Were you racist in 1984?

[mcmanus]

The term 'paki' is certainly a strange one. I moved into a flat across from a mosque and the streets around were houses of mainly muslim families. Anyhow, I asked this Asain lad the closest place for a pack of cigs. He says "there's a paki shop just round the corner, couple of minutes walk". I get to the shop and a white chap owns and runs it. Work that one out. We live in a strange world.

 

[tidyman]

Them two other guys have both gone quiet. I wanna know who won
the big fight and is the winner being named as Hatton's opponent
at this big press conference on Friday?

 

[Scareye]

It was an assessment of the individuals. I found and still find today there is a certain type of person (not pigeon holing all) in my opinion is more likely to be offensive. Thats all, having suffered it I would know

Myself being from a council estate, I can tell you racism was no more prevelant amongst the people I grew up with than some of the lads I was in school with from private estates.

Hence my experience was with the Council estate lads - Not saying it wasn't inherent in people from different background. I just didn't experience it from them

2 Questions for you. I actually don't know how old you are, but I am 40 so grew up 70's & 80's.
You grew up on a council estate. What were peoples views on non whites with the people you grew up with?
Was that a general/majority view?

I'm 42 mate, so grew up in the same era. I mentioned your comment about council estate lads only because it struck me as a sweeping generalization, having read the comment above I see that they were the only people you mixed with so I suppose it's fair comment.

Peoples views were similar to the ones I hear now, there was ignorance and intolerance then there is ignorance and intolerance now.

 

[Ronnie the Rep]

I went to school in west London after we moved south and I didn't see a black or Asian kid until one came to our school. His name was Khan (funny what you remember) I was just curious about why he was different.the next town to us was Southall which in the 50's was quite a posh white area though by the time I moved south it was becoming full of Asians. I wasn't any more racist than anyone else of my generation but there was deffo a sense of them and us, they didn't integrate and there was resentment when there were no English banks or English cinemas left

Now the company I work for employs more ethnic minorities and foreigners than white English

Who cares anymore??

 

[bigcol]

Look I don't mean to disparage the whole of Australian folk because they will reach out and make an effort I think it was mentioned before in this topic that although some think that the UK has gone pc mad the trickle down effect becomes one of being aware and using a degree of sensitivity. I was in Manchester with my dad 3 years back (we went for the last 5 games of the season) we were in a cafe in the centre somewhere, anyway my dad ordered a black coffee and the chap serving happened to be a rather large West Indian ( cricket mad) he looked at my dad and said "...you can't say that mate its a coffee without milk" My dad and I jaws dropped and we humbly apologized. The guy cracked up laughing, he was taking the piss as he knew we had been out of the country for a few decades it was a real "gotcha" moment. Priceless Mancunian humour. He did a great slap up breakfast everyday for 5 weeks my cholesterol went through the roof. He showed us that some people somewhere may say that but he utilized it as a social device giving us the insight of how aware at times you have to be

 

[roaminblue]

Do you think it's ok for people to question why it's racist to make a hissing sound at a Spurs match?

Sorry, I didn't mean that I thought it was "ok", nor justifyable. Merely pointing out that in my experience those who can't understand why that word is particularlly offensive believe that as they don't know what its like to be on the receiving end of a slur like that. They can't be empathetic because they haven't experienced anything similar.

Nor do I buy this whole "I've been called a dirty brit" while holidaying aboard (etc) because the circumstances are completely different.

 

[cityman14364]

I fail to see why someone from Pakistan being called a Paki is offensive yet we openly call people from Scotland Jocks,Irish Paddies,heaven forbid someone calling me a Brit to my face.Maybe it's because it suits certain peoples agenda

How many times have you been called a Brit (or a dirty fucking Brit) whilst walking down the road?
Suggesting there is some sort of parity between Yank or Jock or Brit and Paki, is either very naive or stubbornly uninformed

you twisted his words very welldidnt you? obviously he didnt say dirty fucking paki did he, he was simply saying by cutting it short like they do for us, british cut down to brit, which i dont object to why would cutting down pakistani to paki be offensive? dont twist words read it for what it is

 

[pauldominic]

I was looking at the Michael barrymore video in the thread,Lord god in heaven above... and it seems to me that racist views must of been mainstream back then,so were you racist?

I've never been a racist and I have no idea what the "Lord god in heaven above" has to do with racism.

 

[pauldominic]

I fail to see why someone from Pakistan being called a Paki is offensive yet we openly call people from Scotland Jocks,Irish Paddies,heaven forbid someone calling me a Brit to my face.Maybe it's because it suits certain peoples agenda

How many times have you been called a Brit (or a dirty fucking Brit) whilst walking down the road?
Suggesting there is some sort of parity between Yank or Jock or Brit and Paki, is either very naive or stubbornly uninformed

you twisted his words very welldidnt you? obviously he didnt say dirty fucking paki did he, he was simply saying by cutting it short like they do for us, british cut down to brit, which i dont object to why would cutting down pakistani to paki be offensive? dont twist words read it for what it is

Well said Ammy.

People from Pakistan are immigrants from a different culture.

 

[TCIB]

When i was a teen, we had a booze shop we called "paki harry's" as he was from Pakistan.
There was also an old what guy close by who had the old shop doing paper rounds and he had sweets by the quarter etc.

We never used the term in a manor of an identifier as in he is different to us, only to show we were going to either a, the beer shop or b, the sweet shop.

I would not use the term now , however the way society perceives gesticulations or inferences now is an interesting dynamic.