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Making fun of the way people speak .. racism?

Uncle_PhilUncle_Phil Posts: 490
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in General Discussion #1
Why is it considered racist to make fun of the way people talk, only if they aren't white?

For example if I make fun of an Australian accent accent no one blinks an eye, but if I mock a Chinese accent? I'm a racist!


Thoughts?
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Comments

  • NX-74205NX-74205 Posts: 4,691
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    #2
    Uncle_Phil wrote: »
    For example if I make fun of an Australian accent accent no one blinks an eye, but if I mock a Chinese accent? I'm a racist!

    Wouldn't that be lacist?
  • Pumping IronPumping Iron Posts: 29,891
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    #3
    I am Chinese heritage. I wouldn't find you racist if you made fun of a Chinese accent, I do it all the time myself.
  • Pumping IronPumping Iron Posts: 29,891
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    #4
    NX-74205 wrote: »
    Wouldn't that be lacist?

    Brilliant :D
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 410
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    #5
    Or maybe we just worry it will be considered racist, due to over the top political correctness.
  • Pumping IronPumping Iron Posts: 29,891
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    #6
    VM123 wrote: »
    Or maybe we just worry it will be considered racist, due to over the top political correctness.

    Agreed.

    Like anything it's all about the intent behind what's being said.
  • Fish_and_ChipsFish_and_Chips Posts: 1,333
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    #7
    I wonder if South Park would get made & shown if it was British?
  • flowerpowaflowerpowa Posts: 24,386
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    #8
    You must admit some accents are funny and make me laugh, there is no malice intended.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 9,720
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    #9
    NX-74205 wrote: »
    Wouldn't that be lacist?

    Racist.
  • WolfsheadishWolfsheadish Posts: 10,400
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    #10
    I get it quite a bit when I'm here in Canada. I'm not usually offended, but sometimes it's just so insulting that I can't help but take it badly. Most people do it in a sort of affectionate way and mean no disrespect but I recently had a taxi driver that was particularly rude about the way I speak and I pointed out that he wouldn't do it to a person of another race so why do it to me? I had to give him directions and he repeated everything I said in a stupid way. I also pointed out that HE has an accent too (which of course he vehemently denied)!
  • RichmondBlueRichmondBlue Posts: 21,279
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    #11
    It would put a lot of impressionists out of a job. I don't think many people mind it as long as it isn't done maliciously.
  • Wee TinkersWee Tinkers Posts: 12,782
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    #12
    Hmm, see what you mean. In my day it was just plain old mockery. Harmless and mildly amusing.

    When I try to do a Welsh accent it morphs into Indian, at which point it becomes offensive. Well, if I lived elsewhere it might. Not here. Anything that might be deemed casually racist is perfectly acceptable around here. Rural N. Irish hamlets have their pro and con points...
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 5,692
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    #13
    NX-74205 wrote: »
    Wouldn't that be lacist?

    Reported and blocked! :) you disgusting racist bigoted racist bigot!!11!!!!!1 >:(
  • juliancarswelljuliancarswell Posts: 8,896
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    #14
    Uncle_Phil wrote: »
    Why is it considered racist to make fun of the way people talk, only if they aren't white?

    For example if I make fun of an Australian accent accent no one blinks an eye, but if I mock a Chinese accent? I'm a racist!


    Thoughts?

    Only to white middle class, self loathing, pc crippled Grauniad readers.

    Normal folks just chuckle and move on. :)
  • Toby LaRhoneToby LaRhone Posts: 12,916
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    #15
    Fish_and_Chips wrote: »
    I wonder if South Park would get made & shown if it was British?
    And dear old Homer.
    In one episode he screamed and boarded up all his windows and doors when Marj broke the news that a friend was "homosexual" - he didn't understand "gay".
    Also quoted as saying "I like my beer cold, my TV loud and my homosexuals flaming"
    I'm often gobsmacked that it's watched by children but I find it hilarious because it's refreshingly non PC.

