Witnessed some racism in Glasgow earlier this morning

[on the road]

I take it Mr Pig has never suffered any racial abuse in the past so doesn't know when someone is being racist. You really need to have had experience it to know when someone is being racist or know if someone has racist tendencies.

 

[siadwell]

I can see where Mr Pig is coming from. But from the situation described in the OP, it looks more like racism than an attempt to wound with whatever words came to hand.

 

[Night Train]

From being on the receiving end of verbal abuse it is really clear when it is racially motivated or just ignorant and aggressive use of words even when the words are the same.

Sometimes it is a fine line that the abuser doesn't even recognise until after the words are out.

 

[yenrod]

Rascism is the lowest of the lowest stance to take...

Its just soo deploreable.

Its disgraceful, disgusting and absolutely NOT NECESSARY!

I don't know why but the N word REALLY seriously massively does make my blood boil...

I suppose its the older fraternity who use it YET what sad ignorant lives these people lead !

 

[yenrod]

I can see where Mr Pig is coming from. But from the situation described in the OP, it looks more like racism than an attempt to wound with whatever words came to hand.

I dont know what colour you are - i really dont care either but lets FOR EXAMPLE you are white & I for example call you a white bastard..thats rascism = pretty bloody obvious really what bit dont you understand directed @ Mr Pig too !

I think some thought on your mind thoughts in regards to culture is whats needed here !

 

[summerdays]

I think that sometimes we can be too quick to cry racism when the truth is that the perpetrator may just be being abusive.

Do you seriously believe what you wrote or are you on the wind-up?

I do partially agree with Mr Pig, but don't think this situation sounds like it was just abusive.

One of my daughter's school friends from primary school blamed any problems she had at school down to racism. If she fell out with my daughter - my daughter was being racist etc (as opposed to the other 3 friends who just fell out with each other every now and again). Now I know that there was at least one racist taunt from a child outside the group as my daughter had to go and see the deputy head in support of her friend. But I do think that as a result of her family (who didn't live locally) being on the receiving side of racist comments at that she was a little over sensitive in general. And that is understandable.

 

[Mr Pig]

One of my daughter's school friends from primary school blamed any problems she had at school down to racism.

Yes. Just because a black man was being abused does not mean he was being abused because he was black.

I remember an incident at school when I was about fifteen. I was standing talking to two friends and a girl, a couple of years younger, came over and stood almost between us mocking what we were saying and just generally being annoying. I don't know why, I'd never seen her before.

She wasn't black but she was obviously half-cast, quite attractive actually. I said to her "Why don't you go and pick some cotton?". It was an insult targeted at her colour but I'm not racist, I just wanted to piss her off! Sure did the trick, all hell broke loose!

She vanished and I thought nothing of it. Next thing I know I was called out of my next class to go and see a teacher we called Johnny Cross, he was formidable character who was one of the most feared teachers in the school. He took me into a corridor, not an office, and pushed me up the wall by the throat! I'm not joking, this was back in the days when teachers could get away with stuff like that. Once he let me speak I explained that ok, maybe I shouldn't have said that, but she asked for it. I got a stern warning and that was it. Almost.

That night the girl came to my house, with her mother. I don't know where her mother was from but she had dark skin, not really black though, and clearly had issues about it. Sounds daft but back then there were hardly any black people in this area so I can see why she might feel isolated. Anyway, she was not a happy camper which led to me getting dogs abuse off my mother too.

Point being that it was blown up into a race issue when it was simply an insult aimed at someone who happened to have darker skin. Had she been white I would've called her something else but she'd still have copped an insult!

Would everyone have gone straight to thirty-thousand feet if I'd called her a fat cow? Doubt it. If the guy in this incident had not been black and the business man had said "F*** off you stupid old man" would we be on here discussing an ageist incident? Can't see it. People do suffer genuine racial abuse and discrimination all the time, and it is terrible, but when you start hanging every bit of abuse aimed at a black person on the racial abuse peg you risk doing more harm than good. I've yet to be convinced that blowing such incidents up rather than playing them down does any good to anyone.

 

[ianrauk]

Mr Pig,
I am absolutely flabberghasted at this comment. You admit it was an insult targeted at her colour, but you deem this not racist. That is one of the most ridiculous comments I have ever seen. Mr Pig, it is Racist simple as that.

An if you honestly can't see why telling some one to go pick cotton is deemed as racist I recommend this as reading for you. Then perhaps you will understand why a Black person would get upset with your comment.

"An insult targeted at her colour but i'm not not racist"
I just wrote that out again to make sure I fully understand what you have written & hope that you do too.

Yes. Just because a black man was being abused does not mean he was being abused because he was black.

I remember an incident at school when I was about fifteen. I was standing talking to two friends and a girl, a couple of years younger, came over and stood almost between us mocking what we were saying and just generally being annoying. I don't know why, I'd never seen her before.

She wasn't black but she was obviously half-cast, quite attractive actually. I said to her "Why don't you go and pick some cotton?". It was an insult targeted at her colour but I'm not racist, I just wanted to piss her off! Sure did the trick, all hell broke loose!

