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Is the phrase, "pay peanuts, get monkeys" racist
andersonsonson
Posts: 6,454 Forum Member
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I don't think it is but I'm about to email a company with a complaint and include this phrase, but don't want to get into trouble
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Why should it be perceived as racist ?
I'm presuming you thought monkeys could be considered as a reference to black people?
Free the wasps!
That's a racist thought!! The thought police are coming for you OP!
You paid peanuts, I presume, so who are you mocking?
Poor old monkeys!
*scratches armpit*
Well carry on until they do!
Also known as Guardian readers.
No , monkeys like nuts (especially the peanut shell) and that's where the saying comes from. The only time monkey is racist is when some idiot deliberately uses it to insult black people.
Though there was this on a question and answer site and some lunatic wrote this
5 years ago
The word monkey, a very hateful word used by extremely racist people.
And whilst so many people are busy seeing racism , religious hatred etc in every word spoken , many real racists go along unnoticed as they don't use the typically racist words, you can be nasty and racist using what could seem like normal polite words, often its in the delivery and how they are meant.
I don't get why racists would call black people 'monkeys'. when they obviously don't look like them..... is it colour.... there are different species of monkeys that come in different colours and not just black or dark brown.
No ... but it might be seen as racist to think it was racist! ;-)
Mind how you go.
But someone may be offended as they have a peanut allergy. So best go with:
"Pay the P word; get the M word".
At least it will keep them busy trying to work out what, the H word, you are on about.
Of course, if you're e-mailing to complain about the staff at that particular company, it could be considered offensive if you refer to them as "monkeys" ... regardless of their race, sex, creed or colour! ;-)
Sorry I'm not a master in letter writing