play that funky music white boy allowed or not??

[olly8080]

My local radio station plays this song every day.

whilst i am not racist it does offend me having to listen to this because if the word white was replaced with black it wouldnt get air time.Double standards dont work and never have so why do we as a country put up with it,i could list 100,s of other examples of this but i wouldnt want to upset our ethnic friends

[WaldoMcFroog]

Loosehead - well now you're talking - there's a *genuine* example of a lyric that is indeed considered deeply controvertial.

Personally, I would say it was acceptable because the word is used in a reportage sense. Costello is talking about how he feels Catholic youngsters were treated by British troops (the titular Oliver's Army) and he is clearly indicating that the term 'white n*****' is dispicable and certainly isn't advocating its use.

Having said that, I can understand why others don't like the use of the N word in any context.

[Ellegirly 74]

Always seems that 'racism' ignites huge debates. On here, on TV, on the radio, everywhere.
I am white, I am British and that's that. If a person of another origin or colour wanted to exploit that in any way, I wouldn't rise to it because I am comfortable with what I am. I'd think to myself 'Do you know what, if that's what you think, have your opinions but you don't know me as a PERSON'. I wouldn't always get defensive and go off on a major one about it.

[littleoldme]

Don't some people get all hot under the collar over some bizarre things? The song makes it quite clear that these are words said to the singer in the band, who was white (and barring death or tanning bed overdose, presumably still is).

Oh and shame on you Waldo. Fancy letting a little thing like truth get in the way of a chance to get the Tunbridge Wells Indignant Tories Society (TWITS for short) rattling their sabres, twirling their handlebar moustaches and spluttering into their port and lemons. You'll never make a Daily Mail "journalist" that way, you know. ;-)

[WaldoMcFroog]

I won't?

Phew!

[joko]

well said waldo.

it is sad that so many jump in, knees jerking away at some imagined slight, who clearly don't have a clue what it is they are getting upset about.

perhaps this is yet another thing that schools should be teaching people

its not good enough to just say ''stop that, it's bad'' to people - it must be explained in context and understanding to truly learn

[olly8080]

i know exactly what im getting upset about .

if none british or none whites want equality its time thier so called parlimentry voices stopped banning anything that slighty suggests all British people are racist ie using the word black to describe something that is black . An example is my mate just got warned for racist comments because he asked for a black coffee at a referees meeting .He now has toask for coffee without milk . Its pathetic

[littleoldme]

Pathetic that your mate got told off for asking for black coffee? Yes it is. I absolutely agree. But doesn't getting offended by a harmless song lyric make you just as bad, or have two wrongs suddenly started making a right?

One further question - this person who implied your friend was using racist language...what colour skin did he/she have?

[olly8080]

white

[olly8080]

im not actually offended by the song but feel i should be ......................

[littleoldme]

I thought as much...