Is this offensive?

Old Jan 22nd 2008, 12:32 pm
  #1  
Just Joined
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 5
FrankieM is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Is this offensive?

Hello,

I have a question about cultural differences.

I own a holiday rental house in France and received an email enquiry that included the sentence "We are a white South African family".

I found this very offensive, the implication to me being, "don't worry, we are not black!"

Am I right to read it in this way, or is it normal in South Africa for people to describe themselves as 'white South African' or 'black South African'?

Thanks for any input you can give me.
FrankieM is offline  
Old Jan 22nd 2008, 2:16 pm
  #2  
Happily hungover
 
1066's Avatar
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Runcorn, via Africa and parts unknown.
Posts: 2,447
1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Is this offensive?

Originally Posted by FrankieM
Hello,

I have a question about cultural differences.

I own a holiday rental house in France and received an email enquiry that included the sentence "We are a white South African family".

I found this very offensive, the implication to me being, "don't worry, we are not black!"

Am I right to read it in this way, or is it normal in South Africa for people to describe themselves as 'white South African' or 'black South African'?

Thanks for any input you can give me.
If you find that offensive, perhaps you need a thicker skin.
1066 is offline  
Old Jan 22nd 2008, 2:20 pm
  #3  
Nuts and Bolts
 
Tegwyn's Avatar
 
Joined: Sep 2006
Location: Palm Tree in the Snow
Posts: 2,116
Tegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Is this offensive?

Mmm, sense a stir. So, they are describing themselves and you take offense. Perhaps you are the one with offensive issues.
Tegwyn is offline  
Old Jan 22nd 2008, 5:20 pm
  #4  
Nuts and Bolts
 
Tegwyn's Avatar
 
Joined: Sep 2006
Location: Palm Tree in the Snow
Posts: 2,116
Tegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Is this offensive?

Thought I would add that what is really the absolutely ignorance of some people is to assume just because of their nationality, these people are considered to be racist. Clearly indicative of their own prejudice. Thanks for exposing yourself to us all on the www!
Tegwyn is offline  
Old Jan 22nd 2008, 5:24 pm
  #5  
Are we there yet?
 
Trixie_b's Avatar
 
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: 31 miles from Cool (California)
Posts: 2,467
Trixie_b has a reputation beyond reputeTrixie_b has a reputation beyond reputeTrixie_b has a reputation beyond reputeTrixie_b has a reputation beyond reputeTrixie_b has a reputation beyond reputeTrixie_b has a reputation beyond reputeTrixie_b has a reputation beyond reputeTrixie_b has a reputation beyond reputeTrixie_b has a reputation beyond reputeTrixie_b has a reputation beyond reputeTrixie_b has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Is this offensive?

Originally Posted by FrankieM
Hello,

I have a question about cultural differences.

I own a holiday rental house in France and received an email enquiry that included the sentence "We are a white South African family".

I found this very offensive, the implication to me being, "don't worry, we are not black!"

Am I right to read it in this way, or is it normal in South Africa for people to describe themselves as 'white South African' or 'black South African'?

Thanks for any input you can give me.
Ermmm I think it's a sad state of affairs when people assume they're going to face prejudice for the country they come from.
Trixie_b is offline  
Old Jan 22nd 2008, 7:34 pm
  #6  
Just Joined
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 5
FrankieM is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Is this offensive?

Thanks for your responses. Sorry to say I don't really understand them. My objection has nothing to do with nationality. If I had an email asking to rent my house saying "We are a white English family" or "We are a white American family" my reaction would be the same, except in those cases I would know enough about the cultures of those countries to know the meaning of these statements. I don't know anything about the culture of South Africa, and was asking if this could be an innocent expression.
FrankieM is offline  
Old Jan 22nd 2008, 7:58 pm
  #7  
Happily hungover
 
1066's Avatar
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Runcorn, via Africa and parts unknown.
Posts: 2,447
1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Is this offensive?

Originally Posted by FrankieM
Thanks for your responses. Sorry to say I don't really understand them. My objection has nothing to do with nationality. If I had an email asking to rent my house saying "We are a white English family" or "We are a white American family" my reaction would be the same, except in those cases I would know enough about the cultures of those countries to know the meaning of these statements. I don't know anything about the culture of South Africa, and was asking if this could be an innocent expression.
I think you got your answer.
1066 is offline  
Old Jan 22nd 2008, 8:11 pm
  #8  
Just Joined
 
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 9
Basco is an unknown quantity at this point
Thumbs up Re: Is this offensive?

You are right to pose the question.

The statement is not offensive in itself but tells you all you need to know about the people who made it!!!
Basco is offline  
Old Jan 22nd 2008, 8:21 pm
  #9  
Happily hungover
 
1066's Avatar
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Runcorn, via Africa and parts unknown.
Posts: 2,447
1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute1066 has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Is this offensive?

Originally Posted by Basco
You are right to pose the question.

