Sen. Barack Obama - US first black president? (1 Viewer)

[Rich]

A good friend had a similar remark made to him (albeit in a less tongue-in-cheek manner than your remark) by a gang outside a club in Swansea. We'd just come out and were walking to my car when one of this group - emboldened by booze and superior numbers - shouted out to ask why my friend didn't go back where he came from?

But that isn't what I said

 

[Alc]

But that isn't what I said

Then I apologize if I misunderstood. By

My advice to those in my country who find it offensive is for them to exercise their democratic right to return home

I thought you meant that those who were in your country and found the remark (i.e. Chinky) offensive should return home. He was in your country (as was I). We both found it offensive, so we both fell into the category of those people who should 'return home'.

 

[Rich]

Then I apologize if I misunderstood. By

I thought you meant that those who were in your country and found the remark (i.e. Chinky) offensive should return home. He was in your country (as was I). We both found it offensive, so we both fell into the category of those people who should 'return home'.

In your quote the term was aimed at a person or persons, I have made it quite clear that mine was aimed at an establishment

 

[Alc]

In your quote the term was aimed at a person or persons, I have made it quite clear that mine was aimed at an establishment

You've made it quite clear that you feel saying the word in a particular context is acceptable, regardless of who might think otherwise. If someone had grown up calling a chair a nigger, would that make it okay for them to carry on using the word once they found out that it is more generally perceived as a racial slur?

 

[Rich]

The word nigger has racial overtones from America that everyone knows about, though I must say I find having to refer to women as chairs more offensive

 

[Alc]

The word nigger has racial overtones from America that everyone knows about, though I must say I find having to refer to women as chairs more offensive

Are you honestly saying that you were totally unaware of any 'racial overtones' to the word Chinky until they were pointed out in this forum?

 

[Rich]

Are you honestly saying that you were totally unaware of any 'racial overtones' to the word Chinky until they were pointed out in this forum?

Only when used to refer to a person or people

 

[Rich]

who said you weren't allowed to use "black" ?

it certainly wasn't my point

Is ba ba black sheep still on schools' book shelves?

 

[Alc]

Only when used to refer to a person or people

Surely, this is also true of the word 'nigger'? You said that you wouldn't use that word because it

has racial overtones......that everyone knows about

If you know that Chinky also has racial overtones, why use it in any context?

 

[Rich]

Ther are no takeaway buildings that I know of called nigger

 

[GaryPanic]

Rich,

I did try and point this out - and I can understand you are making a difference betwen restaurt/take away and people -- but it doesn't work that way .

if I say the word Nigger - straight away everyone stops - and they get ready to lynch me for saying it - (rightly so in my opion)- its a word that has such overtones to it that it should be deleted and removed from use totally and completely . i would put it on par with what the Nazi did to the jews - ok maybe not the same amount of people in the same time - but over the xxx years that slavery has been used and the way us whities treated the black people i think should be classified on the same level - that does not mean i am responsible for what happen - just saying that this word Nigger - has the same repulsion for me as what the Nazi did to the Jews- OK i might be pushing it a bit .

chinky- again we are inadvertantly belittling people -
now I must admit that there is an unbalance in this arguement - we call Scots - Jock , the Welsh - Taffy - Irish- Paddy but these are infact regional.
and not racial - small differnece i know - but you can (and do get ) Scottish chineses and while they will accept jock.. i don't think that calling them chinky is a good way of keeping your teeth nor would they accept any bastardisation of both Jock-chinky --or chincky /jock ..

