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AIBU?

To think this is ridiculous and a bit racist?

85 replies

JessieMcJessie · 07/07/2016 22:13

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-36733450

Have read and seen this story in several places now, including a filmed segment on Sky News. Chinese tourists have been coming in large numbers to Kidlington and taking selfies etc in residential streets. Some reports of them ringing doorbells to ask to use toilets. Locals apparently "baffled" and have not been able to find out why they are coming because "they don't speak enough English". Theories being bandied about such as "it's mentioned in an episode of Inspector Morse" and "maybe something to do with Harry Potter?".

So the great and good of the national press are filing reports left right and centre and not one single one has been able to find a bilingual English/Mandarin speaker in the Oxfordshire area to just bloody ask the next coach load who turn up? Much more fun to stay deliberately in the dark and treat them like a freak show eh?

What a load of nonsense.

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ABCAlwaysBeCunting · 07/07/2016 22:17

I don't think it's racist, just odd. kidlington is so close to Oxford that I find it hard to believe that the residents think it's so unusual to see foreign tourists.

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JessieMcJessie · 07/07/2016 22:19

It's racist because they are being treated like animals not humans who can actually, you know, communicate.

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Beeziekn33ze · 07/07/2016 22:20

Just silly season 'news' I reckon. Of course they could find a Mandarin speaker in the area if they bothered!

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JessieMcJessie · 07/07/2016 22:22

Ah yes, because there's not enough real news at the moment to fill up the airwaves and the column inches...

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louisagradgrind · 07/07/2016 22:23

Nonsense!

I'm sure that if they wanted to make their intentions known, they would have found an English speaker to do so. Maybe they like the mystery!

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ProfessorPickles · 07/07/2016 22:23

A bit ridiculous, but I can't say I think it's racist

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BillSykesDog · 07/07/2016 22:24

It's an interesting story, but not really one which is worth holding the front page for. Given they don't know when the next coach will turn up it's probably not worth sending a reporter and translator on an indefinite stake out. Particularly when, you know, Brexit, Chilcott, race for Prime Minister, Labour imploding - they're probably fairly stretched for staff at the mo.

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WorraLiberty · 07/07/2016 22:26

Animals?

It's just a silly news story. I'm sure if they wanted to, they could find out the reason.

Equally, I'm sure out of all of those Chinese people, at least one will be able to speak enough English to explain.

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JessieMcJessie · 07/07/2016 22:27

There are Mandarin interpreters by the hundred constantly trying to sell their services to my place of work. All a local paper intern has to do is get one of their numbers and give it to a local resident. Hardly needs a 30 minute interview with Mishal Husain.

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JessieMcJessie · 07/07/2016 22:28

Animals as in animals in a zoo, yes.

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louisagradgrind · 07/07/2016 22:31

Actually, I think it is the tourists who are treating the residents like animals, if you want to you inflammatory terms. They're the ones with their cameras out and peering into their homes you know, like in a zoo!!

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scarlets · 07/07/2016 22:33

I see the OP's point. I think that it is a piss-take of Chinese people, who are being portrayed as odd, exotic, and uncommunicative when there's really no need (I bet that at least one of the tourists spoke some English and I also bet that there is at least one Chinese origin family in that town, who could've translated). I enjoy a silly story, but not when it makes fun of furriners and their funny little ways.

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Just5minswithDacre · 07/07/2016 22:36

Actually, I think it is the tourists who are treating the residents like animals, if you want to you inflammatory terms. They're the ones with their cameras out and peering into their homes you know, like in a zoo!!

This.

It looks as though all is revealed 2/3 the way down that article anyway.

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Queenbean · 07/07/2016 22:36

It's a stupid piece of news but is in no way racist

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Queenbean · 07/07/2016 22:36

The Chinese people are not being portrayed as "odd" at all!

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SingaSong12 · 07/07/2016 22:39

Yes I read the story and wondered why they didn't get an interpreter to just ask what was attracting these tourists. Or maybe get someone fluent in mandarin to have a look at the websites where the tourists book the tours to see how they are sold?

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ArmySal · 07/07/2016 22:42

I'd guess the majority of them had a good command of the English language.

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Asprilla11 · 07/07/2016 22:49

Actually in a shock twist they are all candidates for the UKIP leader position, the party has decided to go in a different direction Grin

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TSSDNCOP · 07/07/2016 22:50

It all sounds rather sweet. Residents bemused, visitors ernestly making a tourist experience of a suburb.

I can't see racist hint, tone or innuendo in the entire report.

op-really, stop looking for undertone where none exists. There are plenty of actual racist incidents in the news surely?

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Answerforeverything · 07/07/2016 23:45

There is an explanation, it's been published in the local newspapers here. The coach companies are advertising Kidlington as a Cotswold village, which it is not. They are literally wandering up and down residential streets here.

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JessieMcJessie · 07/07/2016 23:54

So in fact British coach companies are duping Chinese tourists and then locals and the media are laughing at them. Lovely.

Funnily enough in China they actually passed a law a couple of years ago which imposed severe penalties on anyone who exploited tourists domestically as there were huge numbers of fake privately-run beauty spots and so-called tours that were really just taking them to retail outlets and not letting them leave till they spent a load of money. Commission and tips have now been banned.

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user1467101855 · 07/07/2016 23:56

There are Mandarin interpreters by the hundred constantly trying to sell their services to my place of work. All a local paper intern has to do is get one of their numbers and give it to a local resident

So a local resident could pay an interpreter to come out and ask random tourists what they are doing?

Get a hold of yourself. The comments were lighthearted, and not remotely racist.

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JessieMcJessie · 07/07/2016 23:57

To be clear I am talking about Chinese people (often quite poor rural people) visiting other parts of China and being exploited, not about foreigners being exploited in China, though the law would of course protect foreigners too.

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ArmySal · 07/07/2016 23:58

Why do you think it's racist?? I'm pretty sure the story would be the same if they were Danish, Australian or Chinese.

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JessieMcJessie · 07/07/2016 23:58

No, the local resident is given the number, paid for by the paper, because then the reporter doesn't have to wait around for the next coach load.

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