Some twat made a funny joke to my friends that I stole their credit card, after saying where I'm from. Fucking hilarious. NOT FINE
That is horrendous. And there is no defence for it at all. Pure and simple racism dressed up as "banter". Twat.
Can I be honest? I have been thinking about this thread on and off. I CAN see why people bristle at being asked questions about origins, if they are subject to unthinking racist wankery on a regular basis.
I think it is impossible for those of us who don't experience much racism to know how tbat would feel, or know the frequency that it happens.
Because being called racist is so bloody awful, and it is very difficult to prove that what has been asked is meant in a friendly way, I think that made me very defensive of some of the cultural norms where I live.
But the bottom line is: it is more important to me for people to feel comfortable and at ease, than it is for me (and other people where I live) to make a cack handed attempt at small talk. Especially if the small talk makes people feel alienated rather than included. It is then totally counter productive to its aim.
So I am going to stop asking unless I know the person well, and they already know that I am not being a racist idiot.
The world is changing. I want people from all countries to feel at home in the UK. If that means that we take time to question our cultural norms, and whether they are still appropriate, then maybe that is what we should do.
The alternative is having people with a non-UK cultural heritage feeling shit. And that isn't ok.
This discussion has been so interesting and I have learned a lot. Here's to a UK where everyone feels welcome 