Is this Racial ?

[Lizzybear]

you only have to listen to rap music to hear this word on a regular basis but none of these rappers are accused of being racist im sorry but the worlds gone mad

I don't think it's the same when it's said by someone of the same race. Yes it does confuse things but from what I can gather it's used among the black community as a term of endearment, similar to mate. Chris Rock goes into all this better than I ever could in his most recent show



Slightly OT but a while ago someone linked me to this piece on white privelige and it really challenged some of my perceptions, if anyone has the time/is interested then I really recommend giving it a read:
http://mmcisaac.faculty.asu.edu/emc598ge/Unpacking.html

 

[mandymouse]

Hi Everyone

I've edited out a couple of words on this thread. Could we please not turn this thread into words that aren't acceptable or try and get round the filter system with -- or **'s (btw - I hate both words too )

Please just remember that this is a family forum

Btw I haven't issued any warnings or infractions, as I don't want to be heavy handed as this thread has been very interesting , and hasn't got out of hand

Thanks

 

[mark&sue]

Thank you Mandy, you are very right. actually I was also thinking that in the UK there are areas of the country where some groups of people are not used to diversity than others. My DH comes from Scotland and he says when he first came to London he was really surprised by how multi cultural London was.

I checked to see where the OP came from and would have thought this area would be fairly diverse, but am not sure. I would have thought here in our big cities we are well educated regarding different races and cultures and used to many different ethnicities but perhaps some smaller country villages may not and perhaps could still used words that many of us would never consider using.

I noticed earlier on in this thread someone used the word "coloured". I would never use this term and thought it went out in the 70s but perhaps different parts of the county are very different to London.

It is a VERY difficult subject as people are invarably not nice to people who are "different". Some people are bullied because they are "fat" , bald or even wear glassess, you can even get beaten up for wearing the "wrong football scarf", we defintely do not live in a perfect world.

I always believed that when we all mixed up there would be an end to racism one day.......but then we would meet up with people from other planets and the racism would start again!



Susan

 

[Cyrano]

I checked to see where the OP came from and would have thought this area would be fairly diverse, but am not sure. I would have thought here in our big cities we are well educated regarding different races and cultures and used to many different ethnicities but perhaps some smaller country villages may not and perhaps could still used words that many of us would never consider using.

I moved from a city a while ago to what can definitely be described as a rural area. In my younger days I am sure that both places used terms that nowadays could cause offence. In the smaller rural area I know that I am in the majority who find certain statements about people both offensive and racist. The size of the place is no excuse for claiming ignorance of acceptable behaviour

The world has definitely changed. Every class in the troops school has at least 1 non English origin language person.

 

[susieh]

You may be right that different areas use different words now and consider them perfectly acceptable or otherwise.

However, I think what is harder to forget is that those of us of different ages were brought up with rhymes or even with toys that are not allowed any more. When I was a child we saved the labels of the marmalade and jam jars for badges - to me those figures are children's toys - no more than that and I would never ever mean anything nasty by using their name - in fact I have to think twice to realise it has a different connotation these days.

My husband has a set of colouring pencils (drawing is his hobby). The new dark brown one is labelled chocolate but an old dark brown one is labelled using the old term - it was just a description when we were children and never meant more than that to us.

There are several words that were common language when I was growing up that are not 'allowed now' and there are others that were considered unacceptable when I was a child that you hear all the time now - eg bloody, hell, damn, christ, the 'f' word, and several others I would need astrisks to spell. If I had said 'Christ' as a child I would have been punished by my parents but there was never a problem using the n word. I think people need to accept that people use words that are normal to them and to their culture and don't mean any malice by it.

In answer to the comment about where I am from - I grew up in Portsmouth which is a naval city. I had chinese friends (many employed in the laundries on the ships) but I never saw a black or Indian person until I was about 12.

 

[joolz1910]

My parents are in their 70's and they have never uttered the 'n' word in their lives. The word hasn't been considered 'neutral' in their lifetime although it is regarded as more taboo now. I think we, as a society, need to accept that certain words are pejorative and that they have been used maliciously for decades to insult and offend people.