The statement is not offensive in itself but tells you all you need to know about the people who made it!!!
Really? That in itself is a very racist statement .... it tells us all we need to know about you.
1066 is offline  
Old Jan 22nd 2008, 8:29 pm
  #10  
You call that a moustache
 
ex_exile's Avatar
 
Joined: Sep 2006
Location: Heading West..
Posts: 2,060
ex_exile has a reputation beyond reputeex_exile has a reputation beyond reputeex_exile has a reputation beyond reputeex_exile has a reputation beyond reputeex_exile has a reputation beyond reputeex_exile has a reputation beyond reputeex_exile has a reputation beyond reputeex_exile has a reputation beyond reputeex_exile has a reputation beyond reputeex_exile has a reputation beyond reputeex_exile has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Is this offensive?

Offensive to whom? To you obviously yes.

I'm not sure thats actually the question you are trying to ask though.




Originally Posted by Basco
You are right to pose the question.

The statement is not offensive in itself but tells you all you need to know about the people who made it!!!
Well, either that or they think that you may be are a racist!
ex_exile is offline  
Old Jan 22nd 2008, 8:33 pm
  #11  
You call that a moustache
 
ex_exile's Avatar
 
Joined: Sep 2006
Location: Heading West..
Posts: 2,060
ex_exile has a reputation beyond reputeex_exile has a reputation beyond reputeex_exile has a reputation beyond reputeex_exile has a reputation beyond reputeex_exile has a reputation beyond reputeex_exile has a reputation beyond reputeex_exile has a reputation beyond reputeex_exile has a reputation beyond reputeex_exile has a reputation beyond reputeex_exile has a reputation beyond reputeex_exile has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Is this offensive?

Originally Posted by 1066
Really? That in itself is a very racist statement .... it tells us all we need to know about you.
1066

You are on shaky ground here dude, I have just seen the comment you posted on one of my threads and I consider that comment may possibly be racist.

Originally Posted by 1066
It's Africa .... what do you expect

Last edited by ex_exile; Jan 22nd 2008 at 8:45 pm.
ex_exile is offline  
Old Jan 22nd 2008, 8:39 pm
  #12  
Nuts and Bolts
 
Tegwyn's Avatar
 
Joined: Sep 2006
Location: Palm Tree in the Snow
Posts: 2,116
Tegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Is this offensive?

Originally Posted by FrankieM
Thanks for your responses. Sorry to say I don't really understand them. My objection has nothing to do with nationality. If I had an email asking to rent my house saying "We are a white English family" or "We are a white American family" my reaction would be the same, except in those cases I would know enough about the cultures of those countries to know the meaning of these statements. I don't know anything about the culture of South Africa, and was asking if this could be an innocent expression.
You claim you are offended yet acknowledge you don't know the culture. So what does that say about your reaction based on an assumption of what these people had indicated about their description of themselves. They did not imply anything other than tell you a bit about themselves. There are many that discriminate against South Africans of all colour and creeds based on generalized assumptions. I still think this is a stir.
Tegwyn is offline  
Old Jan 22nd 2008, 10:40 pm
  #13  
Senior Moment
 
Mitzyboy's Avatar
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: On the edge
Posts: 20,460
Mitzyboy has a reputation beyond reputeMitzyboy has a reputation beyond reputeMitzyboy has a reputation beyond reputeMitzyboy has a reputation beyond reputeMitzyboy has a reputation beyond reputeMitzyboy has a reputation beyond reputeMitzyboy has a reputation beyond reputeMitzyboy has a reputation beyond reputeMitzyboy has a reputation beyond reputeMitzyboy has a reputation beyond reputeMitzyboy has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Is this offensive?

Originally Posted by FrankieM
Thanks for your responses. Sorry to say I don't really understand them. My objection has nothing to do with nationality. If I had an email asking to rent my house saying "We are a white English family" or "We are a white American family" my reaction would be the same, except in those cases I would know enough about the cultures of those countries to know the meaning of these statements. I don't know anything about the culture of South Africa, and was asking if this could be an innocent expression.

So ........ even though you found it offensive, did you rent your house to them?

Would you have been equally offended if they had emailed you and said they were a black south african family?
Mitzyboy is offline  
Old Jan 22nd 2008, 11:21 pm
  #14  
BE Enthusiast
 
Stanley10's Avatar
 
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 419
Stanley10 is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Is this offensive?

Originally Posted by FrankieM
Hello,

is it normal in South Africa for people to describe themselves as 'white South African' or 'black South African'?
No it isn't normal, and even if it was, it wouldn't make it right. I think implication you have taken from it is 100% correct.
Stanley10 is offline  
Old Jan 23rd 2008, 2:18 am
  #15  
Nuts and Bolts
 
Tegwyn's Avatar
 
Joined: Sep 2006
Location: Palm Tree in the Snow
Posts: 2,116
Tegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond reputeTegwyn has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Is this offensive?

Originally Posted by Stanley10
No it isn't normal, and even if it was, it wouldn't make it right. I think implication you have taken from it is 100% correct.
Absolute bullshit - in a nutshell! There is nothing normal about most of Africa. A continent in constant turmoil and divide. Just look at us, we are showing our differences. Oh, and just to make myself perfectly identifiable, I am purple and known to be a purple people eater. Discriminate against that!

Last edited by Tegwyn; Jan 23rd 2008 at 2:22 am.
Tegwyn is offline  

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.