Now i don't take you out to be racist (anti american perhaps--lol) - but your view is slightly out of sink with peoples feelings - just by you not meaning any racial slur does not mean that they have not taken one..

if you socal/work group find this word acceptable - then to be honest this would not be a group i would want to be a peer group to my children -

i would like my child to look at people not by their colur or enthic background - but by the way they treat others and there view of life in general ..

sure i am not squeaky clean - coming from a town that has almost no enthic makeup -(Well very little when I was growning up) - and i found it hard at school when I came accross my first Black person - bless her she was very grown up for her years the only black girl in a school of 600 + she took a bit of stick - now when we meet 25 years later both of us are very relaxed in each others company - and this taught me a lesson - treat others as you wish to be treated with respect - calling people names can and does hurt

Now I look upon people and treat everyone with the same degree of attention - i am just as likely to sit on a train next to a black/chinese/jewish/white person without any real care - might not sit next to a tramp ..

 

[Alc]

Ther are no takeaway buildings that I know of called nigger

Okay, to recap, you said

The word nigger has racial overtones from America that everyone knows about

You gave this as your reason for not using the word.
The other word (I'm sick of typing it) also has racial overtones that everyone knows about, but you're in the habit of using it anyway.
By your rationale, if someone opened a takeaway place and named after the n-word, it would be okay to use that word. Is that correct?
If so, why?
If not, what's the difference between that and the other word?

 

[GaryPanic]

any word that has any racial or social overtones that could be insulting should not be used

Paki -ok its a shortern version of Pakistainee - but it has a bitter taste
N.. its just wrong
Daygo(?) - Spick these are all belittling people - these cannot be used in a positve manner - he's a good spick , while its a positive the negative use of the word doesn't work - it becomes an insult

While i can get away with daft Jock , daft scouser -again regional - i cannot with daft n... - it doesn't work I would end up the wrong end of someones fist , and If i heard it theres a good chance that someone would end up getting a slap from me..
even in jokes care has to be taken - now that does not mean that you cannot take the mickey out of someones enthinc background - but you have to be careful how you do it ..
Billy connnolly does it well - Jim Davidson has to be careful but can get away with it - generaly..

 

[Rich]

You're all missing the point, I don't aim the term Chinky at anyone

 

[ColinEssex]

We didn't get our chinky last week - maybe this week, anyone got any recommendations as their favourite dish?

Col

 

[GaryPanic]

You're all missing the point, I don't aim the term Chinky at anyone

No you missed it - its the use of the term. irrespective of it being used either for a meal or a person .

I understand you mean food - but still ....

 

[ColinEssex]

No you missed it - its the use of the term. irrespective of it being used either for a meal or a person .

I understand you mean food - but still ....

I see no problem with using it, we still use the word 'darkie' as normal, and 'craut', 'yank', 'frogs' etc.

Shall I post some of the jokes popular when I was at school? I suspect they would be 'not pc' these days. (still funny though)

Col

 

[Brianwarnock]

Been away for a few days and wow how the posts have piled in.

There was a Black American comedian on Have I Got News For You last week who said that nigger was not offensive in all circumstances, it depended on its use and intent.

I was astonished but seem to remember one of our black comedians saying that they use the word in humour amongst themselves.

I have heard the word chinky used to mean a meal in Liverpool, but not often, but then I've only met a small percentage of Liverpool's inhabitents so don't know if its common or not.

BTW Chinese food here isn,t a bit like the chinese food I had in China, ditto Japanese/Japan.

Brian

 

[GaryPanic]

Been away for a few days and wow how the posts have piled in.

There was a Black American comedian on Have I Got News For You last week who said that nigger was not offensive in all circumstances, it depended on its use and intent.

I was astonished but seem to remember one of our black comedians saying that they use the word in humour amongst themselves.

I have heard the word chinky used to mean a meal in Liverpool, but not often, but then I've only met a small percentage of Liverpool's inhabitents so don't know if its common or not.

BTW Chinese food here isn,t a bit like the chinese food I had in China, ditto Japanese/Japan.

Brian

saw the programme with Micheal Parkinson - and yes it was funny - but they had to be careful how it was used -

 

[Rich]

No you missed it - its the use of the term. irrespective of it being used either for a meal or a person .

I understand you mean food - but still ....

No it's the interpretation put on a word by others, racism exists in the heart not in the mouth