She vanished and I thought nothing of it. Next thing I know I was called out of my next class to go and see a teacher we called Johnny Cross, he was formidable character who was one of the most feared teachers in the school. He took me into a corridor, not an office, and pushed me up the wall by the throat! I'm not joking, this was back in the days when teachers could get away with stuff like that. Once he let me speak I explained that ok, maybe I shouldn't have said that, but she asked for it. I got a stern warning and that was it. Almost.

That night the girl came to my house, with her mother. I don't know where her mother was from but she had dark skin, not really black though, and clearly had issues about it. Sounds daft but back then there were hardly any black people in this area so I can see why she might feel isolated. Anyway, she was not a happy camper which led to me getting dogs abuse off my mother too.

Point being that it was blown up into a race issue when it was simply an insult aimed at someone who happened to have darker skin. Had she been white I would've called her something else but she'd still have copped an insult!

Would everyone have gone straight to thirty-thousand feet if I'd called her a fat cow? Doubt it. If the guy in this incident had not been black and the business man had said "F*** off you stupid old man" would we be on here discussing an ageist incident? Can't see it. People do suffer genuine racial abuse and discrimination all the time, and it is terrible, but when you start hanging every bit of abuse aimed at a black person on the racial abuse peg you risk doing more harm than good. I've yet to be convinced that blowing such incidents up rather than playing them down does any good to anyone.

 

[Noodley]

Totally unbelievable!

 

[Baggy]

Just extraordinary. I'm speechless.

 

[wafflycat]

Mr P has posted something that has exposed him making ignorant racist comments. And if he doesn't 'get it' as to why they were ignorant racist comments, it does not bode well for present & future. Utterly nasty.

 

[ttcycle]

whoa Mr Pig -

I can't believe you don't see what you said as racist. Even more shocking - was your statement 'half cast and she was quite attractive actually' honestly..where do you get this sh*t from?

The mind boggles.

Having experienced masses of racial tension and overt racism when I was at pre-school (ffs even then) right up to the present day - racism is scarily alive even in multi cultural large cities

 

[Arch]

With regard to the OP, even IF the n word used was used as a mere jibe at a personal feature (and to use that word, as opposed to for example 'black bastard' or something, I suspect it was more than that), anyway, the use of the phrase "why don't you go home..." pretty much nails it as racism for me....

To my mind, even referring to someone's colour in an insult is racist in that it shows that the person has chosen to make an issue of it. I worked for someone in the past who would be sure to refer to a rude coloured customer as a 'black' whatever, but never made any mention of the colour of our countless rude white customers. It's a regret of mind that I wasn't confident enough to pull her up on it.

The only time I'd mention someone's colour or race would be if it eased identification, and that was the best characteristic I could think of, or if it mattered for practical purposes (say dietary reasons for a Hindu or Muslim or Jew - in which case it's no more important than them being a vegetarian or having a dislike of mushrooms)

Mr Pig has just won the award for best ever 'I'm not racist but...' story....

 

[Greedo]

The posts from a certain member here are quite astounding tbh!

If he had a history of joking and wind up threads like me I would say he was at it but as he doesnt then it's clearly not a wind up.

Bit surprised to say the least.

Having witnessed the incident that I posted I can assure you that the business man was clearly not just having a go at a "weak spot" as the black guy had glasses and wasn't shy of a pie or two!

So as Mr Pig pointed out he could have called him "speccy" "fat" whatever but no he chose his colour and that therefore makes him a racist. Pure and simple.

Incidentally I had seen the business man before and it's just dawned on me where.

 

[Mr Pig]

Then perhaps you will understand why a Black person would get upset with your comment.

Yes, but she was supposed to get upset by my comment. that was my intention. I'm not defending it, I would not say something like that today, in fact it was not something I would have been in the habit of saying at the time, but I did say it.

However, even at that time I was not racist. I've told people I would kill them but had no intention of doing so. If some of you want to paint me as a racist because of something I've admitted to doing when a child that's up to you, everyone needs a hobby I guess. Anyone who actually knows me knows the truth and some of you have shown me enough of your character for me to pretty much ignore anything you say.

I worked for someone in the past who would be sure to refer to a rude coloured customer as a 'black' whatever, but never made any mention of the colour of our countless rude white customers.

Well if you were white yourself you wouldn't would you? Had you and your boss been black he may well have done. Insults can take all forms and be targeted at virtually any trait or characteristic of the recipient but because someone chooses to insult another person, even if he targets their colour, does does not automatically mean that he or she hates everyone from that individuals ethnic group. They might, but the point is that you can't know that from one colour related comment. My boss will slag off Catholics and joke about homosexuals but half of the people he's employed are Catholic and he's had a few gay employees without anyone felling they were discriminated against in any way, because they aren't.

he could have called him "speccy" "fat" whatever but no he chose his colour and that therefore makes him a racist. Pure and simple.

No it doesn't. He could be, no doubt about it, but he could just have been angry, having a bad day or not a very nice guy. Choosing to include someone's colour in a spur-of-the-moment insult does not mean you hate everyone of their race. You might, but to draw that from one comment is adding two and two and getting sixty.

If of course if the nice gentleman in question really was Nick Griffin then we have other evidence to go on that helps you be slightly more sure! ;0) Incidentally, while it would be nice to dismiss Griffin as a fringe lunatic I think he's considerably more dangerous than many think. I think he's extremely devious and capable of gathering more support than would be healthy.