Wow, you really don't live in the real world do you? I'm pretty sure any of my black friends would be far more insulted by me sitting them down and asking how I can refer to their ethnicity without offending them than if I referred to any of them as "coloured". It's about intent, not making sure you're bang on with the lastest PC terminology.

Having said that, one of my black mates calls me a "greasy spic", so sod them.

personally i've found that whenever i discuss race issues, sometimes being a white minority in the room, that my black colleagues are glad to meet a white person who is COMFORTABLE and unafraid of discussing the issue.

humanity requires honest communication, not assumptions.

Just for the record black and asian people find it very offencive to use the word 'coloured'

My daughter in law is of mixed race. She is extremely offended if anyone refers to her as 'coloured'.
I would be very annoyed if anyone called my grandson 'coloured'.
Just for the record my daughter in law has had the whole name calling from individuals for most of her life.

In the US they seem to categorise people as Caucasian, Hispanic, African-American, Asian, Chinese, AFAIK
In the UK, we dont have African-Americans, so what labels do we use here?
We dont seem to use Caucasian either, do we?

"Coloured" was used when I was young to politely describe anyone whose skin wasnt white (pink/peach), but there were far worse names used for persons of African origin, even when not meant to be offensive. I shant repeat them here, but I expect you get my drift. My father-in-law shocked me when I was first married by using such a term, and I had to insist that it wasnt used in the hearing of my children, as even by then (early 1980s) it was considered to be offensive by most folk.

teach me why, help me understand, i have said black and asian and coulored and been called racist with them all, ..I honestly dont know what to say on these forums for fear of being called racist

Hmmm.... I don't agree. As a Hispanic, I've been on the receiving end of a bit of racial abuse in my years - but probably nothing like some other races. The way I look at it, is when you encounter a problem/division, you deal with it. I don't see myself and other around me as a different race - any more than I do people with different hair colour. I would be told to **** right off if I tried to have than conversation with my mates for that exact reason - and rightly so. Racism will only cease to be a problem when people don't notice race - and highlighting differences, and making people have to over-think about what the latest "acceptable" phrasing is only exacerbating the problems that should be dealt with if they occur. If you highlight the differences in race to people who don't notice it, you create racial division rather than remove it.

It isn't racist to call someone black/asian/indian etc.

I don't want to list all the other names which are offensive tho'.

[quote=jewelwg]In the US they seem to categorise people as Caucasian, Hispanic, African-American, Asian, Chinese, AFAIK
In the UK, we dont have African-Americans, so what labels do we use here?
We dont seem to use Caucasian either, do we?

....

QUOTE]

Reminds of a fave TV comedy moment (from 'The Kumars') -

Ahem.

The old man, the father, says: 'We can't call ourselves Indians any more, it's racist. Now we are Native Americans!'

Superb.


Makes me a racist, I expect.

next time i say anything im going to quote you

My husband always calls black people 'coloured' as he thinks it's more polite, for some reason. How can that be offensive?

Theoretically yes, but some of the above might be proud of what they are. So they have to distinct themselves in some shape or form from the rest of GB.

As we are all humans, and racism is a human trait all things being equal all people might want to look into the issue too.

If you say I am proud to be Scottish, you actually distinguish yourself from others.

So even if this is ment non offensive some terms to distinguish groups are likely to stay. It would just be nice if they wouldn't change every three seconds.

Just as long as you are quoting me, or i'll have to duff you up

Actually i'm very proud to be Scottish

Most. Sensible. Post. Ever.

To address the original poster's actual question, although Jon Tickle didn't win Big Brother, he did survive three public votes and received the best reception on leaving the house that I think I've ever seen in BB.

So no, I don't think that the voting public are, as a whole, racist.

Didn't say you shouldn't

I just said even a positive felt distincion to other groups needs some label/name/trait.

Noticing, or describing the ethnicity of someone is not racist. Prejudice or discrimination based on that observation is. Some people seem to miss that point.


Thanks. It'll be mostly ignored.

Bastards.

Didn't say you did, was just pointing out i'm proud to be Scottish.

Just felt like throwing it into the equasion

Last edited by Doc Shmok : Today at 13:02. Reason: Tried to edit the title but ... doesn't let me
*********************************


The thread title was deliberate. I am sure that you are quite intelligent enough to figure it out, in my opinion.

At the time I advised you to make the change, after others had pointed out the error of your way, you did nothing. What belatedly changed your mind?

Are you really convinced that you were wrong or did the forum mods send you an email?

I have never asked if the GBP is racist? From my impression over all RTV's the GBP seem to be pretty tolerant.

I asked if Endemol doesn't pick the right people? Or any other reason, chance maybe.

I am and will ever be a Jon fan.

My personal opinion is that it is chance. Jon came close, if the nation wouldn't have somehow hypnotised by the C word, that is Cameron.

Now there is a C word that's really offensive.

You'll be pleased to know I didn't ignore it Histeria

I don't agree with it all though - I think you are being a bit dismissive about the coloured statement though - saying people are black rather than coloured goes a bit deeper than it being "the latest acceptable phrasing" I'm not an expert on the subject but I think it has something to do with the black civil rights movement in America getting the word Black back to being a positive statement as as opposed to a negative one - like I say I'm not an expert but I think its considered a very big deal indeed

BS


I tried to make the change, was too late, only the within thread name changed, as you could have seen if you wouldn't just try to troll me.


Wild accusations

Loosen up

and so the question? about the supposedly(?) under-representation of 'ethnic-minorities' continues :yawn:
answer:= ALL PEOPLE belong to an 'ETHNIC-MINORITY'..
regardless of SKIN-COLOUR, CULTURE or DIVERSITY.

End of Story.

Its amazing how we have stemmed away from the original question, however to add my two cents worth, I was not offended by the posters heading.

Speaking as a black female I do feel that today we have become extremely caught up with this whole PC thing, coloured is an "outdated" term, however I do feel the poster used this word without any malicious intention.

The reason why so many people take offence to this word is because it was widely used at a time when minorities were seen as SCUM basically, and it was a sweeping word to generalise us, I think its more the orgins of the word than the actual term that some people find offensive.

Oops. Sorry. That's me misunderstanding your question, that is...