Gin night ruined by my son?

[Becc91]

So my DS came back from Bristol Uni (with a mullet no less 😣) and told me off in front of my girl friends - all for singing Do They Know It's Christmas?
Apparently one term of a politics degree makes him qualified to tell me what I can and can't sing in my own home after a few gins. Feeling quite hurt and embarrassed as this all happened in front of my friends.

I don't see what I've done wrong but I don't want to be ignorant, is it just me??
Opinions wanted , thanks xx and merry christmas

Hi all,
WOW so surprised by all the comments, who knew?😱
Thanks for all the input, just talked with DS over tea to try and smooth things out. Then it comes out that DS thinks we shouldn't even have celebrated xmas yesterday because we don't go to church! He says it's "all about capitalism and inequality"
So lost! 😲

Thanks, just googled - charitable giving for long term development and support for displaced people, among other projects, is still happening because of this record.
Surely that's a positive despite the racist connotations?

Is this real? Holy crap 🤣

Perhaps he'd like you to redirect his living costs to a charity of his choice?

No presents for him then. Typical left wing nonsense from university Commies.

It's surely not a difficult point to understand? The overall impression you get from the song is that Africans (a whole continent) are passive victims who need white people to save them. It's the very essence of the "white saviour" trope. It's patronising, stereotyped and therefore racist.

It was also well-intentioned, written quickly and at a time when public discourse about race was not what it is today. It wasn't malevolent, but that doesn't mean it wasn't racist. It's also unhelpful to pretend that racism can only come from malice. It can just as easily arise from ignorance and from patronising assumptions.

Tell him if he’s that righteous he can give you all the presents back then and all the ones in the past! 😂

He didn't have to join in your celebrations, I'm sure he has a bedroom he could have retreated to. Or I'm sure he would have been welcome to join the Christmas Eucharist at your local church if he felt this was needed to justify participating in festivities.

Someone ought to take that shovel away from him.
How funny OP

I was a pompous ass when I returned home after my term (in 1984 ironically enough), insisting my parents bought a black pepper mill 😂 because white pepper was common 😂😂

But your son takes pomposity to new highs (or lows).

How is it racist? Could you explain?

I'm not having a pop at you @Heatherbell1978 I'm just saying most average people aren't connected or interested in the politics around this .

Right or wrong.

My main point kids coming home from Uni will often turn against their parents , isn't the point of Uni to rebel , I certainly did!

Reference to cumulative effect here https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/dec/03/criticism-bob-geldof-band-aid-charity-single-africa-caused-storm-fuse-odg

I went to university to read for my degree. I didn't need to cut my teeth as an adult by being an utter twat to my parents.

Christ on a bike I've heard it all now.
Get a grip.

That article is just a puff piece for the author’s own achievements

piffle.

I remember that Bono (problematic arsehole that he is) was one of the loudest voices in the movement to forgive 3rd world (as it was called then) debt.

It is entirely possible to be a young man shocked by reports of famine on tv who then bangs out a tune with words (that is literally what it is - and the Bono line is very very good, because we do thank God- other deities or none are available - that we and our children aren't the starving ones)

That tune, the other tunes (USA for Africa and possibly others in other countries, and the massive worldwide gig was the springboard for many young people to get into politics and activism. Nobody is perfect.

As it happens i don't like it, rarely sing it if it comes on and find it's attempt to shame us into caring quite formulaic and uninspiring. Is it racist? sure, it is racist and patronising and chock full of white saviour. Was it made with the best of intentions? yes. Motive is what moves me.

There's a link further down to the impact of negative stereotypes of Africa

Tell him to feck off back to university if he finds your celebrations so abhorrent.
Personally if any of my children behaved like that in front of my friends in MY house I would be helping them pack.

I sure as shit wouldn't be smoothing things over and accepting another lecture.

it is a bit rich to say a song with lyrics like "there won't be snow in Africa" because Africa is a huge continent with different countries and cultures, and then to say "Africans think it's racist". Really? Odd way to try to make a point.

I mean, Americans refer to Europe all the time, and get a real pasting for it so referring to Africa like that also deserves a pasting, tbh

Oh OP, tell him he should have studied economics instead because then he'd know that people spending money is Most Excellent for the economy.

I highly recommend he get to grips with writers on International Relations such as Cynthia Enloe - try Bananas, Beaches and Bases - to gain some insight into the nuances of international aid etc.

@Brefugee So its 'piffle' to look at real change with our relationship with the poorest countries but its OK for white millionaires to sing pop songs about how poor these people are which - as you say (I don't) are 'racist and patronising and chock full of white saviour. ' but hey , its OK as their motivation was in the right place??🤔

So when a man follows a woman home because she looks scared, his motive is in the right place, he was protecting her, huh?

He came home with a mullet!? I recon he should think himself lucky you let him in the house at all.

Just came across Outnumbered 2016 Xmas. Honestly Jake has made me think about this thread and your son OP 😂

Priggish mulletboy wasn't even bloody born when the record was released and he dares to lecture those that were around about what is acceptable listening. If he didn't wind his neck back in after some polite prompting I'd feel compelled to offer manual assistance. Little shit.

I wasn't born when lots of racist things happened doesn't mean I can't recognise shitty offensive things when I see them. Adults are allowed opinions, you don't get to tell your children to sit down and shut up anymore when they're adults that don't even live in your house anymore.

Also it's a shit song, hardly worth fighting against morals for.

Get him a Christmas charity goat next year.