Is this offensive?
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 5
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.
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.
#2
Re: 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.
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.
#3
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.
#4
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!
#5
Re: 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.
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.
#6
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 5
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.
#7
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.
#8
Just Joined
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 9
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!!!
The statement is not offensive in itself but tells you all you need to know about the people who made it!!!
#10
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.
Well, either that or they think that you may be are a racist!
I'm not sure thats actually the question you are trying to ask though.
Well, either that or they think that you may be are a racist!
#11
Re: Is this offensive?
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.
Last edited by ex_exile; Jan 22nd 2008 at 8:45 pm.
#12
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.
#13
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.
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?
#15
Re: Is this offensive?
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.