Is this racist

[postitgirl]

So DS says some boys at school are picking on him - he's Year 8. Today they had to move places in the classroom and he's ended up beside these 2 'mean' boys. They said to him 'just shut up and go back to Ireland to eat your potatoes'. I think that's racist - or what do you think.

YABU - not racist
YANBU - racist

That said, I do think people who are not white tend to experience racism in a more extreme way than someone who is white as, until I open my mouth, it is not obvious that I am from a different ethnic group.

Some have facial features giving them away as EE or other groups. There is a term "not white enough" and fits into this.

The arson when someone tried to burn the Polish family in their home was considered racially motivated.

I know people who reported abuse and being told to go back to poland (they were not even from poland tho🤷🏻) randomly on a street. Many if us really don't need to open our mouth.

@SchrodingersImmigrant

That said, I do think people who are not white tend to experience racism in a more extreme way than someone who is white as, until I open my mouth, it is not obvious that I am from a different ethnic group.

Some have facial features giving them away as EE or other groups. There is a term "not white enough" and fits into this.

The arson when someone tried to burn the Polish family in their home was considered racially motivated.

I know people who reported abuse and being told to go back to poland (they were not even from poland tho🤷🏻) randomly on a street. Many if us really don't need to open our mouth.

Yes, I agree but I do think it's less obvious than someone who has a different skin colour. To be honest, it's all crap and condemning it regardless of who is targeted is the way to go.

@Pixxie7 do you genuinely not understand that Northern Ireland and Ireland are two different countries??
Northern Ireland is part of the UK and Ireland in not.

How awful for your son.

It's racist. 100%

Where would they even learn such a specific comment to make about Irish heritage?

Really really sad.

Yes, I agree but I do think it's less obvious than someone who has a different skin colour. To be honest, it's all crap and condemning it regardless of who is targeted is the way to go.

Agreed. I also think taht using the word racism when it would be xenophobia does bring it to somewhat more serious standard. And all abuse like that should be there

@Funnylittlefloozie

The semantics don't actually matter. They are being hateful to your son about his ethic background, and they need to be told, thats the same as racism, and to pack it in.

Agree 100% with this.

Also a bit of an advise... I know kids have access to loads of stuff these days...but my similarly aged child just wouldn't know these phrases. I assume it must come from parents. It seems so specific.

@SchrodingersImmigrant

Yes, I agree but I do think it's less obvious than someone who has a different skin colour. To be honest, it's all crap and condemning it regardless of who is targeted is the way to go.

Agreed. I also think taht using the word racism when it would be xenophobia does bring it to somewhat more serious standard. And all abuse like that should be there

The term xenophobic is often used to minimise the seriousness of abuse to people such as the Irish, travellers, eastern europeans etc. It's the exact same mindset that hurls abuse at a black person and an Irish person. The only difference really is it the "nice" middle-class people who would be horrified to be described as racist but feel it is perfectly acceptable to be abusive to Irish etc as "they're white so it can't be racism".

[quote CoralSparkles]@OchonAgusOchonOh racism is saying “I hate white/black/Asian people,” not “I hate the Irish/French” etc. The former is to do with race, hence the term racism. White English and white Irish are both Caucasians, the same race. It is bullying, but not racism. Are you white? If so, then you probably don’t know what it feels like to face racism. To you it’s just a term, to me (as a mixed race woman) it’s a horrific experience.[/quote]
Genuinely wondered how long it would be until someone said this.
All racism is wrong.
It's not a competition over who has suffered most because of it.

@Pixxie7

all Spandrel @ I am going round in circles here Northern Ireland is part of the uk, it’s under sovereign rule which makes it part of the uk.

Yes. We all know NI is part of the UK. However, you have claimed above (I was responding to accusations that Ireland was not part of the uk) that Ireland is part of the UK. Ireland is not part of the UK.

The term xenophobic is often used to minimise the seriousness of abuse to people such as the Irish, travellers, eastern europeans etc. It's the exact same mindset that hurls abuse at a black person and an Irish person. The only difference really is it the "nice" middle-class people who would be horrified to be described as racist but feel it is perfectly acceptable to be abusive to Irish etc as "they're white so it can't be racism".

Can't but agree again!

