pc

[justineo]

can anybody give me an example of political correctness gone mad?

[MargeB]

RexKramerDangerSeeker

[Scarlett]

Oooh careful MargeB- don't use the term "coloureds" or you'll get your ankles bitten!

[acw]

MargeB - after everything you said yesterday about not putting links that are inappropriate for children onto this site!  Honestly!!  You KNOW how much kids copy these sorts of things.  That goes totally against the values you displayed yesterday!

[MargeB]

lol, yep. Small difference between a bit of Woody Allen and 'Farm Fun'.

I bought some eggs from my local 'Spar' today. They're called 'Farm Lay'.

[MargeB]

I get what you're saying about 'coloureds' Scarlett. It flowed off my fingers as the natural plural for the politically correct 'coloured', then I thought no, then I thought, what the heck, let's work out why coloured is ok and coloureds is not...pure usage history?

[acw]

Coloured ISN'T ok!!!  The problem is that I don't now know what IS!  Non-white just sounds rather patronising to me - like white people think they're somehow superior.  Like U and non-U (whatever that was all about).  I don't see why we shouldn't describe people as being black, Asian, or Far East Asian in colouring/ethnicity.  I mean, calling someone Afro-Caribbean when their family has lived in the UK for 4 generations seems stupid!  Moreover, people don't have to guess where in the world white people are from.  If we can be called "white", and not "pale skinned" or "non-black", why should "black" be banned?

Racism is about more than the words we use.  It's the feelings and prejudices behind them. 

[acw]

PS - After the happy slapping, I thought it was clear that people can't work out the difference between a TV comedy sketch, and real life.  And how things are possibly funny in one, but not in the other.  Ditto with the Tango ads and burst ear drums. 

[WaldoMcFroog]

Agree that the stories about changing the names of blackboards/ man holes/ etc are not true. As someone said, it was a tabloid newspaper having a pop.

MargeB said "I can't say 'n*gg*er' (nor would I really want to), but coloureds can say it all the time to refer to each other." 

There are an awful lot of black people who abhor this practice and are completely against it too it's not a... er... black and white issue... ;-) Interesting was the reaction of Spike Lee to Quentin Tarrantino's use of the word. Lee claimed it was offensive for a white man to use the term, Tarrantino said he used it in the way that some black people used it, and Samuel L Jackson appeared in his films and said the lines quite happily.

As for the story of the dentist, whilst there may be exceptions, the legislation gave companies several years to make the necessary changes but a great many companies ignored it until the last moment. In Crouch End I have heard that they were planning on closing the library rather than make the necessary changes. Now that is stupid. Like the Muslims and the hospital bibles, I doubt you find any disabled person to support that notion!

[Englishbird]

Just to through another one into the pot - what about the 'Cape Coloureds' they are a race born from africans and asians, same in Zanzibar - they are widely known as coloured and would describe themselves as that?

I know it's not an answer to the original question (sorry justineo) but i think it all goes to prove that words really aren't important - attitudes are.  Different generations have different words for things, and whilst i do cringe when my 81 year old granny says 'Darkies' she does it with no malice and isn't being racist.

As long as you try to have as much love in your heart towards every human being you meet, entirely regardless of their situation, use whatever damn words you like  xx

[spinchimp]

Scarlett - my point is that these stories about not being able to use the word 'black' are simply not true. No one can ever give hard evidence to show any public body has tried to impose such a ban - other than dubious tabloid stories or something that a friend told them. If you want advice on these issues try talking to your local authority race advisor or the local Race Equality Council.

As to  'coloured' or 'coloureds' - neither are considered appropriate terms to describe people who are black or asian (or chinese, japanes etc etc.). It is black people and black organisations who have made this clear and I think, given the appalling racism there has been, and still is, in this country, we should listen to what they have to say on this issue, and have the decency, courtesy and respect to try to understand the issue, and act accordingly.

[spinchimp]

And yes - this is my alter ego.

[Scarlett]

Okay Spinchimp- just TELL US what we are supposed to use!!!