Racist slurs

basically all i,m trying to do is point out that there seems to be a very bad case of double standards as far as racism goes.

SV-Robo, I agree with Lozzo on the practicing culture thing i'm afraid. We practice our culture all over the world.

There is a major double-standard though. My ex, Viranthi, was Sri Lankan and I lived for 6 years in an dominantly Asian community, mostly Indian and Sri Lankan.

The amount of abuse I recieved from Asians because I was white and the amount of shunning Viranthi received from the community at large because she was engaged to a white guy was frankly, worse than any racisim I've ever experienced being directed in the opposite direction. But when does this ever make headlines?

The Indians and Pakistani's in that community hated each other with a passion!

I wouldn't go as far as to say this caused the breakdown of the relationship, but it certainly made getting married difficult and added a pressure which did not help matters.

A thought which further supports my agrument above. For myself and my in-laws who, after a year or two "eventually" accepted me completely, colour of skin became invisible, you just stop seeing it and you only see the person behind it. It's like living in a new city, after a year or two you stop hearing the accent. Therefore any abuse hurled between us on the odd family argument had nothing to do with racism, regardless of what words were used.

Welcome to the Org.

Where seemingly innocent posts with a funny, sarcastic undertone turn into a ten page discussion where it is over analysed and people get acussed of racial hatred and asked to reveal their political motivations!

[Biker Biggles]

Thats what makes it a great forum innit?

I live in Spain,here I am considered a foreigner,(quite rightly) and can on occasion be called "guirri" which is slang for a foreigner.Do I get upset or charge off to the authorities? err,no.

[Biker Biggles]

Yes but you are a Northern Monkey really.Now does that translate into Spanish as "Gringo"?
You got that 1098 yet?

[northwind]

Originally Posted by Pedrosa

I live in Spain,here I am considered a foreigner,(quite rightly) and can on occasion be called "guirri" which is slang for a foreigner.Do I get upset or charge off to the authorities? err,no.

That's a statement of fact though... Whereas "monkey" frinstance in this context is saying "You, as a black/asian/arab person are less evolved than I am and inferior". You don't see a difference?

[yorkie_chris]

But many times in this context a statement of fact is considered a racist comment.
But that's todays society, the truth hurts, so ban it!

It seems pretty simple to me.
If someone calls a person something that is not their name, and that person finds what they have been called racist, they have the right to feel offended.

There is no room for maneuver.

Its up to the person addressing the other person to come up with a way to address that person that cannot be considered racist.

If it is meant in good spirit, or jokingly, then this should be clear. But, even when it is meant jokingly it can still be degrading. I know an Indian guy that wont be with a certain groups because they are called Apu.
I was there when they were all doing this, and it seemed like my friend didn't mind at all (even though I felt uneasy). It was only later, when he would not come out when that group was present did I find out that this made him very uncomfortable, but since he is a tough NYC sort of guy, he just laughs it off at the time.

So, basically, its not acceptable in almost all cases. Its aggressive, its patronising and its deeply deeply not original or funny.

I am surprised, or maybe not really, at some of people's attitudes on this thread.
It is not, it is absolutely not the same being called Gringo when you are in South America (or jibes at that sort of level), or being called Paddy when you are in a bar with a load of other Irish people, as being called "Paddy" by some very unpleasant and large skinheads when you are alone in some housing estate in Brighton.

That people dont understand that difference frankly seems not believable to me.

Originally Posted by philipMac

It seems pretty simple to me.
If someone calls a person something that is not their name, and that person finds what they have been called racist, they have the right to feel offended.

There is no room for maneuver.

Its up to the person addressing the other person to come up with a way to address that person that cannot be considered racist.

If it is meant in good spirit, or jokingly, then this should be clear. But, even when it is meant jokingly it can still be degrading.

Very simple really, just think before you speak, especially if you don't know the people you talking to very well. Folks are old enough to know what is and isn't offensive these days and if there's even a tiny niggling doubt that what you are about to say could be taken the wrong way then just don't say it! And if you make the mistake of thinking what you are going to say will not be deemed offensive and it is then not much you can do but take the rap/accept that person's reaction and apologise. The chances are people have thought before saying and that's where the problem lies.

I've never understood malicious name calling, racist or otherwise. It happens to everyone, at all ages and it's not pleasant. So why do people persist in doing it?

Just one more thing... to all the people who are in the "well, it doesn't really offend me, so I cant really see what the problem is, its just people being sensitive":
wrong.

No one cares if it is offensive to you. You are not the person on the receiving end of the remarks.

In fact, say someone called an Indian friend of mine Paki or something, and even if they didnt mind being called Paki, it is still not OK.

I mind.
I do not want to hear someone calling them Paki. And I absolutely have the right to be offended, and to tell them.
Because it is all part of the same thing. It is all part of a gang of skinheads cornering an Irish kid and spitting names at him. It is all connected.

How is it funny? How is it anything other than a brain dead, Im-too-thick-to-say-something-actually-funny insult?
The sort of people that think racism jokes are funny are the sort of people that think candid camera shots of people tripping over and smacking their head off a shelf is the height of comedy.