Behaviour And Racist Language Ban

[hollygolightly]

Read it here:

http://www.manchester.gov.uk/news/2003/aug...gust/racist.htm (http://www.manchester.gov.uk/news/2003/august/racist.htm)


The Executive Member of Housing on Manchester City Council, Councillor Basil Curley, said: "Let there be no doubt in people's minds. Manchester Housing will take action against tenants, their children and visitors if they use racist language or threatening behaviour.

[Mistyeyeddreamer]

I don't like racist language at all. But I have problems with this case. If he can be banned from using the word 'Paki', how long will it be before some other word is banned? What if he uses the word 'Pakistani'? Prosecute him for racist abuse by all means, but this smacks of thought police!

Personally I don't like the word Brit, will they please ban that one next?

Misty

[Beth]

being racist means for whatever reason you do not like a person due to their cultural background and place of origin.

words have become very slack these days and are often meaningless, ie when I was growing up I was never permitted to say knackered by my parents as it was considered rude, and F*rt was a big no no!

I actually heard them say F*rt on newsround the other day, was in total shock as would never say that in front of my elders!!

so, what I am getting at is the change of attitude towards words, some people have become lazy and shorten words or.....which is more likely have not be taught by their parents why some words are not acceptable.

and who says what words are now acceptable?......the groups it refers to maybe?
ie..as far as I have been told over the years its not ok to say homo but gay is ok...is it?

In my work place the clients have been called...mentally handicapped, learning disabled, learning difficulty, learning disability and mentallyu retarded (which is still used in the USA)
learning disability is a term the people in offices seem to be happy with now!....the people who sit in ivory towers telling people what they can be called.


HE is very right by saying its not just about colour, not everyone from other countries are another colour.


sorry this turned into a waffling rant!!

[Beth]

nicely said!

[sapphirelily10]

Struggling with some of this folks....there are so many things coming in to play here...and I know this has all been done before. So, I'm going to bow out of this one shortly.

What has negative connotations changes with time, is sometimes specific to geographical area, and frequently wouldn't offend the people who use it...yet, some words/phrases are being reclaimed by those who have had them levelled at them...their call.

If I think something is offensive, I'll have to raise it and justify why I think it.


Sapph

[Mistyeyeddreamer]

At one time to describe somebody as black was considered offensive, then black people in America decided to accept it with pride and they turned it around. 'Brit' was used by the IRA and their sympathizers as a derogatory term for British, many squaddies started using it as well and now almost everybody uses it and it's lost it's original derogatory sense (although I still don't like it).

Most living languages evolve and words that were once acceptable are eventually seen as offensive and vice versa.

You must have heard the old nursery rhyme:

c*ck a doodle doo
The maid has lost her shoe
The master's lost his fiddling stick
And doesn't know what to do.

Well, although it might sound very innocent and childish nowaday, it's original meaning was far from innocent ;) Certain 'anglo saxon' words were once found in everyday speech and now we find them offensive.

Banning words, burning books, it's all the same. People should choose not use certain words if they know it will be found offensive or be discouraged by other peoples' disapproval.

The trouble is that we end up not knowing which words to use for fear of offending because even in what is perceived as 'one' group, some will say one thing some another. For example, Indian/American Indian/Native American/First Nation/Aboriginal - they are all words to describe the indigenous population of North America. Some members of that population will find all those words offensive, some will choose to be known by one of those names and find the others offensive and some just won't care.

It's the intent behind the use of the word that contains the offence, not even necessarily the word itself nor even the the view of the person that that word is aimed at. Was George W.Bush being racist (the actual word was 'racialist',originally) when he referred to 'Pakis', or was he just ignorant of it's perceived meaning? If you've ever read the Hindustani Times you will see Pakistanis referred to as 'Paks', I don't believe that is racist, but it's amazing what the insertion of one letter will do.

I no longer take offence at anybody calling me a Brit, unless the rest of his/her words show me it is meant as an insult. I still don't like it, but that is not because I believe it is now a racist word, it just grates on me, that's all.

And I've just realised I've been rambling so I'll stop now :)

Misty

[Annabel]

I find it very offensive when people say 'I am going to the p*ki shop' !!!! there is absolutely no justification for it. why do people feel the need to describe a shop by the person who runs it? if an english person ran a shop no one would say 'im going down the england shop'...

it is just as offensive as calling someone that to their face. you have to look at what is underlying it and as far as i am concerned it is still racist.

whilst i think there is too much political correctness these days, there will always be words that are offensive no matter what is done to try and dumb them down.

:rolleyes: