Racism And The Cumberbatch Conundrum

[Pavilionaire]

I remember back in the late 70s when my gran was very pleased with herself. Having caught on to the changing PC tide she'd started to use the word "coloured". Prior to that she'd used a lot of other expressions. How times change.

 

[Nibble]

Such a fine line is it not? For instance "He's black" is perfectly acceptable. "He's a black" is considered deeply racist. I've got around this problem by associating exclusively with whites.

 

[Buzzer]

Der-der dum dum dum. Benedict Cumberbatch....

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

I was told by an American colleague that the term 'coloured' was considered offensive because it was the term used by some white gentlemen from the the southern states, who used it after they weren't allowed to use n****r and N*gro. The connotations were the same just a different word! The fact that I had used it didn't offend him, but if I had been from the Deep South I suspect he'd have given me a kicking.

 

[clungemeister]

surely it's " an arse spangle"........racism , oh my god , don't get me started , what a waste of energy....!!

 

[Wilko]

I suspect/predict in the future that "black" and "white" will no longer be acceptable to use to describe the ethnicities, any more than "yellow" is to describe Asian people.

The reality is that using any non-scientific words to describe the races is potentially offensive. For example "negro" is unacceptable, despite literally meaning "black" - I am actually surprised "black" has lasted so long, and even become politically correct, considering how inaccurate it is as a description.

I think you are spot on there actually. This case infuriates me, racism has to have intent behind it, misuse of a word in support of ethnic equality can simply NOT be racist. Feel very sorry for BC.

Incidently, working in Kenya all my students still say coloured and half caste. Actually they refer to someone mixed race as 'point 5' as in 0.5.

 

[User removed 4]

Im crushed you think so Bushy.
I realised some considerable time ago that you were a arse-spangle. I win.
You forgot to explain the differences between an evening in Haywards Heath, and for example, an evening in Zizkov. Tell me about those cultural differences.

if everything is so uniform and there are no differences, why do people go on holiday ? There are many differences across Europe, food,drink,architecture, language,social attitudes,religion , your idiocy knows no bounds.

 

[daveinprague]

Why do people go on holiday? Usually to find some different weather.
Food? Not so much. The prevalence of fast food restaurants is making for a bland diet everywhere.
Drink?...What..different brands of beer? Different brands of whisky. Different wines?
Religion? haha.
Youre a prat, but ive already been aware of that for a while.

 

[clungemeister]

The only way society will defeat racism is by training itself to forget or ignore the superficial differences between the ethnicities.

that.....live your own life , laugh at the telly , wipe yer bum on the papers....simple....refuse to be indoctrinated...!!

 

[User removed 4]

Do you not understand the difference between culture and ethnicity? A black person born in Britain is no different to you or me, the differences are completely superficial.

Culture is what makes countries different, it has absolutely nothing to do with race.

yes I do understand the difference between culture and ethnicity, have you not read the post where I mentioned my sister and her kids growing up in France , and the likelihood that they'll adopt French culture as their natural one ? As an aside , if you think I share the same culture as many of the black people born in Britain then you're deluded.

 

[Questions]

awaits accusations you have invented this story

I make up most things perhaps you're right.

 

[User removed 4]

Why do people go on holiday? Usually to find some different weather.
Food? Not so much. The prevalence of fast food restaurants is making for a bland diet everywhere.
Drink?...What..different brands of beer? Different brands of whisky. Different wines?
Religion? haha.
Youre a prat, but ive already been aware of that for a while.

its pointless replying to you , quite simply you haven't the intellect to understand what I'm saying.

 

[AZ Gull]

This story really does illustrate how important issues nowadays are relegated to the point where people will stop giving a toss.

How did it come to this that people seem to be offended left right and centre about absolutely everything.

And when did "coloured" become offensive? I used it a couple of weeks ago on here because i thought using the word Black instead would be deemed offensive.

Seems i am back to front.Im not sure i can keep up with the constant changes as to what is or what is not racist or offensive anymore.

can we now expect bans for people using the word coloured on here?

Its all turning a bit farcical if you ask me.

http://www.theguardian.com/commenti...loured-gaffe-white-film-industry-black-actors

For the record I was born in 1972. Been aware that the term coloured wasn't 'on' for decades. I'm pretty surprised someone of Cumberbatch's generation would use it. That writer though doesn't condemn anyone for using it who wasn't aware of how the word has changed over the years and even makes the point it was never used in an insulting way.