    On the matter of ethnicity I once had a meeting with our HR consultant.
    We were discussing the source of a particular rumour that was being mischievously spread.
    Somewhere in the conversation I remarked "That's the trouble with Chinese whispers....."
    and stopped mid sentence. The consultant was Chinese and our organisation was PC OTT. She laughed and said "Don't be daft, carry on"
  • TerualTerual Posts: 388
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    #16
    I have always found accents fascinating. I'm not too bad at doing a few as well. As I work on board trains I often amuse myself by talking in the accent of the ticket holders destination or origin. It has never got me into trouble. Some accents are easier than others, Glasgow for instance, Black country (near where I live) and Liverpool. I don't have to do "foreign" accents though, as our trains only have destinations in the UK. I don't know why, but I think doing a Cardiff accent will somehow cause offence, so am careful about doing that one.
  • Toby LaRhoneToby LaRhone Posts: 12,916
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    #17
    Terual wrote: »
    I have always found accents fascinating. I'm not too bad at doing a few as well. As I work on board trains I often amuse myself by talking in the accent of the ticket holders destination or origin. It has never got me into trouble. Some accents are easier than others, Glasgow for instance, Black country (near where I live) and Liverpool. I don't have to do "foreign" accents though, as our trains only have destinations in the UK. I don't know why, but I think doing a Cardiff accent will somehow cause offence, so am careful about doing that one.
    I'd wager that's because you do it badly.
    Most attempts I hear sound like someone calling from a "UK" customer helpline in India.
    Oops!
    :)
  • TrollHunterTrollHunter Posts: 12,496
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    #18
    GeoBa92 wrote: »
    Reported and blocked! :) you disgusting racist bigoted racist bigot!!11!!!!!1 >:(

    Worryingly I think you're serious and not joking. Oh dear oh dear oh dear if that is the case.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 410
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    #19
    Wee Tinkers wrote: »
    Hmm, see what you mean. In my day it was just plain old mockery. Harmless and mildly amusing.

    When I try to do a Welsh accent it morphs into Indian, at which point it becomes offensive. Well, if I lived elsewhere it might. Not here. Anything that might be deemed casually racist is perfectly acceptable around here. Rural N. Irish hamlets have their pro and con points...

    I have the same problem when trying to do a proper welsh accent. Half way through it becomes indian or Jamaican, which has made me uncomfortable when i have said it quite loud :D
  • Toby LaRhoneToby LaRhone Posts: 12,916
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    #20
    VM123 wrote: »
    I have the same problem when trying to do a proper welsh accent. Half way through it becomes indian or Jamaican, which has made me uncomfortable when i have said it quite loud :D
    Post 17.
    Yep, that's because you can't do a Welsh accent :D

    Edit:
    You probably sound like Peter Sellers
    www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3A7B6qtUpU
  • Paul237Paul237 Posts: 8,654
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    #21
    Toby LaRhone wrote: »
    And dear old Homer.
    In one episode he screamed and boarded up all his windows and doors when Marj broke the news that a friend was "homosexual" - he didn't understand "gay".
    Also quoted as saying "I like my beer cold, my TV loud and my homosexuals flaming"
    I'm often gobsmacked that it's watched by children but I find it hilarious because it's refreshingly non PC.

    That's not really refreshingly non PC, though. After all, Homer is meant to be of limited intelligence. So if he comes out with homophobic remarks, it's more to show how stupid people are who seriously hold such views. It's not as though The Simpsons is endorsing his behaviour.
  • Hollie_LouiseHollie_Louise Posts: 39,987
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    #22
    No. I'm always taking the piss out of my boyfriend's Polish/Scouse mixed accent. Mainly because I'm upset he's slowly losing his Polish and the horrible scouse is working it's way in.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 5,692
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    #23
    TrollHunter wrote: »
    Worryingly I think you're serious and not joking. Oh dear oh dear oh dear if that is the case.

    I would have thought the hysterical use of smilies and exclamation marks would have given it away.
  • kitty86kitty86 Posts: 7,034
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    #24
    I randomly slip into a wierd hybrid of African/some kind of foreign accent when I talk to my friend and she does it too. I have to so careful at work though especially since I said to some one no you can't in the accent and he thought I said no you c*nt!
  • Toby LaRhoneToby LaRhone Posts: 12,916
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    #25
    Paul237 wrote: »
    That's not really refreshingly non PC, though. After all, Homer is meant to be of limited intelligence. So if he comes out with homophobic remarks, it's more to show how stupid people are who seriously hold such views. It's not as though The Simpsons is endorsing his behaviour.
    Well thanks for explaining the subtlety of the Simpsons' humour.
    I hadn't realised it until your post.
    Doh!

    (I now join the league of "Can we have a "rolls eyes" emoticon please")
  • JeffersonJefferson Posts: 3,736
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    #26
    Uncle_Phil wrote: »
    Why is it considered racist to make fun of the way people talk, only if they aren't white?

    For example if I make fun of an Australian accent accent no one blinks an eye, but if I mock a Chinese accent? I'm a racist!


    Thoughts?

    Because the white race is considered superior.
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