Inselaffen

anyone who has been to Nigeria would find it believable

Meow

I posted the same in a football thread on here.

I don't see that as racist as its true that there are loads of Nigerian scammers. Fact. There are far more racist comments made everywhere every day, but frankly most people are idiots who like to jump on a bandwagon. As Brits if such a joke was aimed at us we'd mostly just laugh. Other nationalities frequently cannot bear any criticism, even in jest, which just seems terribly immature.

*awaits accusations of racism*

mikewot

51% of that type of scam come from Nigeria. It has it's own name, after the Nigerian penal code which deals with it Nigerian 419 Scam.

I love those who are outraged on someone else's behalf because all of the complainants at me were not Nigerian.
There is a line between racism and humour, it's just unfortunate that some nationalities choose to be outraged, because they can.

Bahtatboy

Well no, actually. The Nigerian joke is clearly racist, because its suggesting that all Nigerians (or any particular Nigerian, in this case the football captain) is a criminal based on the fact that many scams originate in Nigeria. That's purely racist. Its also a joke, so there's no line between the two.

Having established that its racist, what's important to distinguish is whether or not its harmful. Unfortunately that's subjective. As someone said, there are many similar jokes about the English, which generally English people will laugh at. However, if Nigerians find it insulting, then ipso facto its harmful. To state that therefore Nigerians are immature because they find it insulting is pouring oil on the fire and is sanctimonious.

Many of us find it funny and harmless because if the tables were turned and a similar joke was about us, we'd laugh. But that doesn't mean it is.

An Englishman, lecturing on his travels, was speaking dispargingly about the
Scots in Canada & the mixing of race with the indians.
"You'll find" he said "A number of Scots half breeds & French half breeds but you
cannot find any english half breeds."
"Not surprisingly" shouted a Scot in the audience.
"The women need to draw a line somewhere."

Why don't the English manufacture televisions?
Can't find a way to make them leak oil.

An Englishmen is on the green of a golf course about to take a putt. Suddenly, a funeral procession passes. The Englishman raises his hat as the cortege passes as if in deep reflection. 'I never knew a man such as yourself was such a gentleman!' exclaimed his French playing partner, to which the Englishman responds 'Well, we were married for 40 years!'

How can you tell if an Englishman is sexually excited?
By the stiff upper lip.

A British married couple are in the sitting room. The wife knits while her husband reads The Times. 'My dear?' 'Yes, my dearest?' 'Do we have sexual relations?' 'Yes we do my dearest!' They continue knitting and reading for several hours. Finally, the woman says: 'We should invite them round more often!'

A plane crashes on a desert island. There are only a few survivors: three Spanish people, three French people and an Englishman. Six months later: one of the Spanish men has killed the other and is now living with the Spanish woman, the three French people have decide to become a threesome and the Englishman is still waiting to be introduced to the others.

What do you call a pretty woman in England?’ Answer: A tourist.

mikewot

How can you distinguish a Nigerian from a group of other black people (assuming they are black?) For me there is no 'Nigerian' race, just as there is no race of people from England. You cannot distinguish them in a crowd. I think the word racist has been distorted from it's original meaning, similar to gay now referring to homosexuals.

Bahtatboy

From his passport.

And yes ok, Nigerians are a mixture of tribes, pretty much as any country's population is. But that's missing the point. Deliberately, by some people.

weasel decentral

There is no Nigerian race, just as there is no English race. However it seems that the definition race has been extended to include ethnicity or national origin so everyone can get a chance to be righteously offended. Not to excuse the Nigerian joke obviously but just it seems every one calls racism at a drop of a hat these days.

Here's an admittedly poor joke from my childhood that tries to cover all grounds;

What's black and eats chips?

Bahtatboy

I'm not sure that's true either. Whenever it was that the word racist first came into use, I doubt very much that it was intended literally--far more likely that it was intended to cover nationality primarily, and race as a consequence of differing nationality. If you take the word literally, then it would be OK to discriminate against the Norman French (because they're the same race as us--well, some of us), but not against, say, the southern French, because they're mainly different, originating from elsewhere--although the Celtic influence causes problems).

Granted many disingenously twist the use of the word, but it really is getting into semantics to argue that national identity isn't--or rather, shouldn't be--within the ambit of the word racism.

However, religious affiliation is a whole other kettle of pork scratchings.

weasel decentral

I am not suggesting that is it ok to discriminate against your own race, being of the same race doesn't give you a free pass to discriminate against your own, so to speak.

I don't think its semantics to keep racism applied to race only, some words are specifically defined and why should they be expanded. Discrimination covers race, nationality, sex, age, physical ability or lack of it as separate facets, we hardly need to invent another encompassing term.

mikewot

I think the Oxford Dictionary definition perfectly defines what I think it means. But somehow some people expand it into an all encompassing frothing at the mouth fest:

The belief that all members of each race possess characteristics, abilities, or qualities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races:
theories of racism
MORE EXAMPLE SENTENCES
1.1Prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior:

stormwynd

Sooo after seeing racism take off as a soaring topic here, I decided to go looking for more info behind it, and found this article. Just wanted to share in case any are like me and trying to learn more about Qatar.

Ben Johnson on Race and Racism in Qatar

Maxima

As always the comments are more entertaining than the article



saoud


I am replying to you and I am Qatari. Qataris are religious and our religion is Islam so Dont think you would ever face any kind of racism because there is no different between the colors in Islam. Trust me This kid is exaggerating about many things.

Venezuelan007

I think what Qataris do is not racism, is more like sectarism. And in the end I kinda understand it. They have their country invaded and they are way outnumbered, also they are reminded everyday that the day everyone goes home they'll starve to death

csdf

Each and every non-Qatari is only there because a Qatari is explicitly sponsoring them. So it's the opposite of an invasion - an invitasion, if you will.

shiva

Khaleejis have a curious view of most people who are not of their tribes. That view largely consists of a regret that they can't actually keep them all as slaves. It's most inconvenient for them