I Got Angry Yesterday

Mr Spew · 2 May 2006 at 00:46

The murder of the Jews was called a genocide, which means the extermination of a race, race, racism.

Bazonga!

speeduk · 2 May 2006 at 00:50

The thing is - if the guy who shouted the offensive language was reported, nothing would have happened. The security guards joined in laughing so in this case the "law" is on the offenders side.

If the law is protecting evil - then down with the law.

neoboy · 2 May 2006 at 00:51

Mr Spew said:
The murder of the Jews was called a genocide, which means the extermination of a race, race, racism.

Bazonga!

Huh? There are Jews all over the world living in different countries with different nationalities.

Treefrog · 2 May 2006 at 01:04

singist said:
If we all spent a little less time arguing semantics or being pedantic about the race issue and a bit more time actually taking some responsibility for upholding the law, this country of ours would become a little more bearable.

No, we are not policemen/women, but that should not stop us trying to make this place that we live in, a better place.

Finally!

To attack another using the differences between you as an excuse is a very slippery slope. It legitimises those targets in some people's eyes and allows the situation to deteriorate. Then others with another difference will be seen as legitimate and:

"In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the trade-unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade-unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me and by that time no one was left to speak up."
- attributed to Rev. Martin Niemoller.

Arcade Fire · 2 May 2006 at 02:27

I agree entirely with singist's sentiments - debates about whether or not this was a 'racist' incident are entirely missing the point!

asim said:
You'd be surprised how many people say they are not "racist" yet in a certain situation will use racist comments as if it meant nothing. "Oh we were just having a laugh", yea well why not ******* have a laugh by using some jokes that arent offensive.

Honestly. Its not soo much blatant racists that get on my nerves anymore its people who claim not to be racist yet decide to use racist comments at times.

It's not the actual words which make a comment racist - it's the intention with which they're said. I have a friend who we all refer to as 'the ******' - and he jokes about it himself. It's no different to me knocking my northern friends for being uncultured chimps, and them mocking me for being a soft pansy southerner.

On the flip side, a seemingly innocuous comment can be laced with disguised racism - this is what I think you get uptight about. One of my dad's friends moans continually about the number of immigrants moving into our area, claiming that they're destroying the culture here - despite the fact that we have a below-average number of immigrants in our area. He was refused planning permission for an extension to his house, and he loudly complained that if it had been an Indian, they would have got the permission. He's not racist though - he has Indian friends. :rolleyes:

Institutionalised racism is the balls.

Vanilla · 2 May 2006 at 07:45

Arcade Fire said:
I agree entirely with singist's sentiments - debates about whether or not this was a 'racist' incident are entirely missing the point!

Really? I thought it was quite funny actually. You had singinst asking people to uphold the law and to pretty much ignore all the fiff-faff about what law it actually was being broken.

I feel the other way, if we actually took the time to look at the law and the world around us we could stop this type of action through a route different to violence.

Education.

Something desperately missing from this thread.

It's not the actual words which make a comment racist - it's the intention with which they're said. I have a friend who we all refer to as 'the ******' - and he jokes about it himself. It's no different to me knocking my northern friends for being uncultured chimps, and them mocking me for being a soft pansy southerner.

On the flip side, a seemingly innocuous comment can be laced with disguised racism - this is what I think you get uptight about. One of my dad's friends moans continually about the number of immigrants moving into our area, claiming that they're destroying the culture here - despite the fact that we have a below-average number of immigrants in our area. He was refused planning permission for an extension to his house, and he loudly complained that if it had been an Indian, they would have got the permission. He's not racist though - he has Indian friends.

Institutionalised racism is the balls.

'******' is a racist word as it singles out a characteristic from the persons race. What the OP described contains no words like that and we still don't know if the kids the OP talked about are white, black or asian do we?

Vanilla · 2 May 2006 at 07:54

Mr Spew said:
The murder of the Jews was called a genocide, which means the extermination of a race, race, racism.

Bazonga!

It's literal meaning from latin is yes, but genocide has a much broader scope that 'killing of a race'. It is this broader scope that has been attached to the murer of the jews.

disctionary.com will tell you this.

bradbcam · 2 May 2006 at 08:21

Coments like that are born out of a lack of knowledge! that's what i always say in those sort of situations ... although i say it rather loudly as a distraction to a good beating that will follow (in certain circumstances)

Toekiller · 2 May 2006 at 09:21

Well done for saying something and well done to your friend.

Arcade Fire · 2 May 2006 at 10:18

Vanilla said:
I feel the other way, if we actually took the time to look at the law and the world around us we could stop this type of action through a route different to violence.