 

[hildasmuriel]

My parents are in their 70's and they have never uttered the 'n' word in their lives. The word hasn't been considered 'neutral' in their lifetime although it is regarded as more taboo now. I think we, as a society, need to accept that certain words are pejorative and that they have been used maliciously for decades to insult and offend people.

That N word was not so widely used in this country, but although I am nowhere near my 70s I can remember mainstream comedy shows using other words (thinking of Love Thy Neighbour - shall we say the N-N word) and the audiences laughed. That word would now be considered vile and racist, but it is only 35 years since it was used regularly on TV. Think of The Comedians - a show where the comics regularly used the N-N word, P word, W word. Times have moved on, thankfully, but I know some elderly people who just can't 'get' that some words are unacceptable now.

 

[Cyrano]

I think people need to accept that people use words that are normal to them and to their culture and don't mean any malice by it.

I think a lot of what has been said is accepted. It has meant a change for the better and because of the past sometimes requires a few moments of thought to re-adjust to todays society.

I don't agree however that people need to accept that no malice is meant. Rather it is time for us all in this age of same sex marriages, multi-cultural society that a few more seconds of thought are required to think could this offend someone.

When I was little coming from Glasgow the biggest terms of reference was whether you were a right footer or a left footer, Billie or a Tim eg Prodestant or Catholic. Nobody meant anything by the comments But they ultimately created conflict and divide. Nowadays there is no tolerance of this bigoted bile

 

[joolz1910]

That N word was not so widely used in this country, but although I am nowhere near my 70s I can remember mainstream comedy shows using other words (thinking of Love Thy Neighbour - shall we say the N-N word) and the audiences laughed. That word would now be considered vile and racist, but it is only 35 years since it was used regularly on TV. Think of The Comedians - a show where the comics regularly used the N-N word, P word, W word. Times have moved on, thankfully, but I know some elderly people who just can't 'get' that some words are unacceptable now.

I agree - the 'N-N' word was considered more 'acceptable' and less offensive than the 'N' word and that is why it was used in Love Thy Neighbour. I also remember those shows ridiculing different nationalities - like Mind Your Language etc. But even they resisted using the 'N' word and that was 30 years ago!

 

[orlandothebeagle]

Hi Everyone

I've edited out a couple of words on this thread. Could we please not turn this thread into words that aren't acceptable or try and get round the filter system with -- or **'s (btw - I hate both words too )

Please just remember that this is a family forum

Btw I haven't issued any warnings or infractions, as I don't want to be heavy handed as this thread has been very interesting , and hasn't got out of hand

Thanks

Could you please moderate the other threads
I agree for such a delicate subject EVERUBODY has said there bit very nicely and without offence.

 

[mandymouse]

Could you please moderate the other threads

Any particular thread ??

 

[waltfan1957]

I don't think it's the same when it's said by someone of the same race. Yes it does confuse things

So you think if someone off the same race uses the word its ok,

but surely if someone uses this in not the context it was taken in then that should be ok,

your right it does confuse things

 

[orlandothebeagle]

Then I will get more points
If I tell
My point was thankyou for making a good job out of moderating these threads so sensibly.

 

[hildasmuriel]

When I was little coming from Glasgow the biggest terms of reference was whether you were a right footer or a left footer, Billie or a Tim eg Prodestant or Catholic. Nobody meant anything by the comments But they ultimately created conflict and divide. Nowadays there is no tolerance of this bigoted bile

You seen a Rangers/Celtic match lately? Even watching on the telly, the old chants can be heard loud and clear.

 

[orlandothebeagle]

When I was little coming from Glasgow the biggest terms of reference was whether you were a right footer or a left footer, Billie or a Tim eg Prodestant or Catholic. Nobody meant anything by the comments But they ultimately created conflict and divide. Nowadays there is no tolerance of this bigoted bile

Not sure it was they words that started the conflict, prob had not even heard of they words when the conflict started but they words DEFINATLY
keep the conflicy alive and kicking!!!
To be honest folks still use left and right without malice but not the other words,Billie or tim. Somebody last week asked me what foot i kicked with and when I looked at him perplexed he said he thought he reconized me from school and wondered if I went to cowdenbeath high(prod school)
No offence meant and none taken.