What about Danielle?

[Scragend]

I find it odd that the press are so out and out going for Jade when I found Danielle's actions to be so much more offensive. Yeah, Jade's got a big mouth and she loves an argument, and she is a bully - but she had the support of Danielle and Jo egging her on. I thought that the two girls laughing along to the argument was REAL bullying - making Jade's actions appear like sport, picking on the underdog. It reminded me of school!!

Danielle saying she should go back home could clearly have been read two ways, but I found Danielle's reaction when BB told her what she'd said very telling - you could see she had meant it in a purely prejudiced way and then couldn't think how to defend herself. Also, the comment about how Shilpa couldn't even speak English properly shows a propensity towards casual racism, which I think is possibly more disturbing than other kinds. Casual racism shows that prejudice is so much part of your make up that you are aware of differences between people above their personalities. Shilpa said herself that there are a lot of different accents in the house, but it's always hers that is picked out. I'm not sure it is racism, per se - but I am sure it is racial and cultural prejudice, mixed with the insecurities of the girls and the psychology of the gang instinct.

Why haven't the media been gunning for Danielle and Jo as much as Jade? Is it because Jade was the noisy one? The quiet, sniggery ones are always more dangerous in my experience!

[alijangra]

I think that whilst Jade is totally unaware that her ignorant remarks could be perceived as racist, Danielle IS aware of it thats why they are happy to let Jade do all the shouting and they sit in the background laughing and egging her on. Danielle apparently said she felt intiimidated by Jade, but I actually see her as being really manipulative.

[redcrx]

i must admit that i havnt watched any of CBB this time but i have seen a lot of stuff in the papers and on tv.
On GMTV this morning it was interesting to see that apparently Dannielles manager gave her a list of do's and donts before she went into the house.
Now it may just be a coincidence but the list inluded a few references to not being bitchy, avoiding making racist comments and the best one was to stick up for anyone who she felt was being bullied.
I wonder if (if the list is true)she actually read any of it.

[Tekla]

"why haven't the media been gunning for Danielle and Jo.."

Because Danielle and Jo look better naked. As a result they are given more slack.

[aurelia]

danielle's comment was racist wheras Jade was bullying. I can't believe that Jo didn't think she had any part in the argument but then I wondered if she was like me and something over the top happens like the way psycho Jade launched her tirade at Shilpa - if Jo was having a nervous giggle. Danielle summed herself up by saying that has made my night.

Shilpa hasn't helped situations and the argument wouldn't have got really going if Shilpa had stuck to her guns and said she wasn't going to dignify it with a response but she was drawn in and took the bait

In the Scottish Daily Mirror today it not only said that Jade's perfume had been axed but that Channel 4 had lost it's 300,000 sponsorship from Carphone Warehouse and that Danielle had lost her 100,00 modelling contract

[reinganum]

There has been much discussion as to whether Jade and Danielle's behaviour towards Shilpa has been racist; well, yes, it was, but racism was not the primary motivation in my view; the comments just happened to be racist because Shilpa is from a different ethnic group.

I agree with many other posters that a large part of this is playground ragging and bullying but at the root of it is the old, and favourite English obsession � class. English people (in fact other parts of Britain also exhibit the same characteristics) are very tribal and are not slow to behave poorly towards others not of their "tribe". You see classic examples of this with football supporters, and at its worst where football team support has sectarian connotations.

The reasons for J and D's poor behaviour is basically tribal (e.g. she talks funny, eats different food, wears different clothes, etc.) In other words�"not one of us, let's get her". This attitude is at the root of much of what we call racism in this country and the best�indeed the only�antidote is education. Not compulsory "diversity training" but education about different cultures (even within one's own country), different food, different music and so on.

J and D must have encountered girls of different races or traditions at school (which cannot have been too long ago) but I suspect that if they did, they did not mix.