My friend keeps using this racist term

[Mrsbird311]

A really good friend has on the last couple of occasions used this term to describe someone from Pakistan each time I've said to her that people don't use that term and that it's very offensive but she won't have it, she says its just short for Pakistan, like we would call a Scottish person a scot, I don't see it like this and told her that it is really offensive she then got cross with me and said I'd gone all PC on her, I told her she sounded like an Alf garnet type bigot, I know she isn't a racist person in the slightest but she can't see this is offensive who is BU?

She is - and racist

She is

She is - it's very racist.

I know someone who claims this as well, and even adds 'but they call themselves pakis as well'. Yeah, like no-one from Pakistan I've ever met.

I'm still hoping that conversation was a wind up and not their real feelings as someone that thick isn't someone I want to hang out with.

She is. The term is racist, pejorative and vile. Your friend sounds charming

It's used "normally" in Australia. Because it's short for Pakistani. They even say it on the news etc. It bothers the hell out of me, given the history of it in the UK - but it's "normal" here.

Tell her to move to Australia if she doesn't want to get labelled as a racist bigot.

loveareading - apparently, the Pakistani cricket team do refer to themselves by the shortened term when conversing with the Aussie cricketers. Apparently.

Yes she is racist. I acually recoiled when I saw it written down in your heading (not blaming you just saying I had an extreme reaction to it written down never mind someone saying it out loud).

One of the worst words you can use.

No it was a real conversation, I've known this friend for twenty years and never heard her say anything like this, that was her argument that her Pakistani friends said it so it was ok!! Not that she particularly has any Pakistani friends, it has made me feel a bit sick if I'm honest, I told her it was wrong because I'd hate her to say it to others and then get the wrong idea about her ( she has always been a really nice lady) but now I'm not sure how I feel about her, not much shocks me but this has

In the UK it has been used as a derogatory term for so long that only a racist or ignorant fuckwit would persist in using it. I wouldn't be friends with someone who persisted in using it.

She is being racist 100%. However I will add that I know a lot of Asian girls and they do call themseleves paki's not all of them but some of them do they rhyme the area they live with Paki and call themseleves that.(e.g. Fracki Paki crew) I was on holiday with group of girls last year and one said to another 'stop acting like such a paki' she replied 'oh sorry I forgot there was an indian in the room' they are good friends and they were just messing around. I was literally

I wouldn't agree that she's necessarily racist as the term did used to be used in a descriptive sense and not in pejorative way but that was decades ago and it's now unacceptable. So she does seem to be making a bit of a point by continuing to use it....

She is racist.

I am Indian and used to be called this in the playground at primary school. As a racist insult.

I hate it when people won't modify their offensive language on the grounds that they 'don't mean it that way'.

Yeah, it's definitely not the same as Scottish and Scot. What a ridiculous excuse! Sounds like most of UKIP though sigh I hope your friend can realise that it is offensive.

I have known people from Pakistan use it in reference to themselves, in a sarcastic joking way. I would never say it.
The vast majority of times I hear it used it is used in a derogatory manner and to cause offence. I hate the word because of that.
I think your friend is BU and needs to educate herself about it.

Like rollmeover, I shufdered when I saw the thread title.

That term, being the child of Asian immigrants in the late 70s early 80s, blighted my childhood. (Mum is Indian and Dad was Nepalese, so not even correct when used towards us).

It is most definitely a racist term and should never be used. I cannot see it being reclaimed in the sense that the N word has been.

Your friend is talking bollocks I'm afraid. Anyone who used that word in my presence would no longer be someone I was interested in spending any more time with.

Yes it's racist, usually said in a derogatory manner.

Don't see why you've put in your title, if you're aware it's racist.

I have collegues that say it and I really don't like it. I challenge them on it but they think I am just too PC, they really don't get it.

I think less of them because of it, I really don't understand it that anyone would think that way.

It's all about context and history. Here in Canada, both English (when used by a French Canadian) and Indian (because of the First Nations) can be insulting. I'm very careful about using Indian, even when referring to someone from India because of the history. P* has massive history in the UK but she uses it.

Yes it's racist, usually said in a derogatory manner.

Don't see why you've put in your title, if you're aware it's racist.

Why is it offensive to call someone a Paki and not to call someone a Brit? I don't like being called a Brit; I am a Briton.

I suppose the difference is that it was a British person who started it. Colin Welland, actor, used the word when he won an award of some sort on the US.

I wouldn't be friends with anyone who used that term, or anyone who used the term PC to justify it either.

I know lesbians who amongst themselves call each other lezzer. Doesn't mean it is okay for anyone else to call themselves that though..

I would never use it.

I have a couple of Pakistani colleagues who use it all the time, very casually in conversation.

Scot is not short for Scottish. What a stupid analogy.