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Racing UK employed a black paddock analyst at Sandown’s evening meeting three weeks ago.
He was excellent, picking out a big priced Channon winner. I enjoyed his pre-race commentary and didn’t know he was black until the final race.
Just out of interest, how many people here have been the subject of verbal racial abuse? If you have, has it changed your attitude regarding when certain words are offensive and when they aren’t?
taking aside the somewhat perhaps more pedantic of arguments and leaving aside the over-PC state the world appears to be becoming, one could just look at this with a very simplistic view and say not ‘should this expression upset anyone’ but ‘does this expression upset anyone’ and if it does upset some people then just maybe it is unwise to use it, particularly in the media
i don’t think it’s for us to suggest whether the person should keep their job or otherwise, major media companies will have their own policies for attracting and avoiding certain types of publicity and it is their right to have and use these policies as they see fit
for my two-bobs worth, there was no need to say that and anyone working in the media should know that<br>
If you’ll accept that Welsh is a race, I have been abused for being Welsh.
It made me angry at the time but I forgave them because they didn’t know any better and they were English!!!;) :biggrin:
Colin
im not even doing that, im rationalizing it as if it is not used in a derogatory way it isnt racist. people might be offended but people are offended by all sorts of seemingly innocent things, jeremy clarkson has made a career out of offending the easily offended. the fact is it is a word used as a term of affection by much of tadays youth and so the word itself is surely not racist but the context can be.
Just out of interest, how many people here have been the subject of verbal racial abuse? If you have, has it changed your attitude regarding when certain words are offensive and when they aren’t?
I have when I’ve been in mixed-race relationships.
(though, because I was the white one and it was in Scotland, my girlfriends tended to get more of the abuse)
It taught me a lot about racism and the impact that it has on the "victim".
(sorry, can’t think of a better word offhand)
For me, the "woodpile" phrase is fairly low level but carries a sense of
"I’m not going to change the language I use just because some xxxx might take offence. It’s ‘our’ language and if they don’t like it, they can f off home"
i.e. a reminder that many people in our society still have a "this is a white country" mentality and that they’ll always regard black/asians as "foreigners".
for my two-bobs worth, there was no need to say that and anyone working in the media should know that
Well said.
Steve
(Edited by stevedvg at 2:33 pm on June 21, 2007)
I’m old enough to remember Agatha Christie naming a novel of hers "Ten Little N’s"or do I misspeak?Was she too racist?Then it was changed to Ten Little Indians. I have no idea what it is called now.Perhaps "Ten little Celts"?Or "Ten little Arabs"or "Ten little Neoconservatives"?
The politically correctness has gone too far and its getting silly. People who complain over throw away phrases that mean nothing insulting etc really need to grow up. I’m glad they have nothing worse to moan about.
Quote: from Grasshopper on 6:09 pm on June 21, 2007[br]Hands in the basket……………….who amongst us would be unafraid to use the expression "n*gger" in the company of a black man – even if there was no malice intended and it was all done as jovially as possible?
Hands in the basket?
Anyone?
There you go.
<br>I work with black and Asian men and there is always this sort of banter. It’s never meant to offend and never taken that way.
Place my workmates in the Big Brother house and there’d be an uproar the size of the universe.
The banter is in friendliness the way it should be. I’d rather live in that sort of society than an utterly stupid one that almost criminalises people for using a word regardless of the context in which its meant.
FFS people need to get a life and a bit of perspective reality.
Grasshopper<br>Surely the first question is what color are you?<br>IF black then the hand goes up.Thew N word is used a lot in the black community.
i should imagine my pub banter would shock everyone here but any person working or wanting to work in the media should know there was no valid reason or need to say that on camera
in my experience, many people in work or social situations put up with banter or join in with banter but would rather it didn’t happen, they just don’t like to say
i disagree with pc-ness but do agree if what we say could upset someone, the most sociable solution is to find a way of saying it without upsetting them
there are many tenuous arguments on this thread that completely fail to cover a racist attitude imo
bottom line, it did not need to be said, it’s not the sort of thing one says by accident these days, go figure
Quote: from Grasshopper on 6:20 pm on June 21, 2007[br]Flash, can you please confirm that your banter includes your use of the word ‘n*gger’ when your bantering with your black workmates.
It may surprise you, but I’m partial to a bit of banter myself, so I’m interested to know just how far I might be able to take it.
And while your at it, you might as well point out who is being criminalised in this instance. I’ve done a quick headcount, and I’ve come up with "No ****" so far.
;) :cool:
<br>I’ll be totally honest I never use that word personally because I just don’t think its a respectful thing to do. I never call anyone a fat b*****d
either or anything that could be deemed hurtful because I don’t think its nice. My humour is the harmless kind.The word is used at my workplace though between whites, blacks and Asians and no one complains everyone takes it the way it is meant. Similarly there are always jibes between the Asians and the black men about "Who has the best ghetto" etc. Also there is always banter about white men being crap sprinters, black men crap swimmers etc etc.
Its humour given and received properly.
PS! I said "almost" criminalised. I’m sure you know what I mean.
I agree with sberry to a degree when he says anyone working in the media should be aware of what they’re saying.
That said people don’t go around all the time with it conciously on their mind. When I’m walking around I don’t think "Oh can I say that?" Ooh, is that right" "Ooh could that be seen as racist / sexist / homophobic / weightist / heightist" etc
Quote: from Grasshopper on 6:32 pm on June 21, 2007[br]
Quote: from Flash on 6:26 pm on June 21, 2007[br]I’ll be totally honest I never use that word personally because I just don’t think its a respectful thing to do. ………………….My humour is the harmless kind.<br>
Me too……………see we aren’t so different – only our skin colour.
;)
<br>Lol. A friend of horse racing is a friend of mine
Hands in the basket……………….who amongst us would be unafraid to use the expression "n*gger" in the company of a black man – even if there was no malice intended and it was all done as jovially as possible?
Better still, who’d be willing to use it in a conversation with Lennox Lewis?
(in a private place … with no witnesses around)
Quote Flash<br>I work with black and Asian men and there is always this sort of banter. It’s never meant to offend and never taken that way.
Place my workmates in the Big Brother house and there’d be an uproar the size of the universe.
The banter is in friendliness the way it should be. I’d rather live in that sort of society than an utterly stupid one that almost criminalises people for using a word regardless of the context in which its meant.
FFS people need to get a life and a bit of perspective reality.<br>======================================
Now calm down all you whiteys and Blackies!!
When Love Thy Neighbour was on in the seventies <br>it was the funniest thing on TV.<br>It showed just how stupid racism could be, it raised a lot of laughs in my house. It also showed you have to laugh at a lot of things in life.<br>At the time Colour bars, certain Jobs/interviews housing for Whites only, and very open racial prejudice were still seemingly acceptable. <br>I`m sure Love Thy Neighbour upset quite a few People as well. But to a lot of Black and White People it was very funny.
Funny though, they dont show it on UK TV Gold now do they?…<br>For what it`s worth, <br>I`m sure the guy didnt mean any harm with his woodpile comment.
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