The term xenophobic is often used to minimise the seriousness of abuse to people such as the Irish, travellers, eastern europeans etc. It's the exact same mindset that hurls abuse at a black person and an Irish person. The only difference really is it the "nice" middle-class people who would be horrified to be described as racist but feel it is perfectly acceptable to be abusive to Irish etc as "they're white so it can't be racism".

Shouldn't we just agree that racism and xenophobia are essentially the same thing, and both equally wrong? Personally I find the concept of race slightly dodgy in itself. Describing people as being of a different race seems to suggest that they have some inherent biological difference beyond culture, and is scientifically and legally baseless. Try to define what is meant by white in way which is unambiguous, not circular, and which catches all the people you think it should and none of those you think it shouldn't.

Wait. But we have biological differences. Not just skin and body structure for example, but also diseases which affect one more than other, some are actually race specific. There is a reason why blood banks ask for donations from certain groups as well.
We are different physically. Visibly or inside.
And it's fine.

No one should be abused for that.

And yes. Both terms are essentially the same and the actions are wrong.

Of course its racist, please don't just let it slide op, most school take racist incidents seriously (as they should) I just hope the head isn't one of the 'it's not racist' lot, go in armed with the UN definition just in case.
If only sexist harrassment of girls was taken seriously.

@SchrodingersImmigrant

Wait. But we have biological differences. Not just skin and body structure for example, but also diseases which affect one more than other, some are actually race specific. There is a reason why blood banks ask for donations from certain groups as well.
We are different physically. Visibly or inside.
And it's fine.

It's a really interesting issue, probably not one for discussion here, but I accept your point, and it plays out in things like sickle-cell anaemia and lactose intolerance. But the exercise of dividing homo sapiens into "races" makes me think of some sort of awful victorian colonial project, and is not particularly helpful when it comes to issues like the one this thread is about, as can be seen from the ensuing argument!

I agree taht it's interesting issue. It's also interesting to see how people form different countries see these things differently.
But yes, not really for here😁

@SchrodingersImmigrant

Wait. But we have biological differences. Not just skin and body structure for example, but also diseases which affect one more than other, some are actually race specific. There is a reason why blood banks ask for donations from certain groups as well. We are different physically. Visibly or inside. And it's fine.

No one should be abused for that.

And yes. Both terms are essentially the same and the actions are wrong.

I'm not sure that's race specific so much as evolutionary based on environment. So for example, some asian people are more likely to be lactose intolerant as dairy is not a traditional part of their diet. Skin and body structure have also evolved to deal with the environment. Darker colour protects against the sun, wider nostrils deal with hot air better etc. Pale skin in northern climates allows us to get more vitamin D from what little sun we get etc.

Ultimately, we are all part of the same race but have adapted nd mutated slightly differently to deal with our environment.

For goodness sake I never said that Southern Ireland is in the uk but this isn’t about that. If the boys were Asian under any defensive this was racist.

@Pixxie7

Southern Ireland

Uhoh, you're going to be in more trouble now!

@Pixxie7 I'm still waiting for you to let me know what I should be reading on Wiki?

For goodness sake I never said that Southern Ireland is in the uk
As in county Cork or Kerry.
You're either goady or ignorant.

Are there two threads with "Southern Ireland" now😂

@Pixxie7

wowhie@ check Wikipedia.

You really are quite stupid.

@Pixxie7

For goodness sake I never said that Southern Ireland is in the uk but this isn’t about that. If the boys were Asian under any defensive this was racist.

With reference to the op, who is Irish you stated: I am just giving an example of how this could be interpreted as both are part of uk, Ireland, which was being discussed, is not part of the UK.

You also stated: I was responding to accusations that Ireland was not part of the uk. Again, Ireland is not part of the UK.

You're now saying: I never said that Southern Ireland is in the uk. Correct. The southern counties are all in Munster, a province in Ireland.

Just to clarify - the island of Ireland consists of two countries: Ireland and Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland is in the UK, Ireland isn't. There is no such country as Southern Ireland and to refer to Ireland as such is considered offensive.

You really are quite stupid.

Yep

@ doublemonkey that is offensive and unnecessary. I am not stupid, however rising to the bait of some of you probably is. Read the whole thread before making personal comments.