Clarkson 'n-word' furore!

I’m amazed that some people used that version of eeney meany miney mo when at school – was there no supervision in your primary schools? And please don’t tell me that it was deemed an acceptable word cause I can’t believe that.

Don’t be so PC ernie.

And please don’t tell me that it was deemed an acceptable word cause I can’t believe that.

Well you hadn’t heard of it so you’ll find it hard to believe now.

I can’t remember that far back. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t’ve known what the word meant anyway.
My racist mum always used the golly word.

If people spent as much time and effort getting outraged about the real issues in the world and not trivial nonsense like this then the world would be a far better place.

Racism isn’t a real issue?

Yes it is, and its a horrible horrible concept that make the lives of many thoroughly miserable.

But Jeremy Clarkson reciting a commonly known albeit inappropriate nursery rhyme, where he may or may not have muttered the N word is a world away from this

If you can’t see the difference then I’m not going to try to explain it to you.

I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t’ve known what the word meant anyway.

I didn’t have a clue what it meant and sure we thought it was a fish, no we didn’t question why it had toes. 😕

I’m amazed that some people used that version of eeney meany miney mo when at school – was there no supervision in your primary schools?

You’d loved my church ran primary school. We had got told to stop playing armies when the Falklands kicked off, offcourse we didn’t we just played cowboys and indians instead.

Even teachers used it….”deemed” perfectly acceptable at the time.

I even recall a friend’s mother describing a hat as being “N Brown” in the 70s. We have come a long way since……

was that after doctors and nurses, drac? 😉

Well you hadn’t heard of it so you’ll find it hard to believe now.

I don’t know what that’s suppose to mean. The question I was asking was did you never play in earshot of teachers, would you not be punished for using the word ?

We’re talking about 7/8 year olds not 14/15 year olds, right ?

And of course we knew/heard the word, and it wasn’t acceptable.

The question I was asking was did you never play in earshot of teachers, would you not be punished for using the word ?

Yes and using it in the rhyme was fine but calling the black kid at school it would have had you severely punished. Fortunately we didn’t know what the word meant in that context at that age so we didn’t.

was that after doctors and nurses, drac?

Dear God no, that was for out of school.

Even teachers used it….”deemed” perfectly acceptable at the time

Well that is private schools for you 😉

Even teachers used it….”deemed” perfectly acceptable at the time.

Where the **** did you go to school where teachers used the term ****……that’s the word we’re talking about, right ?

but calling the black kid at school it would have had you severely punished.

We called him George.

We called him George.

Alex in our case or was it Alec? But yeah not the N word.

It was an “approved” school obviously.

The term was not used widely nor was it directly condoned. But that rhyme was certainly common place and used without sanction (and in ignorance) without malice when chosing things.

Not defending it, just equally amazed that people find what was IME a common occurrence so surprising. Anyway we digress…

Anyway we digress…

We’d have never got 200+ posts if we didn’t 🙂

The term was not used widely nor was it directly condoned.

You said it was : “deemed” perfectly acceptable at the time. Even by teachers !

Unless you went to school in the 1940s in Mississippi or something I find that extremely hard to believe.

Fine, don’t believe me. But it was deemed a perfectly acceptable rhyme and adults used it as much as kids. Pls don’t confuse rhyme and word used in isolation.

teamhurtmore is right. It was in common use. We were ignorant of any concept of racism. As I said before the only black faces I knew were coal miners until I went to the big city (Sheffield!) as a student. Oh wait, there were some. The Black and White Minstrels on the telly. I wonder what happened to them.

But no, it’s not a rhyme or a word I would condone these days. Mind you it wasn’t broadcast so no harm has been done has it?

I even recall a friend’s mother describing a hat as being “N Brown” in the 70s. We have come a long way since……

Some people have…

adults used it as much as kids

That’s not we’re talking about is it ? Of course adults used it as much as kids. The question is did teachers use it as much children ? I don’t recall ever hearing a teacher use it. It wasn’t “deemed perfectly acceptable” as you suggest.

