to think mumsnetters have overreacted

[mother2b]

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!!!

it was about Cynthia Payne

Thank you thank you. That's hilariously and unintentionally funny and please believe me that that was a cross post. Look at the times.

maybe you type very quickly

It would have been a brilliant retort. I'd have been proud to own up to it.

at reading about all that's happened to Emily Lloyd!

dont you think its just a good example of how somebody can cause offense without meaning too

*to, not too

nope misread my own sentance, did mean too!

m2b, it's just the way threads go sometimes, I'm afraid. You'll get used to it!!

And congratulations btw

thank you

Emily Lloyd subsequently pootled off to Hollywood but made the headlines, I believe, for making an ill-judged comment about Hollywood being controlled by Jews.

Maybe that's why it also comes to mind.

By the way, now that we have sailed into calmer waters, is "wench" an inflammatory word? Are wenches insulted by the term wench? Is there a long and dishonourable history associated with oppressing wenches? Have I inadvertently offended the memory of Mrs Pankhurst?

have just googled it and always thought it ment slut/whore/generally easy, but i suppose that is how my generation use it, meanings of words change!

dictionary.reference.com/browse/wench

Although that's not a PROPER dictionary like my (sadly and geekily) beloved OED.

so it does?

Hello can I just say how happy I am to read all the above, agree with non-use of racist terms etc because I'm visiting my MIL tonight who some time ago gave my 3 year old a copy of 'Little Black Sambo' and got all huffy when I wouldn't read it to her

This thread reminds me I'm not the only one trying to improve language use generation by generation. Thanks, all.

Strumpet is a great word.

Wench is often prefixed by comely or buxom so I would have thought it is worthy of reclamation.

Here from the OED:

a. A girl, maid, young woman; a female child. Now dial.

b. A girl of the rustic or working class.

c. As a familiar or endearing form of address; used chiefly in addressing a daughter, wife, or sweetheart. Now only dial. or arch.

2. A wanton woman; a mistress. Obs. exc. arch.
   More explicitly common, light, or wanton wench, wench of the stews.

3. A female servant, maidservant, serving-maid; also {dag}handmaid, {dag}bondwoman.

A comely, buxom wench!

her boob where looking at me

*boobs

Sarah packs peanuts

Steady on there, UQD.

Shouldn't that be posted in the porperty section?

Property (I don't think there is such a thing as a porperty.)