Is it racist to call someone a Jungle Bunny?

[10ClarionSt]

In Barnstaple, a member of staff at the local hospital said someone looked like a jungle bunny because they had a sun tan after being on holiday. Someone else heard it and reported it. The police were called and the member of staff was taken away for questioning with regard to racism. Can you believe that? Have the police, and others, got nothing better to do than investigate a common expression? What would they say to someone in this situation when questioning them anyway?

[missrandom]

yes i would deff class jungle bunny as racist. dont think the police needed to be called though, they could have just been given an official warning from the bosses

[reachesme]

Rabbits live in the jungle, so unless they moan about it, i don't see why? The police, ha ha ha.

[missrandom]

its a derogitory term for a black person, and actually i dont think ive ever heard of rabbits living in the jungle, but that just goes to show the ignorance of the people who make those kind of comments

[dot.hawkes]

I am deffo going to keep my battered but much loved golliwog firmly on the end of my bed, won't be parting with him no matter what, i have had him since i was 3. The SAS can come and raid the house but I won't be giving him up, I may resort to hiding him in the cellar for his own protection.

(see wardy's thread on irony further down)

[Arnold_Corns]

Unless the law has changed very recently, is it possible to inform me what, preytell, the person was arrested for?

In private there is certainly no offence. In public it is only an offence if it is intended to stir up racial hatred.

Other public order offences (which confusingly do not all have to be in public) would have to instigate a degree of violence for them to be deemed an offence.

[laurence2]

To someones face. yes

Someone overhearing and reporting it. Questionable i believe, as you have not personally insulted that person

Who remembers ''LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR'' where words like ''white honkey'' and ''sambo'' were used?

PC Brigade anyone.

[THECORBYLOON]

There are many common expressions I might use to describe you but you would object to them. You appear to find it acceptable to use a phrase that has been offensive for decades. Incredible!

[dot.hawkes]

as another of the ignorant people on here, can i just further compund my ignorance by asking why the jungle bunnies of Nadukani, Kulamavu, Idukki, and Kerala in India are being dismissed? they are quite a rare species you know. Tut

[vehelpfulguy]

I saw on old Only Fools and Horses on TV a few months ago and graddad said he was just going down the **** shop.

(if that does not display it is p a k 1 )

How times have changed, we are so sensitive now.

[dot.hawkes]

I am not sensitive at all, you can call me a slimy racist and ignorant on here and even a Yorkshire numpty or a lancashire loon, i will not ring the polis, honest injun.

[Doc Spock]

I always call them p@ki shops cos they are run by Pakistanis. What the heck is wrong with that.
I also go to local ****** chippy.

[Doc Spock]

that word was ch1nky

[dot.hawkes]

We used to call the local acropolis chippy the Greek, mmmm well, it was. The woman in charge loved Joan Baez too, plagued me to death for new albums from her, drove me bananas.

[Arnold_Corns]

Spocky, as British as I am and the fact I simply adore fish 'n' chips, one has to admit that our yellow cousins do infact do a blinding regular cod and chips.

[THECORBYLOON]

You know for a fact the shops are run by Pakistanis do you or are they just Asian? If they do come fae Pakistan they are Pakistanis so why not use the corect word rather than the one which you must know is offensive.

[THECORBYLOON]

You object to what I say already and I use moderate language. As for living in the real world, I do, not the world of the 50s, 60s and 70s when the words you like to use were accepable.

[Whickerman]

Yes, that expression is seen as offensive, and is parodied in the lyrics of a song from Hair. See attached link - I could reproduce the words here but very few would get past the auto censor! Bear in mind it's sung by a black man, and he's seen as a powerful characther in the production
http://www.lyrics007.com/Hair%20Soundtrack%20L yrics/Colored%20Spade%20Lyrics.html

As for the question - why were the police called? Surely, as abhorent as a phrase can be, that falls under free speech?

[dot.hawkes]

We say we are going to the co-op, not very worldly wise here, though there is an Indian on our side of the road, next to the Italian. we have three Chinese in the village and a Spar. Actually that is an exaggeration, two Chinese and a bloke from bratford pretending he can cook Chinese. there is a tappas bar out on the main road though. The chippy is run by a local bloke, but he has a polish woman working for him. Actually it is abit like Epcot here isn't it?