Racism And The Cumberbatch Conundrum

[pastafarian]

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

 

[Spicy]

Ironic that he was making a comment in support of black actors to now be accused of making a racist comment. I think he thought he was being "polite" and bet he thinks twice in future about making any such comments.

As far as you are concerned pastafarian, you will receive a lifetime ban for your use of the word "coloured". Pack your bags please and make your way to the exit.

 

[Brovion]

I think the term 'colored' dropped out of normal use a while ago, but I see where you're coming from. I saw an interview a few years ago with an elderly American man whose facial complexion indicated that his skin had a higher melanin content than an average European Caucasian (Is that safe?) He said: "When I was born I was a Negro. Then I was colored. Then I was black. Now I'm an African-American. Lord knows what I'll be next year, but white folk are still white and they're still in power."

It's as if someone decides a term is offensive, and, like clothes fashions, other people wishing to be ahead of the trend pick up on it. Then once the view gains a certain traction it becomes almost unstoppable and those in at the beginning say "Yeah, I knew the using the term 'black' to describe African-Americans was offensive long before you!" In a similar vein I also saw a programme where a (white British) father of two mixed-race children said that the term 'mixed-race' was offensive and we should say 'dual heritage' instead. I don't know if that's caught on yet?

 

[Hyperion]

You're probably going to be colourlisted for this

 

[W.C.]

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

Did you actually read the whole article? Was quite interesting.

Ironically you seem to be getting a bit agitated by it yourself.

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.

Really don't see the problem with not using a term that a group of people find insulting in some way. It's not as if they've demanded anything ridiculous like you get in business speak.

 

[Brovion]

Another example of how views have changed: When Jamaican-born John Barnes was playing for England anybody who said he wasn't English and he should be playing for Jamaica was a knuckle-dragging racist. Now someone who says Jamaican-born Raheem Sterling isn't English and he should be playing for Jamaica is someone who is concerned that we are we're denuding poorer countries of their talent. Downside of immigration y'know.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Sometimes it is progress that views change.

 

[pastafarian]

Did you actually read the whole article? Was quite interesting.

Ironically you seem to be getting a bit agitated by it yourself.

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.

Really don't see the problem with not using a term that a group of people find insulting in some way. It's not as if they've demanded anything ridiculous like you get in business speak.

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

 

[beorhthelm]

an asian colleauge used "coloured" recently and i did mock offended "you cant say that" and they looked at me blankly. i explained and they just rolled their eyes "cant say anything can you". its daft, the rules are being made up as we go along.

 

[seagull_in_malaysia]

...

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

The NAAAAP would be a bit of a stretch

 

[8ace]

 

[Brovion]

Sometimes it is progress that views change.

I'm not denying that otherwise we'd still be burning witches.

 

[Steve in Japan]

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.

And in defence of the actor, I assume the general point he was making was not solely related to people from Africa and the Caribbean , so to say Black would not have been correct either. Suspect he is wishing he hadn't bothered making any comments - in the world of Twitter you will always offend somebody.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

I thought this would be about his ancestral role in the slave trade, which is just as interesting.
http://jezebel.com/so-benedict-cumberbatchs-ancestors-were-slave-owners-1514873112

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

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

 

[User removed 4]

Did you actually read the whole article? Was quite interesting.

Ironically you seem to be getting a bit agitated by it yourself.

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.

Really don't see the problem with not using a term that a group of people find insulting in some way. It's not as if they've demanded anything ridiculous like you get in business speak.

I doubt coloured people found the term offensive, it was probably a guilty middle class prick like you who decided for them.

 

[Grassman]

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

Funnily enough a lady from this organisation was asked that very question recently (can't remember when, but it may have been on the Jeremy Vine show) and her only answer was that as that's what the organisation was called originally it would be difficult to change the name and re-brand. I remember thinking then that the answer wasn't that convincing.

 

[mikeyjh]

The most interesting thing about this is that the reaction to the reaction is far louder than the original reaction, if you catch my drift. Elf and safety gone mad innit.

 

[vegster]

It's a veritable minefield.

 

[wellquickwoody]

I heard someone say that newspapers, social media and social commentators seem to be more interested in a sound bite rather than the substance of a message.

Seems about right these days.