Clarkson 'n-word' furore!

Had a girl use the word in class today – justified because jarhead used it.
Just sayin like

On that occasion maybe but someone who is all out a Racist and despises blacks or those of an ethnic origin. No I don’t think he is.

That’s probably true, but from experience it’s these “jokes” that keeps a certain level of racism alive within groups of like-minded bigots.

That’s probably true, but from experience it’s these “jokes” that keeps a certain level of racism alive within groups of like-minded bigots

Sadly that is true which is why it should have been cut and never broadcast not even by the DM.

For what its worth I think Stewart Lee is very funny.

Burn him!

Said many times, all about context but broadcasters have to be careful.

I don’t think racism can be defined by dialogue alone (tarantino would have been locked up ages ago) , it’s defined by the actions of the person.

I think there is a difference between being out of touch and being a racist, which is what’s going on here. It’s tricky with JC as we don’t know what he’s truly like, and I always assume his broadcast persona is more or less similar to his actual personality. We can’t truly know.

Using the above colour chart can anyone label at what tone it becomes acceptable to use said word? Are we talking
Dappy

Or Bill Duke?

Because there definitely seems to be a line at which point its a-ok

What utter bullshit.

You sound offended.

On that occasion maybe but someone who is all out a Racist and despises blacks or those of an ethnic origin. No I don’t think he is.

Do you believe there’s a level of racism which is less than ‘National Front member’ but still not right?

I don’t think it should be used anymore no.

But you’re doggedly defending someone who did. 😕

Where does it say the audio on that clip has been altered BTW? They say some people analysed it and made a transcript – can’t see anything that suggests that isn’t the original audio.

Some people fail to grasp what a horrid song it is.

One that has no place in modern Britain,

I’m not arguing because it’s Clarkson… I’m arguing because you, Drac and other fail to see this.

**** me. If you’re arguing that Eeny, meeny, miny, moe is a racist rhythm because a long 60 years ago it had nasty word it and that, even now, when most folk would never use it with the original words, it still horrid and racist?

It’s people like you who fail to realise that raciscm is not just words, but intent too. Are you the type of person who would never say ****, even when discussing it, because its so powerful? Its that sort of attitude the gives the word it’s power. It also leads to silly situations like this:

You sound offended.

Nah just amazed that someone can think that based on what I’ve posted.

Do you believe there’s a level of racism which is less than ‘National Front member’ but still not right?

Yeah I’m sure there is such as using the N word daily about someone or making racist jokes continually. Even more so when meant direct to a person. Why wouldn’t I?

When? Who decides? Do they send a memo? Why aren’t I on the mailing list?

Yes I seem to be left out too. Where do I register for updates?

You do realise that Samuel wasn’t asking the presenter to say that word because it’s okay, he was doing it because he wanted the reporter to face up to it and make him uncomfortable….as the presenter was asking about the “overuse” (lol) of the word in film set 1830’s deep south America…..as if the word wasn’t actually banded about that much back then (god…doesn’t everyone know that whites can’t be as evil as they are in Django….only black people are ba….oh wait).

A person with class would not use the N word.

Disgusting.

can anyone label at what tone it becomes acceptable to use said word?

Mate – why do you care? What is your point? Don’t you think that once you start to get into racial classification using colour charts there’s a historical resonance that should make you pause and question what you’re doing?

So a bit racist is okay? Seriously?

So a bit racist is okay? Seriously?

Sigh!

Yeah that’s what I said. Oh wait, no I didn’t.

A person with class would not use the N word.

Disgusting.

Like many on here have used it,

Stw haven’t got it in the swear filter. Does that mean they are racist and feel comfortable with that word?

Lenny Bruce would love this thread.

Yeah I’m sure there is such as using the N word daily about someone or making racist jokes continually. Even more so when meant direct to a person. Why wouldn’t I?

You are clearly implying that saying it sometimes [ less than daily] is ok as is making racist jokes as long as they are not continually.

Whether it is what you meant to say is another issue but your reply clearly suggests that a certain level of racism is acceptable and/or not actually racism.

If you say so. Once again you seem to know better than me.

Don’t see anyone ever complaining about this? Was one of the funniest shows on tv.

Even the Simpsons are at it.
So yes racism can be funny.

Wow I never took Drac for a racist.

MSP – Member

If his apology had been something like-

“we were trying to be deliberately ambiguous to create some controversy, after reflection we decided it was too offensive and rather stupid and we decided not to go ahead, we know that we stepped over the line and regret even considering something so offensive to so many people, and hope that people can forgive us for such a stupid mistake”

then I think most people would accept that.

