to be unsurprised that Jeremy Clarkson used the N word?

[lessonsintightropes]

Abject apology here.

Surely the Beeb will have to sack him now?

Caitlin, I wasn't arguing with you. I was just saying I found the stats disturbing

Squoosh, whereabouts in Glasgow are you drawing that impression from, what sort of age group? I'm genuinely curious to know because your experience does not resonate with me. I've lived in Glasgow all my life and I'm regularly disgusted to hear sectarian shite and I know what a massive shame that is for this city but the majority of people I know of all ages, all walks of life, do not use racist words.

I'm not saying nobody does, but if you saw the local media, social media and public reaction to that arsehole who racially abused Melo the busker on Sauchiehall St, people get really pissed off about racism here.

nomama

FUCK OFF!!!!

Seriously though, if it's over 50 I will give it up as up as I'm not there yet and therefore don't have a leg to stand on

Nomama I highly doubt that my white, working class, mid fifties mother has ever used the word. Not just because she has had to stop herself with a blush, either.

"I am not sure why my persistance bothers you..."

Because we all believe that your experience was as you describe, but you refuse to believe it of other posters.

HTH.

why is it so hard to believe that working class aged 50+ are not all ignorant and were aware that the 'n' word was very very insulting and not used unless you were racist

I am not sure chinky and paki were considered so insulting as many saw it as being a shortening but we now know better and have for a long time but used in an insulting way and I sadly did hear these used but never ever n*gger

it is buying into that the working classes were all racist or ignorant, not the case have seen far more integration within the working classes the middles classes

Corey I think you're being a little naive and complacent about how wonderful things are in Scotland and Glasgow. You'll no doubt be aware of what happened in Sighthill?

No refuge in Sighthill

gu.com/p/hnd4

As for sectarianism there is of course the infamous Rangers supporters' chant in "support" of Mark Walters after he suffered racial abuse from Celtic supporters and which neatly combined racism and sectarianism.

Nomama, I actually asked my parents to see what they said :) My dad said "We said negro because nigger was rude, but I wouldn't say either nowadays. We might have said nigger if we meant to be insulting". My mum said "We said coloured. Like he was a coloured man, there was a coloured girl I was talking to...we used nigger for people we didn't know, like nigger minstrels". I asked would the word "nigger" slip out, my dad I asked before the controversy over JC (I think I asked him re Dambusters) he said no. I asked my mum tonight, she said no.

It seems to be quite avoidable...

I never said it was wonderful, Caitlin, rather that Glasgow is not a more 'racist' place where you can't move for people saying 'pa**' shop than elsewhere and that, in general, people are pretty quick to jump on racists.

I suppose, Doctrine, that in spite of what I believe to be true, down to my experiences, I wondered why anyone would choose to 'wear a cap that did not fit'. Why get angry of a general assertion does not apply to you (or Rufus) as an individual?

My point isn't intended to be rude, accusatory etc. Others seem to have a similar experience ( negro, nigger, no real difference, just a semantic thing, really. And that's before you take into consideration the black/coloured debate) so I am not unique.

shockinglybad that's the sort of thing I mean... brought up with one set of words that were/were not acceptable or in different ways because of the meanings of the time. But knowing better now. As for the 'slipping out' part, I did say that neither my DH nor myself have said the word, but that (in a specific set of circumstances) DH had caught himself with a saying on the tip of his tongue that he stopped himself from uttering as he realised what it was he was about to say.

You are right these days it is entirely avoidable and, in my opinion, Clarkson did, just about, avoid it....

Well I always said 'nicker' as a kid as that is what I thought it was even to this day!!!! It never really made any sense but nursery rhymes often don't. I'd struggle to replace the word if I had to sing it even if I always said it wrong any way eek!!! I've just asked ds if he knew the rhyme and he just told me the spider one.