Witnessed some racism in Glasgow earlier this morning

[vernon]

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.

Are you attempting to redefine what constitutes a racist comment?

If so then you've failed.

 

[Noodley]

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 think you have evidenced the truth about your views and people have made their opinions about these views to you. That you choose to ignore these is further demonstration of how blinkered and conceited you are.

 

[tdr1nka]

To use the 'pick cotton' phrase even to annoy, is archaic and seriously ignorant.
To try to justify using it only makes it sound even worse.

Defining and insulting someone for their colour or race alone and then to claim you're not remotely racist is arrogant and pompous to say the least.

Seriously, what have you learned about the world around you Pig?
From your account it sounds like a very small world indeed.

Idiots come in all colours, you should only need to point out that they are idiots without resorting to insults of any nature.

 

[Crackle]

You've lost the plot pig. In what way is picking on a minority because they are a minority and different, not discrimination and in this case, racism. It's not a question, you've attempted to explain it and failed. Can you not see you're wrong?

 

[soulful dog]

I can sort of see where Mr Pig is coming from here, in that a cheap insult directed at anyone relating to their physical appearance (fat, speccy, ginger, black, white or whatever) can be just that, ie a cheap insult probably made in the heat of the moment during an argument. But I can't see the 'pick cotton' comment as anything other than racist (though would there be the same distaste if for example it had been a comment like away and dig potatoes to someone from Ireland?).

 

[Mr Pig]

To use the 'pick cotton' phrase even to annoy, is archaic and seriously ignorant. To try to justify using it only makes it sound even worse.

I didn't try to justify it and I'm not saying it was ok. I just admit to doing it and explained that my motivation was to annoy, drive away the girl concerned rather than attack her because of her colour.

Noodly, you have no idea how little I care about your opinion of me.

In what way is picking on a minority because they are a minority and different, not discrimination and in this case, racism?

That is racism. If you pick on, assault, discriminate against someone or otherwise disadvantage them specifically because of their race or colour then yes, that is clearly racism. However, if you have a falling out with another person and they just happen to be of a different ethnicity that's not necessarily racist, even if verbal abuse is used that targets their colour.

During workplace banter and fallouts it's not uncommon for me to be called a fat ba*****. Does that mean that the guy who calls me that hates or has an issue with fat people? No. He's just using an insult that he feels might impact on me because I am fat. It may not be very nice but it's not fatism.

 

[Noodley]

Noodly, you have no idea how little I care about your opinion of me.

Oh I do.

I'm very pleased about it as well. I'd hate to think someone with such vile views actually gave a shoot about my opinion.

 

[rich p]

Blimey, Mr Pig, I realised you were a bit of a dick but this is beyond the pale. From a self-confessed 'devout Christian' it beggars belief.

 

[Mr Pig]

Blimey, Mr Pig, I realised you were a bit of a dick but this is beyond the pale. From a self-confessed 'devout Christian' it beggars belief.

What exactly is it that you're accusing me of here? I'm not advocating or supporting racism in any way. I'm just pointing out that not all personal abuse between people of differing races is racially motivated, is that really so hard to grasp?

Yes, you keep calling me vile Noodly, which isn't abusive at all is it? I think it is and from someone who's supposed to be a moderator is totally unacceptable, but then who's going to stop you?

I assume you are accusing me of being racist here by choosing to deliberately misinterpret what I've said? Up to you but as I say, you know nothing about me. Anyone who does knows I'm not racist. Would a racist actively seek to befriend and help immigrants? I guess you'll have some twisted reasoning to explain why such actions hide evil motives because that's what you do. Feel free, knock yourself out.

 

[tdr1nka]

I didn't try to justify it and I'm not saying it was ok. I just
admit to doing it and explained that my motivation was to annoy, drive away the girl concerned rather than attack her because of her colour.

You wanted to 'annoy' someone by making a fairly blatant reference to slave heritage which is pretty closely linked to race?

You are completely off your chump if you honestly think that was avoiding the 'colour issue' when you made a hurtful and spiteful comment to someone based on her ethnicity and history.

You might not be trying to justify the comment and you may well not make the same error today, but to pass it over as even remotely acceptable because you avoided saying anything directly about her colour, which I believe is what you are saying, is as insensitive as it is deluded.

 

[Mr Pig]

I didn't say it was justified, acceptable or ok, did I? My only point was that, although a nasty thing to say, it was not motivated by any ill feeling towards her because of her colour. I have never had any ill feeling towards anyone because of their colour.

I'd like to know if those who are accusing me here have ever told a joke about a coloured, Chinese, Irish or other foreign person? Not even as a child? I guess I'm not about to get an admission out of hypocrites who like the view from the high horse.

 

[vernon]

I assume you are accusing me of being racist here by choosing to deliberately misinterpret what I've said? Up to you but as I say, you know nothing about me. Anyone who does knows I'm not racist. Would a racist actively seek to befriend and help immigrants? I guess you'll have some twisted reasoning to explain why such actions hide evil motives because that's what you do. Feel free, knock yourself out.

The forum is hardly inundated with support for your pleas of innocence.

There is no misintepretation of what you've said.

 

[tdr1nka]

With every respect to the man you are now there are a few points you seem to be missing in your defence.

The basis of the comment itself was motivated by a crude racial stereotype that is inextricably linked to colour. You don't appear to have attempted to annoy her any other way.

What irks me is that at no point have you said that you might regret having said what you did or accept the anger it caused, just that you don't feel the comment was motivated by colour itself.

 

[Crackle]

During workplace banter and fallouts it's not uncommon for me to be called a fat ba*****. Does that mean that the guy who calls me that hates or has an issue with fat people? No. He's just using an insult that he feels might impact on me because I am fat. It may not be very nice but it's not fatism.

I get what you are trying to say, you're talking about heat of the moment actions but you've expressed yourself badly and you're trying to defend it as normal. It isn't. Those kind of outbursts are to be regretted and if you've any conscience, apologised for. They should also be things you learn from, especially if you are on the recieving end. It's not nice if someone insults you personally, ergo it's not a good thing to repeat the behaviour to someone else. You can't defend a racist comment or any other bigoted or discriminatory comment, it is what it is, it's not excusable, the most you could offer was understandable but never excusable. I think you know that but don't want to back down and lose face: You won't. You'll gain a lot more respect if you think about this and understand what others are telling you. You'll also help make a small contribution to making the world a better place if you turn around and say, I'm not going to echo this behaviour anymore it's not nice and not acceptable.

 

[Mr Pig]

It's not nice if someone insults you personally, ergo it's not a good thing to repeat the behaviour to someone else. You can't defend a racist comment or any other bigoted or discriminatory comment....You'll also help make a small contribution to making the world a better place if you turn around and say, I'm not going to echo this behaviour any more it's not nice and not acceptable.

At no point have I said that being nasty to people or insulting them is nice or acceptable! I'm not defending it, condoning it or echoing it! But I am admitting that I have done it and almost certainly will again. I'm not proud of what I said to that girl, I never said that I was, but it was twenty years ago and is the only time I can recall insulting anyone by referring to the colour of their skin.

I am truly blessed though to be have so many perfect souls on here to guide me and put me straight. Thank you for correcting mistakes I made twenty years ago. Without the help of people like you who've never made mistakes in their lives I don't know what I'd do.