To think that 'black man's time' is a derogatory term?

[ptangyangkipperbang]

I was listening to the radio yesterday and someone from JLS was being interviewed. There was a comment about him being late for something and the DJ said, "what are you on - black man's time?"
I was really shocked (as was teenage DS) and I emailed the programme controller.
I've received a reply saying he agrees if I'd tuned in half way through the programme I might have taken it out of context but "In no way was the term derogatory and the interview was very cheerful, positive and upbeat".

Am I guilty of being too PC?

[HokeyCokeyPigInAPokey]

Bogey When one of dh's friends, who is white was having a christening he said to dh 'don't worry nearly everyone from work will be sitting together' - the majority of the people he invited from work were black.

Dh said 'why the seats don't have names on do they?' and dh's friend said 'no, you're all black and you'll all be late and get the seats'

He wasn't wrong!

[Bogeyface]

I wonder where it comes from though? Being late?

I have seen it a lot on Bridezillas , some of the black guests are up to 3 hours late, and the brides can be 4 hours late. Its so rude! DH, his family, his black friends are always late. Why?! DH says its because nothing starts until he gets there and I am not sure he is joking

As someone who will be early for everything and considers being on time as being late, it drives me INSAAAAAAAANE!!!

[MmeLindor]

Bogey
I must be black then, cause I am always late.

Perhaps it becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy though, cause 'oh, black people are always late' so they don't bother to be punctual.

[HokeyCokeyPigInAPokey]

My lovely nieces who i mentioned up thread have literally miss our dd's parties and turned up at the end just in time to tidy up!!

I am so glad dh isn't it like it, we'd get divorced!

[idontgivearatsass]

Mme Lindor
You are correct. It is know as Caribbean/West Indian time in the Caribbean. And specific islands will say the name of the island and then add time behind. Eg Grenada time or Bajan time etc. It is only in Britain that I hear it called Black Man time, perhaps it is called BMT in the C'bean too but i have not heard it.

African Americans do use it too as coloured peopled time.

But as everyone has said, there are people from the Caribbean who are always bang on time. However overall the general attitude in the Caribbean is that things will always start late therefore there is no need to get there on time as it would not have started yet.

When living in the Caribbean and here in Britain I am flexible with how I apply Caribbean time. For eg if I am going to work I am always on time. But if I am going to a party and i know the organisers are guaranteed to be late (similar to another thread today where the OP was fretting about people always turning up on time for a party when she thought they should allow some time for the organiser to finish preparations) then I will be late to allow them to complete preparations. Whereas if the party is being held by people who are on time, then I will be there on time.

As for me whether i am in the C'bean or here in the UK, I start my own parties on time but bear in time that many people will arrive late and I don't let that bother me. As it is only a party. But the nanny who takes care of my child when she is late I get very upset because I don't want to be late for work!

I won't get drawn into whether it is a racist term to use or not, let's just say that the use of the phrase in the particular context will reveal the user's true intentions.

[Alisvolatpropiis]

I'm not sure,I've never heard the phrase before. It's hard to say therefore.

That's not at all helpful I know.

[TigerseyeMum]

My friend operates on West Indian time and I use the phrase with her and in context. I might use it outside of that relationship with people who knew me and my friend, or knew me well enough to judge my intention correctly.

I would not, however, use it out of these contexts as it could be construed as offensive. Especially as I work with a lot of west Indian people and if I said it I think it might raise eyebrows.

As part Greek I understand it but I don't think it's a great term to use unless said amongst friends.

[sashh]

I've heard 'Deaf time', and that is culturally true.

A work coleague went to The Dominican Republic on holiday. they booked a tour and the rep said "Meet at X, 9 am Local time", so they got up early, went to wait to be picked up and about 10 am went to the office where it was explained 9am 'local time' means 12.00 noon.

[iyatoda]

I say 'African time' not blackman time. For my wedding I recognised the fact that people from my culture are not very time conscious, so on my IV card I put time of wedding down as 12pm, when it was actually meant to start at 1pm!! Preist was hard core British and stressed to us that wedding going to start at 1pm regardless of wehther anyone turned up. My plan worked, people started turning up from 12:45!!

[iyatoda]

'wedding will start at 1pm....@
'