly to the Germans..."

So since when has racial harrassment been trivial?

You think racial abuse is trivial?

That depends what you consider to be harassment.

As someone who has part German ancestry I find it offensive.

Would I tolerate that behaviour towards me? Not a chance.

Is it just me, or are a number of matters that some years ago would be considered trivial now being made an issue of?

Due to the interwebs - & the news media now trying to fill 24 hours a day rather than just 30 minutes in the evening - 'minor' stories are making headlines when previously they'd have just been dealt with locally without all the hoo-hah.

EDIT : 'German' isn't a race, therefore it's not [i]racist[/i] abuse ... regardless off anyone's nationality, the guys behaviour was abusive & constituted harassment, the Nazi salutes being particularly offensive

As someone who has both German and Welsh ancestry I don't give a monkies about either Nazi or Taffy jokes.

[i]a number of matters that some years ago would be considered trivial[/i]
I don't think they ever would have been considered trivial.

'German' isn't a race, therefore it's not racist abuse ..

While it may not fit into the dictionary definition of racial abuse, I think it is commonly accepted that such nasty discrimination on grounds of nationality is racial abuse.

it is commonly accepted that such nasty discrimination on grounds of nationality is racial abuse

Fair enough, if some people are too daft to be able to distinguish between 'naitonality' and 'race' then so be it.

Next time I'm filling in any official paperwork, under the 'ethnic origin' box I shall tick 'other' & put English.

Pip, pip!

Fair enough, if some people are too daft to be able to distinguish between 'naitonality' and 'race' then so be it.

And so be it if some people are unable to keep up with the changing use of language.

"In England, Wales, and Scotland, the Public Order Act 1986 prohibits, by its Part 3, expressions of racial hatred, which is defined as hatred against a group of persons by reason of the group's colour, race, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origins."

Given that Nazi symbols, phrases and gestures are utterly taboo in Germany, I imagine the offence would be even greater.

'German' isn't a race, therefore it's not racist abuse...

Being Geordie, Scouse or Brummie isn't being part of a "race", yet it's been illegal to discriminate against someone based on a regional stereotype for some years now and the same rule applies here.

Being Geordie, Scouse or Brummie isn't being part of a "race", yet it's been illegal to discriminate against someone based on a regional stereotype for some years now and the same rule applies here

Exactly.

But for some reason the 'racist' term gets thrown about incorrectly all the time ..

Semantics surely? Not worth diverting the debate from the fact that this bloke is/was a moron.

The teacher was asked about whistling the Dambusters tune in the sight of his neighbours, but he told the court he could not whistle

does mrs toast's "In England, Wales, and Scotland, the Public Order Act 1986 prohibits, by its Part 3, expressions of racial hatred, which is defined as hatred against a group of persons by reason of the group's colour, race, [i]nationality (including citizenship)[/i] or ethnic or [i]national[/i] origins." not cover it Joao?

Towel, anybody?

I do wonder what started it, did he just hate germans and started a hate campaign or was there an argument over boundaries whatever and he just turned to old fashioned [s]racist[/s] nationalistic abuse?

Did butler also claim "Me? You started it. "

Is it worth pointing out that the article doesn't actually say what the offense that the defendant was charged with was?

the relationship between Butler and the Wendts turned sour

(never really watched otb as a kid - he's oddly reminiscent of someone ...)

does mrs toast's "In England, Wales, and Scotland, the Public Order Act 1986 prohibits, by its Part 3, expressions of racial hatred, which is defined as hatred against a group of persons by reason of the group's colour, race, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origins." not cover it Joao?

Yes, great isn't it ... so if a lawyer or judge ever asks me my race do I say 'caucasian' or 'English' ... or 'Scottish', considering my national origins (somewhere on my Dad's side) ... how far back do we go?

This Public Order thingymajig also defines it as applying to "groups", therefore is there another Order for specific individuals?

Does a married couple consititute a group? I suppose technically 2 is a group ...

Either way, German is still not a 'race'.

At the end of the day a little banter in good humour is harmless (regardless of what it is) - we have germans working with us and they chuckle about it and give as good as they get both in a very gentlemanly way (and we're all good friends who socialise together), but harrassing someone to the point that they feel the need to complain suggests the originator of the comments is a moron and should be dealt with accordingly.

Yawn, John.