Racism.....?

Question

Do you think its ok for people with differant skin colour to be using slan words to indentify people whose skin is a differant colour (like cracker/niger like that) when its used for description like red heads,blond jokes things with brunettes or should they totally avoid anything to do with skin color full stop,because its a bit of a touchy subject.

Answer 1

If a comment you hear is offensive to you then you should have the right to go up to someone and say, "I 'm sorry but I do not like the terminology you are using please could you change it." The other person should then apologise and change the terminology. However, life will never be that simple!
No, people, whatever their Creed or colour, should not use offensive language. However what you call offensive and what I call offensive is probably somewhat different. This is why political correctness has gone mad, because the few have said 'No', so must we. I don't think so!

Answer 2

At the risk of sounding trite, may I quote from 'Life of Brian': " We are all individuals........" Using colour/age/sex/personal characteristics as a means of defaming someone is almost inevitable; we always 'fear' what we don't understand. And what we fear, we 'fight' against - to make ourselves feel more secure. Sometimes it is possible to offend without realising the offence! There is, of course, deliberate offence and this needs to be put into perspective. Is the offence given from a position of moral strength or moral weakness? Is it given to provoke a reaction or to make the 'giver' feel more secure in their own perceived inadequacies?
For me, the biggest problem is trying to legislate on this problem. Unless the law is even-handed and is equally dispensed then the problem becomes worse. What, for example, was the BNP share of the vote before The Race Relations Bill? Has law polarised/hardened/entrenched viewpoints? I understand what is trying to be done but is it the right solution? I don't pretend to know the answer, I just pose the question. Understanding cannot be legislated for (or against), it requires an open attitude to differences as just that, different! Different does not mean wrong or bad.
Wow. Sorry about that. Keyboard seemed to run away with me. I ducked Philosophy at U. in place of Russian. Must be getting old.

Answer 3

I tihink it depends on how offended the people you are talking about are likely to be about it.

I'm Scottish, and in London I've been referred to as "Smelly Sock" (rhyming slang for Jock). It's a bit irritating but I can cope with that.

I'm also blond, so I get all the blond jokes too. Again, I'm not bothered.

Gets a bit trickier when you think about using terms that are really offensive to the people you're talking to or about.

Some of my Muslim friends call each other Pakis. Some of my gay friends call each other poofs.

But I think they would be offended if someone else used them as a term of abuse, and I think that sort of thing is better avoided.

I think we should all just try to be kind and polite to each other and avoid using terms that might cause offence.

Answer 4

I like to say dark skinned or light skinned or red head or blond hair. But we are not these bodies though we have to sometimes give a description of the way someone looks. If we feel racist by saying a color or Religion of someone that is some type of discrimination on our part. OR maybe fear of being discriminating. We are not these bodies, races,nationalities, jobs, or even religions, we are all spirit souls. If we identify with our body then we are on the bodily platform. If we want to be happy we have to see everyone as spirit soul part and parcel of the Supreme Soul which we call God or Krishna, Allah, Jehovah,Vishnu, Isha etc.) for universal truths go to http://www.stephen-knapp.com

Answer 5

I think if people weren't looking for something stupid to sue over than none of this would have been so much of a touchy subject.....If a person of black origin can call a fellow black man Niger/N****r, than why can't a man of white origin, it wouldn't mean anything different, surely it would just be the white man trying to fit in with the black society....Is that not a good thing.

Answer 6

Never seen the difference between people who insult other people with a different skin colour, or a different hair colour. It's different I suppose when it's someone of the same skin/hair colour. Although that then opens the question, is it ok for a fat person to call another fat person by a weight related name ??

Answer 7

No because it is part of the labels and stereotypes than identify people of different 'race 'than leads to the marginalization of certain ethnic groups (notably the ones with colored skin ) . Race itself is a discriminating oppressive word as it implys low status and at one time intelligence differences . Why cant people refer to people as people rather than the colour of there skin After all we are all human .

Answer 8

I think it is just rude. It's like calling an overweight person a "lardarse" or a person with a mental handicap a "dimwit". If you want to make a point of describing a person in terms of their skin tone rather then at least use a reasonable descriptor like Caucasian or Afro-Caribbean.

Answer 9

the words craker and ****** - are AMERICAN, however there is a white rock/rapper called uncle Kracker. To be honest I dotn know why everyone isnt open season - seriosuly a lot of people think nothing of calling people fat cun ts/ bast ards/ etcand being really nasty, so why is it alright to call someone whi has w weight problems/eating disorderor someone who dresses cheaply or tartily - but to call someone because of the way they look - the truth is it is wrong to call someone names based on their appearance - but its less socially acceptable to call someone coon/******/white trash/kracker/kike/mick/pomme/ paki etc, aslo there is a double standard about some coloured poepel call each other ***** and paki - go fathom. Its all wrong, as for skin colour,someones colour of skin does not always reflect their true heritage.Ive seen blonde haired blue eyed children - to dark mothers.

Answer 10

Avoid slang words all together and avoid colour reference it's OK to refer to someone as black or coloured in England but is not socially acceptable in America for instance.The best bet is to use their nationality as a description then no offence would be taken,unless you get the country wrong.