That would work if everyone respected the law. Since not everyone does, we should explore other options - such as encouraging people to react when they see someone else breaking the law.

Vanilla · 2 May 2006 at 10:27

Arcade Fire said:
That would work if everyone respected the law. Since not everyone does, we should explore other options - such as encouraging people to react when they see someone else breaking the law.

Your are completely right and I agree - as long as they react in an appropraite manner and know which law is being broken.

Richdog · 2 May 2006 at 10:37

panthro said:
He MUST have a liking for a scrap? How so, because he got angry at wrong doing? If he had a liking for a scrap, then he would actively go out seeking it, which he doesnt. If he did, then he would be in jail by now probably for all the scrapping he gets into.

Sorry mate I don't agree. It takes a certain type of person to walk up to someone and elbow them in the head. It is not self-defence and it is most certainly not reactive.

Plenty of people in this world like a scrap and aren't in jail, seems your mate is no different.

Cueball · 2 May 2006 at 11:01

Toekiller said:
Well done for saying something and well done to your friend.

^^ +1

Racist scum deserve to be kicked back into line.

Yas786 · 2 May 2006 at 11:17

LOL wow so just because a jewish kid gets racially/verbally abused...your mate goes and gives the person who said an elbow to the head??. How utterly pathetic and sad, i wish someone would have done that for me while i was growing up and being called all sorts of racist names.

Whats this place coming to eh??...honestly...the jewish kid needs to grow some tougher skin and get on with it...hell when i was young and defenceless i had to put with a lot of racist abuse.

Anyways seems like a lot of people still feel sorry for the jews and what happened to them many yrs ago at the hands of Hitler...why in gods name are we still treading on egg shells with the jews when it comes to them??. Talk about pandering to their feelings but yet when it comes to other racial groups it seems to be the 'in-thing' with verbally abusing them lol

.

Not saying that what the fella said was a nice thing because its not but to get elbowed by some chav who thinks hes the jewish saviour is a bit sad and pathetic.

cleanbluesky · 2 May 2006 at 11:23

As far as the "is it isn't it racism" debate is concerned, I think an adult being nasty to a child (even if they are dressed funny) is worse than being racist...

In this situation violence was the resort of someone who lacked the social skills to appropriately embarass the chav without laying a finger on him - although how effective this would have been given that the person was likely a complete scumbag to make such a comment to a 13 year old. I have known similar people who would abuse the elderly, who recieved more than a simple elbow to the head, and it didn't change their attitude - so I am not sure how effective the violence would be as behaviour modification.

That said, I tip my hat to Panthro who managed to defuse the situation with some choice words rather than resorting to violence.

Treefrog · 2 May 2006 at 11:38

my emphasis:

Arcade Fire said:
It's not the actual words which make a comment racist - it's the intention with which they're said. I have a friend who we all refer to as 'the ******' - and he jokes about it himself. It's no different to me knocking my northern friends for being uncultured chimps, and them mocking me for being a soft pansy southerner.

Anyone remember an episode of "The Bill" where a black housing officer was evicting a tenant and her brood for continually harrassing the neighbours?

She stood by the drinks machine in the court and said:
"What shall I have? Chocolate? No, I don't like chocolate - it disagrees with me."
No overt racism there but the meaning is quite clear methinks.

mark66 · 2 May 2006 at 11:46

Oliver said:
Good on you! It might not have been the most morally right thing to do but it at least shows the people who shouted the comment that the rest of society doesn't agree with it and is willing to act. And to say it to a flaming child, pathetic. I applaud you!

jezsoup · 2 May 2006 at 11:49

Treefrog said:
my emphasis:

Anyone remember an episode of "The Bill" where a black housing officer was evicting a tenant and her brood for continually harrassing the neighbours?

She stood by the drinks machine in the court and said:
"What shall I have? Chocolate? No, I don't like chocolate - it disagrees with me."
No overt racism there but the meaning is quite clear methinks.

Or your reading into things too much maybe?

Treefrog · 2 May 2006 at 11:59

jezsoup said:
Or your reading into things too much maybe?

Don't think so. Not from the tone of voice, facial expression and what had gone before. I know it was only a TV programme, but it made the point very well IMO.

jezsoup · 2 May 2006 at 12:06

Treefrog said:
Don't think so. Not from the tone of voice, facial expression and what had gone before. I know it was only a TV programme, but it made the point very well IMO.

Fair enough, I cant recall seeing that episode so illt ake your word for it. Im just a bit wary when peopel start "finding" hidden things etc etc often when you look for something you will find it wether its there or not!