Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think mumsnetters have overreacted

156 replies

mother2b · 22/06/2007 12:04

i think that racism is worng and am very anti racism, but i also think that its things like over reacting to chinky when all the poor lady meant was to go for a chinese is what is making our world so overly PC, was a little thoughtless but wasnt meant to be racist.

i just think that its was completely blown out of all proportion!!!

OP posts:
DoubleBluff · 22/06/2007 13:12

The blackboard thing has become abit of a myth and is of course not racist and offensive.
Chinky is racist, and although the term going for a 'chinky' has become part of everday language does not make it ok.
Although we go for an Indian we would not dream of saying we are going for a 'Paki'
If we are going for an Italian we do not say I am going for a ' Spick'
I do not see the difference.

LucyJones · 22/06/2007 13:09

I ahve no idea what you are on about.
No one has ever said we can't say 'black board'

Speccy · 22/06/2007 13:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
mother2b · 22/06/2007 13:06

they're not allowed to in schools because of racism but can still use the term whiteboards, people relate the terms 'rascim' to people that of of a colour other than white, so becasue we are white we are stronger, where i live people of different culture and colors can be just as racist to white people as white to black/brown/colored

am not racism, i coem from a multicultural family, i just think all of you are being a bit ott

OP posts:
DoubleBluff · 22/06/2007 13:03

Common aens and coomon decency, maybe.
Treat others as you would want to be treated.

HappyDaddy · 22/06/2007 13:03

PC is a stupid term in itself, seems to be a handy thing to blame when people want to be offensive but without the consequences.

Surely Common Sense would be a better term?

DoubleBluff · 22/06/2007 13:00

There is a world of diffenerce between referring toa chalkboard as a blackboard, and using the word Chhinky ti refer to a Chinese meal.
It is offensive ( and I am so un PC)
cannot believe that phrase is still being used tbh.

Boco · 22/06/2007 12:59

I don't think the debate that rose out of the use of the word chinky was out of proportion.

It wasn't aimed at one person, it wasn't a witch hunt - (in fact i don't know who actually said it) - but its a good and useful debate.

Several people didn't know it was racist - some of those may have been persuaded to stop using it. That is learning to adapt, its a good thing, we can and should all do it all the time, no one is above that - its not over the top.

What i hate is when people refuse to learn and adapt, claiming that it is pc gone mad - they believe they're talking about food, so its ok, and just because someone is offended, why should they change. That is lazy and rude.

HappyDaddy · 22/06/2007 12:55

Surely it's not unfair that we don't call blackboards, blackboards. It's hardly robbed us of a wonderful part of the English language, has it?

I still call them that, anyway. So does DW.

Original poster
mother2b · 22/06/2007 12:54

and i dont think its lazy and rude to think that the whole world is too pc, i dont believe in rascim but i think it is unfair that we cant call 'chalkboards' 'blackboards' anymore yet still call whiteboards whitesboards, do you no tthink that is a little ott???

OP posts:
Original poster
mother2b · 22/06/2007 12:52

oh NUT do you think that it would be a 'whitey' its not like we call an idian a 'browny' now i think you are being unreasonable

OP posts:
StevetheSturgeon · 22/06/2007 12:33

YABU.

That 'oh it's pc gone maaad' argument as an excuse to say what you want regardless of how it may make some people feel is lazy and rude.

Mrbatters · 22/06/2007 12:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ProfYaffle · 22/06/2007 12:20

It wouldn't occur to me to use that word, thought it was obvious to all it was racially offensive.

BigGitDad · 22/06/2007 12:18

Compo you are right I do not know any Chinese people other than the guys in my local take away but I am suprised to hear that word. Never heard it before here.

BigGitDad · 22/06/2007 12:15

Just read the other points and I can see where you are coming from , maybe I am just being Naive in this, if so I apologise. But I have never heard a Chinese person referred to in that manner.

Mercy · 22/06/2007 12:14

BGD - why don't you ask the Chinese mums on MN?

Marina · 22/06/2007 12:13

YABU
I did not post directly to the OP in question but I agree completely with HappyDaddy on this.

compo · 22/06/2007 12:13

yes BGD they have. Do you know any Chinese people?

Molesworth · 22/06/2007 12:12

oh for fuck's sake

colditz · 22/06/2007 12:12

Right, how about this.

You are a waitress in a restaurant, and a gang of men come in, saying thins is the best whore food in town.

They call it whore food because the restaurant is run by young women.

But they aren't saying those women are whores! Oh no, they would never use such a term about people, just the food. They have always called it whore food.

That ok by you?

HappyDaddy · 22/06/2007 12:12

BGD, of course they have. Don't be daft, man.

BigGitDad · 22/06/2007 12:12

Part of the reason why words are offensive is the nature and the context you use them in. I can see where Paki and Nigger are offensive but Chinky? Has anyone ever been called Chinky in an offensive fashion?
(BGD runs to hide in the bunker)

NineUnlikelyTales · 22/06/2007 12:11

How would you feel if you lived in China and every time someone went to a Harvester (God forbid they should ever have such establishments) they described it as "going for a whitey"? It's a stupid term and if it causes offence you shouldn't use it.

dejags · 22/06/2007 12:10

Agree though that should be left to lie.

Swipe left for the next trending thread