Mind you it wasn’t broadcast so no harm has been done has it?

Is casual racism acceptable as long as it is not broadcast on television?

We were ignorant of any concept of racism

That’s staggering. I have been aware of racism throughout my entire life. There’s never been a time when people didn’t understand the concept of racism. Just look at the struggle against fascism for proof of that.

Yes. But we had different experiences or recollections. It must be an age thing! 😉

Is casual racism acceptable as long as it is not broadcast on television?

The honest answer is that it depends on who it’s aimed at.

“No” if it refers to dark skinned immigrants or children of recent (last fifty years) immigrants, and Jews.

“Totally fine” if it’s directed at Roma, people from Eastern Europe generally, Muslims (when based specifically on religion rather than skin pigmentation or country of origin) or Gypsies and Travellers.

…in my experience.

Just look at the struggle against fascism for proof of that.

America fought against fascism, and yet had racial segregation. After the allies had taken Paris the new French government insisted no black soldiers took part in the celebration parades.

FFS using a nursery rhyme that was common place, is not racist in intent, nor as I inadvertently did recently because it suited the moment, using an expression you’ve used for years, it’s at worse an error in judgement and at best a failure to notice the world has changed around you.

In that case derek why did he not just say it rather than deny saying the word, claim he never used the word, insist it was not broadcast and still apologise?

Its racist because he knew how offensive the word is when used lightly (not for historical or descriptive purposes) and yet chose to use it anyway, knowing full well that it could hurt certain ethnic groups. It shows complete contempt and disregard for those people, contempt which he has clearly shown for anyone who isnt a white middle class car driver.

Hang on. I’ve just heard what he said and the context.

WTF.

Especially the BBC – idiots.

I don’t even know why hes apologizing. Makes it an issue out of nothing.

hora – Member
Hang on. I’ve just heard what he said and the context.

Careful hora, that is dangerous territory…..

Makes it an issue out of nothing.

Yay, We’re back to page 1 🙂

Its a non-event FFS. Is it slow news day, then the interviewees with some punters, one might as well as said I’m so angry but I dont know about what

I don’t even know why hes apologizing. Makes it an issue out of nothing.

Precisely !

I fear a lot of folk don’t get Clarkson and so inevitably become part of his Joke.

Carry on. Enjoy the bickering, and you get an extra day for it, this weekend.
🙄

I fear a lot of folk don’t get Clarkson and so inevitably become part of his Joke.

Exactly

Solo – Member

I fear a lot of folk don’t get Clarkson and so inevitably become part of his Joke.

I agree.

He refers to such people as his fans.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eeny,_meeny,_miny,_moe

Only a few of the earlier versions of this song used the n-word, why then is the song that he chose in of itself “not racist” and why did he feel the need to choose that version of the song?

I fear a lot of folk don’t get Clarkson and so inevitably become part of his Joke.

He’s not bloody Oscar Wilde.

7 pages of ranting about a word that wasn’t used in a clip that wasn’t aired in the context of finding it very hard to choose between two cars. It’s ok not to like a public figure, but to try and manufacture a spurious allegation of racism against them simply dilutes the SNR in which genuine incidents exist and damages the cause.

And Stewart Lee’s piece on Scotland and Willy Wallace is a showcase of brilliance in material, delivery, and guts! But he can seem very bitter and whiny sometimes, like in the piece on a “stolen joke”.

We were ignorant of any concept of racism

That’s staggering. I have been aware of racism throughout my entire life.

Even at 6mths or 1 year old? Impressive.

Maybe children these days are fully/more aware of it, but 20, 30, 40 yrs + ago I doubt they were (especially in some parts of the UK).

He’s already guilty after using the term “slope”, I don’t care if he mumbled this word (sounded like the n word to me).

Remember this one?

In response to Campbell saying Clarkson wasn’t very sound on gay rights, Clarkson replied: ‘Oh yes I am. I demand the right not to be bummed.’