I read that article yesterday. I have to admit I didn't know "coloured" was no longer allowed. What is the polite way of referring to people of mixed parentage? If "coloured" is not acceptable but "people of colour" is ok, then I am struggling with this a bit.

I only knew that somehow coloured had become 'offensive' recently, when Alan Hansen used the term and was unfairly pilloried for it.

Anyway, if the term Coloured is racist, that makes me a racist as I've been saying it for years. I honestly thought it was the accepted term.

I do have some sympathy for Mr Cumberbatch, especially as I was "guilty" of using exactly the same term a few years ago. I was in a dance class, used the word coloured in all innocence, and was genuinely shocked by the response of a black woman who made it clear that she did not find the term acceptable. For the record, I was born in 1968 and had no idea that the term was found offensive by some.

As the article seems to suggest, I guess my real crime is not having a number of close black friends (who would have put me right long before I WAS put right). Oh well; we live and learn.

 

[vegster]

its pointless replying to you , quite simply you haven't the intellect to understand what I'm saying.

Poor old Bushy, surrounded on NSC by people who fail to match your towering intellect.

 

[User removed 4]

Poor old Bushy, surrounded on NSC by people who fail to match your towering intellect.

Far from it , but DIP doesn't and you're trying your best to match him.

 

[AlbionPics&SouthCoastTwit]

yes i did read it,i posted it in haste as a general reference to the story for those who dont know whats going on,and not really as any commentary for or against the issue.

i would like you to see where i am coming from here,there is mixed language all over the place about racism and it seems to me all it is doing is making an important issue pathetic playground politics concerning who dishes out or plays out the most racist or i am offended cards.

If the term coloured is now offensive(and i genuinlly didnt know that, i never got the memo) why is the foremost black civil rights group in the USA The NAACP,( the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) still permitted to exist in that name

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0yKImXRBG8

 

[Perfidious Albion]

One learns all the time, in this ever changing world. Apparently. in the U S, Benedict would have been o k if he had referred to 'persons of colour' rather than coloured . Seems the same to me but one is acceptable and the other is not.....this week anyway!
I thought this article was pretty good.
[URL="http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/nick-cohen/2015/01/political-correctnes-how-censorship-defeats-itself/"

 

[Brovion]

I suspect/predict in the future that "black" and "white" will no longer be acceptable to use to describe the ethnicities, any more than "yellow" is to describe Asian people.

The reality is that using any non-scientific words to describe the races is potentially offensive. For example "negro" is unacceptable, despite literally meaning "black" - I am actually surprised "black" has lasted so long, and even become politically correct, considering how inaccurate it is as a description.

I think you're right. My brother-in-law is a professor at Berkley. A few years ago he said that there was a definite drive amongst some in American academic circles to make the word 'black' (when used as an adjective to describe a person) certainly as frowned upon as 'negro' and ideally as reviled as the 'N' word. (incidentally some also want to replace the term 'Native Americans' with 'First People').

I can certainly see it catching on, but of course it won't end there. In a hundred years or maybe even only fifty people will say "Well of course the unenlightened souls in the early 21st century used to refer to [new adjective] as 'African-Americans! And some of the REAL knuckle-draggers still referred to them as 'black!' Like I said in my first post it's almost a game of fashion one-upmanship.

 

[piersa]

Then why make such generalised statements? Saying things like "This type of thing happens regularly in schools" (in regards to the black pen issue) when they really don't, leaves you open to people who actually work in schools to tell you you're probably wrong. You're obviously trying to make a point re "PC gone mad" and schools by begrudging the fact your wife can't sing a nursery rhyme where she works but you don't acknowledge it may just be at her school and instead you imply that it is across the nation that this farce is occurring. Well let me put your mind at ease, most of the myths you hear about schools not being able to perform the nativity or being able to use certain coloured crayons are all lies cooked up by the media. Infact I believe The Sun is actually acredited with the whole "children not being able to perform the nativity? It's PC gone mad" myth.

In your experience. There are many examples of PC nonsense that regularly happen.

 

[Questions]

Far from it , but DIP doesn't and you're trying your best to match him.

Offer him out Bushy. I know him, he needs a good slap.