Originally Posted by Meow

I can't tell you how nice it is to have you back espousing these views as I got rather tired of being the only one and dealing with many deeply unpleasant comments from other members.

The use of certain words is also about context. Brit is not seem as an insult in the same way other terms are as it wasn't mean to be an insult or the putting down of a 'lesser' person. You all know this anyway.

I fail to see why it is hard to avoid using certain terms when you know that they upset some people and what's clever about trying to offend? Political correctness isn't about being precious; it's about not discriminating or marginalising someone who might be disadvantaged in some way. It's about being kinder and more considerate to others. If you are a decent human being this is A Good Thing.

Originally Posted by DXBtoDOH

Perhaps it's you who's stuck in a fictional world where all white people are members of a privileged raj being waited upon by fleets of grovelling brown skinned servants and that we must do our kind dutiful bit to help out the poor unfortunates who were unlucky enough to be born without a white skin and British passport. Do you have a Christian missionary ancestor or two?



Newsflash for you. It ain't America, circa 1955. Last time I looked, the 'brown' people were doing a pretty good job asserting themselves without a pansy Irish (*insert appropriate slur for an Irishman here*) coming to their rescue And, ironically, the 'brown' people seem to do a quite nice job taking advantage of western liberal guilt while being silent about the severe racial, caste, class and gender discrimination in their own societies.

As I get older, the more I realise it's a strange and peculiar world and human vanities and follies never cease to amuse me daily.

Originally Posted by Miss Ann Thrope

There you are!! It's like that bit in the Lord of the Rings movie (I guess the 12th or 13th one) where the Orcs are assaulting the ramparts of Helms Deep and then the elves suddenly (and finally!) arrive over the hill...or something.

Originally Posted by Meow

Of course our generation is not responsible for the actions of the past but simply being born British and/or in the UK gives you numerous advantages in life, simply by accident of birth. It's not about being better but about having advantages such as access to 'free' education and healthcare. No one in the UK has to worry about having clean drinking water and whilst there are still a number of homeless people and those struggling financially, no one starves to death and there is a support system.

Being born in the West (a loose term) is an advantage in life and to paraphrase Spiderman, with great advantage comes great responsibility.

Originally Posted by jam25mack

Eh? That's kind of off topic as no one was saying that we (Brits) haven't generally been born into a charmed life....

The discussion was more on descriptive terms and if they should or should not be considered offensive, and if we (as Brits) can consider the many terms that foreigners use for us as offensive or not...

Originally Posted by Miss Ann Thrope

There you are!! It's like that bit in the Lord of the Rings movie (I guess the 12th or 13th one) where the Orcs are assaulting the ramparts of Helms Deep and then the elves suddenly (and finally!) arrive over the hill...or something.

Originally Posted by Scamp

Can't tell if this is serious.

Originally Posted by Scamp

Can't tell if this is serious.

Originally Posted by Miss Ann Thrope

Deadly serious

Originally Posted by Bahtatboy

If it wasn't for the Nips
Being so good at making ships
The docks would still be open on the Tyne

That used to be acceptable. And correct.

Originally Posted by Meow

On topic as the point is that we are the privileged ones and should know better.

Originally Posted by DXBtoDOH

How are we the privileged ones?

I merely ask because this debate started when a British (of Pakistani heritage) made a casual reference to having Chinese, using an old slang for Chinese restaurants that emerged not out of a deliberate attempt to slur the nationality but the human tendency towards infantalised endearments and nicknames, and is told that we should know better because 'we are the privileged ones' despite that China is the world's second largest and certainly the second most powerful economy and where slangs for white Europeans are commonplace

I don't care for racially or ethnically insensitive slang, regardless of their intentions, and never use them, but I also don't particularly care for the patronising sneer of middle class politically correct respectability that is just as racist and discriminatory in its own way in the tolerance of double-standards and acceptance of perpetual victimisation.

Originally Posted by Meow

You really don't see how Brits are privileged when compared to the rest of the world? I suggest you just want to argue for the sake of it.

Originally Posted by Millhouse

You have done very well out of this privilege. Let's not undermine it.

Originally Posted by Meow

I have? We all have. And we should all be damn grateful and appreciate that not everyone has the same advantages.