B.A.Ware

The reason I ask this question is racism to me means you think people of a certain race are below you or that you are better than them.
But today it means just about any thing. If a black and a white person get into a fight and the white person in anger says you b****b**** it becomes a racially aggravated crime which is not true its just two idiots that want to have a fight.

It is just terminology, if someone has a fight with a fat person and say’s you fat b***** are you fatist no the trouble with people today every body is looking for an excuse.

I used to drink in a pub with a large Aston Villa base, now when Dwight York played for the Villa he was a hero, when he moved to Manchester United he was; by the very same people, a black B***** now are they racist, I don’t think, they may be complete prats and have no respect for peoples feelings but do they really hate black people I don’t think so. In the 70s Football grounds were the breeding grounds for the NF look at how many people attend football games now surely if these people were racist they would not go. I think one of the reasons so many people voted for the BNP is not because they are racist its because they are cheesed off with today’s politicians

White knight

Also way is alright for a black persons to call each other Niger but not white people,not that i would! it seems they have the right because their black,Rules for one but not for the other only add to separation as britians instead of intergration.
Why is Niger treated as racial abuse is not an abbreviation for Nigerian? if someone called me brit in an racist way i reply yes i am and proud of the fact.
I heared on the radio about separating black kids that are failing at lessons and having special tuition are you telling me there isn't white kids failing if so why treat them differently.I also heared the words of martin L-king i believe in his dream that mentions white children and black children holding hands becoming one human race.PC just seems to hightlights all our differences and acts to seperate us,In africa it was called something else and had men like Nelson Mandela to fight it.

Sarumano

The word is ****** with two g's. (Which, oddly, I believe derives from latin niger with one g!)

We start getting ridiculous when they show Dam Busters and cut out all references to Guy Gisborne's black dog ******...whose name was used as the code phrase for "Dam blown up".

My Grandfather worked in West Africa (on what is now called SigInt) with a Negro troop, he said he never came across racial prejudice so bad as there. Between the negroes!! Negro soldiers would throw a mutiny at the drop of a hat "I not work with that b***k b*****d".
For all that, he said they were bloody good soldiers. He was appalled later after the war to find that the trained interceptors he sent out were used solely as HQ messengers.

C_steam

This, IMHO, is a simple issue - or it would be if political correctness didn't get in the way.

First of all, the term 'racist' should, in it's purest sense, be used for those people who discriminate against an individual because of their colour. Name calling is NOT racist - but see below. However, now that discrimination is now outlawed in all its form (sex, age, religion, race, height, disability etc) there is no need for a separate term - we can term all acts where an individual is treated unfavourably in comparision to a control group as 'discriminatory'. So we can forget the word 'racist' - no longer required.

Regarding name calling - that is just verbal bullying, calling someone a '*******' or a woman a 'c***' may cause as much offence as calling a black person a '******'. Hence, if a member of any group or even any individual is called a term which they find derogatory then lets call it verbal assault and deal with it through the law.

Taking this approach - two defined crimes of 'discriminatory behaviour' and 'verbal assault' gets rid of all the sub terms such as racist, sexist etc etc.

To have individual terms for various groups is, in itself, discriminatory.

Intbel

So ... we only have one charge "Verbal abuse" to replace all verbal abuse by the use of gender, race, religion, size - or any term which may differentiate one persoin from another.

Is this the continution of Newspeak.political correct language?

Witness: I swear to tell the truth .. etctera ..
Brief: You say you were attacked, would you please describe the person who attacked you?
Witness: Well, he was ...
Brief: I'm asking you to describe the person, not your perception of the person's gender.
Witnes: Oh, right. Well, the person was tall and ..
Brief: You must desist. This discriminatory language will not be tolerated.
Witness: Very well. The person was about six feet in height and ..
Judge: The witnes knows very wll that the use of imperial measurement is not permitted. I advise the witness to choose the witness's words more carefully.
Witness: This person was about two metres in height. The person was ... look, I can't do this. Here is a photigraph I took at the time, you describe the person.
Brief: Thank you. Cor! He is an ugly fat ******* isn't he? ....

Intbel

__________________
We are all free to choose - every step of the way - no exceptions.

Robert Edwards

On the subject of racism, there is such a thing as common sense and a regard for the feelings of others.
Alcohol often fuels intemperate language ... so people who can not take their drink could be in trouble.
In this day and age of political correctness, we need to use a different vocabulary.
The word "******" is offensive and is used offensively. No way is it some quaint slang that is used to endear oneself.
I have an old copy of Enid Blyton's "The Three Golliwogs" in one of my bookcases. It is delightfully illustrated. Locked in the bookcase, it poses no threat. I also have two long-playing records in their sleeves entitled, "The George Michell Minstrels from the Black and White Minstrel Show". If I displayed the record sleeves in my front window I could be arrested.
Therefore, we apply a bit of decorum.

Intbel

__________________
We are all free to choose - every step of the way - no exceptions.

Robert Edwards

In an ideal world we would all be able to say what we like, whether we offend people or not. Years ago they would say, "Sticks and stones ...etc".
Now we have Big Brother in the form of the politically correct brigade, pervading every aspect of our lives.
I told you of my Enid Blyton book and records to illustrate this intimidating climate. You may be magnanimous enough to grant me certain liberties but not so the state,
Twenty-odd years ago I went to prison for drawing cartoon strips regarded as "inciting racial hatred". Twelve months, the judge said. They were published in a comic and distributed.
There was no evidence that they actually caused anyone to be harmed.
Nevertheless, today I must be careful not to go too far. There are groups of people just waiting for the opportunity to claim they have been offended ... and the police are obliged to act on that complaint.
Your freedom is under threat!

Hartlepool

You're correct Bob,our freedom is under threat,from the EU.