To expect Mumsnet NOT TO ALLOW OPENLY RACIST THREADS TO STAND UNDELETED?

[Hurlyburly]

Hmm? Well AM I?

If someone tells me not to click on the FUCKING thread in question, I think I will explode. Racism should have no place on Mumsnet.

pmsl@GGG

All we need is a random drunken tramp, a member of the Nation of Islam and some pigeonshit and..yep, its Hyde Park Corner!

Without wishing to speak for MB and risk misrepresenting her, I don't believe she was arguing for the deletion of such subjects, merely for her right to choose not to debate with proponents of views she disagrees with, and to register her disagreement in alternative ways.

[waves wildly] MB over here, over here! She's busy elsewhere I fear.

but that is another story entirely....

must say, being german, I am not keen on that term being used....not because I identify myself with a Nazi or agree with what they done...but sadly, some people randomly use it when they mean german

"people like that"
people like what?
people with different life experiences and different views. lumping everyone who doesn't agree with you into a big mass called "Racists" really won't help.
every individual comes with his or her own set of biases and prejudices, you included. I still don't see, even after your explanation, that suppressing people's views will help in any way. and I don't think it helps to characterise some of the views expressed in your examples as "extreme" - you and I both know what "extreme" racist views look like. they don't look like this, tbh.

Nazi is a hugely offensive term.
so is breastapo
though I have become slightly immune tbh

Not nice, is it?

Breastapo!!

I think Breastapo is a reasonable new one ggg

i reported it when in first appeared and though i have NOT clicked on it - stillfind it offensive to look at....

Harpsi - I agree that racism covers a spectrum. You reckon conversion through reasoned debate is possible? Perhaps with the more moderate racists?

Thinking about this, racism seems more visceral than that. It's not a reasonable or a reasoned attitude.

I don't think what the DullWitch wrote was racist, though. Not even moderately racist.

You may disagree with it (I disagree with part of what she said) but how is it "racist"?

have had the audacity to be in work!

Now at home so will look though this thread, may take some time....

You may be right, HB, and it is horrible to engage with this kind of hatred and paranoia

but I think, all things considered, you have to keep trying.

Hurly, but tehre is racism, and then ther is sometimes ignorance...and I have found out that things I thought would be acceptable to say, are indeed offensive to some people...like I used to say "people of colour" rahter then saying black or whatever...and until I was told so, I never knew it could cause offense....but I never said it to be nasty or anything...but I jsut didn't know better...and it was, indeed MN that opened my eyes about this.

Also, recently there was a discussion about the term "chinky" , and whilest it isn't something I would consider using...I didn't actually know the history of it and until someone explained to me, I had no idea it could be offensive (and rightly so)....

in the end we don't know what we don't know...until we get enlightened...of course....you got to be openminded for that to happen!

It also looked much worse when quoted out of context.

was that to me, Dinosaur...if so, I did not imply that Witch said anything racist...I just meant that I hate that term being used , unless people actually have a discussion of the holocaust and nazi's, when it becomes factual....

I find DullWitch's comment:

'I fear an emphasis on the evils whites did to blacks feeds notions of victimhood among black children who should instead see they have great opportunitiies if they choose to seize them'

I find this statement extremely offensive. EXTREMELY. It is EXACTLY the sort of thing the BNP say. Call it racist, or don't. It's still a horrible thing to say. Disgusting.

That's the example I was thinking of 3, because some people really didn't know that

the word caused offence but they learnt from the discussion.

It's also a good example of racism as a word being overused or misused.

Dinosaur - if you like - I will try to explain why I objected quite vehemently to those posts - but I'd prefer to do that on the other thread. I don't want to rehash those sort of opinions on this one, which is more about freedom of speech versus freedom not to be offended by racists.

But people of all backgrounds who are concerned with ethnicity and education, history and culture have said similar things, LA.

I agree with LoveAngel.

That's a seriously offensive post. Not of course if you are white.

...and while I'm at it,. why can't one use the term 'Nazi' if deemed appropriate? 'Nazi' has become a widely accepted way to refer to fascists, e.g. the anti-Nazi League don't spend their time campaigning against dead German war criminals, do they? They challenge racist, fascistic organisations and individuals. And why bloody not?

Apparently Nazi means breastfeeders on here.

Strange but true.

Stupid people always seem to think that by screaming, hyperventilating and calling for bans, they can erase bigoted attitudes altogether. It doesn't work. It just makes the bigots even more resentful, paranoid and self-pitying.
Everyone is entitled to air their opinions no matter how disagreeable others find those opinions. Counterspeech is always a far better solution than censorship. You may not be able to change every bigot's mind, but by making them look stupid you put other people off them more than if you allow them to feel martyred and suppressed.

Who? @ lionheart. Who has said this, who that I should give any credit to?