Unfortunately for him, that would undermine future attempts at self promotion through controversy, and he decided to weasel out of it another way, prioritising his supposedly carefully crafted persona rather than giving a genuine apology
This is the Clarkson issue put to bed IMO

carry on with the “you are” game though – it’s fun

This thread is starting to take a rather vindictive turn. Just bullying really.

cynic-al – Member

Wow I never took Drac for a racist.

Apparently he only feels comfortable moderating wearing his nazi uniform.

Are people getting their knickers in a bunch because they were directly offended or because somebody else might be?

Frankly, even though 1 of these “insults” was aimed my way I couldn’t GAS. Get thicker skin.

Has a single black person said they’ve been offended by this?

wysiwyg – Member
Don’t see anyone ever complaining about this?

Was one of the funniest shows on tv.

No but sadly there have been complaints recently about the likes of

and

on the assumption that blacking up has something to do with imitating black people.

Clarkson polarises opinion, for those that don’t like him this has been a perfect opportunity to make something out of what, to me, was nothing. I couldn’t hear the n-word in that clip no matter how hard I listened.

Are people getting their knickers in a bunch because they were directly offended or because somebody else might be?

I think the outrage stems from the fact they would have been offended had the clip been broadcast. Apparently the clip wasn’t broadcast because it was feared that it might cause offence.

So to sum up……some people are upset that they might have been offended. I think.

And to make things even more complicated you can’t actually hear the offending word and the newspaper that broke the story had to hire a team of audio forensic experts to confirm that everyone should be offended.

ernie_lynch has it summed up. Some people enjoy taking offence even if steps have been taken not to offend.

Probably already been posted but I can’t be arsed sifting 12 pages of point scoring, twattery to check…

some people are upset that they might have been offended. I think.

Close. I think. Same folk, too – it’s like they have to prove how PC they are. Always rubbing each others’ rhubarb, too; it’s ugly stuff.

This thread is starting to take a rather vindictive turn. Just bullying really.

Indeed, and you have to tip your hat to the victim, given the power he has. I would have smite them with a hefty blow by now…

🙂

If you think the use of the word slope, in the context that Clarkson used it was okay (he should have been fired for that, the N-word was the icing on the cake)…then I hope you don’t use it on the trails within earshot of me or my wife (Asian).

on the assumption that blacking up has something to do with imitating black people.

Maybe….because it is!

“Richard Carlin (2008) questions the link between the American minstrel shows into Victorian England in the late 1830s and the morris.[17] By the early 20th century, border morris dancing was referred to colloquially by some as “**** dancing” or “going niggering”.[18][19] Some view this as direct evidence of the link with minstrel shows.[20]
Theresa Buckland’s (1990) research details the linkages between the 19th century Lancashire Britannia Coco-nut Dancers and minstrel shows, although does not discuss any link to Welsh Border Morris. She argued that “The ‘disguise’ function of the costume has most likely been influences by Cecil Sharp’s [1911] interpretation of the black face […] which has been repeated in various publications and ephemera of the English Folk Dance and Song Society… The dancers have been exposed to information from these publications, whether first-hand or further removed.” The argument of disguise is used to “explain away” the blackface, while the black faces of dancers have radically different symbolic potential than that of the faces of supposedly disguised labourers[21]
According to the American Morris News (2005), “It is most commonly thought that the origin and function of black-face in Morris dancing lies in primitive disguise rather than an imitation of black men. However, this is not definitely the case. Accounts of the Morris of Shakespeare’s time make no mention of blackface, while the border teams contemporary with minstrel shows typically blacked up. American minstrel shows, if not the actual origin of black face among Morris dancers, at least contributed to its popularity.” [20]
Robert Hornback (2008) has a different viewpoint, comparing border morris to crude parodies of African tribal war dances, and cites the blackface of Morris dancing as part of racist practices in Britain that predate American minstrelsy and, in fact, contribute to the minstrel tradition.[22]”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_Morris#Other_black-face_traditions

Nice summing up of clarkson begging forgiveness
http://m.huffpost.com/uk/entry/5249449

I’m confused. Is Elvis Costello racist too? Can I still sing along to Oliver’s army?

Has Harriet Harman’s paedo in the party been done. You would think? something slightly more important to deal with than the call for sacking of a BBC journo ,even if he has tiptoed over the line

I thought it was the pretty obvious association of black = bad; white = good that people object to on that one.

I had honestly never thought of that. None of the black people I worked with ever hesitated once using the word blacklist in my last project.

To be honest, I think pussy-footing around the word ‘black’ is regressive in itself. In my view, we should work towards skin colour being completely irrelevant, and this kind of thing actually makes this aim a lot harder.

Should I be upset about the use of white for surrender flags? Is there an insinuation that white people are cowardly that I didn’t know about?

Is it ok to say that someone’s in a dark place when they are depressed? Cos that could also be offensive, equating dark with bad.