BAFTAs - discussion for black/brown mumsnetters

[BigOldBlobsy]

This is obviously a very sensitive subject, as it involves the impact of racist language and disability.
So, I’m making this thread for MNers who are black or brown, brown because brown people have been referred to as the N word as well historically and may want to weigh in.

for any who don’t know, the summary is, a well known disability advocate who struggles with Tourette’s, and is part of the film ‘I swear’, was at the BAFTAS, and involuntary ticced the N word at two black male actors.

there is already a nearly full thread, with lots saying that people shouldn’t be offended as this is involuntary.

I completely agree that tics are involuntary and that Tourette’s is such a difficult condition to struggle with. However, I disagree that you can’t be offended and that it can’t be experienced as racist still, even if unintentional!

Indeed!

Sorry, I didn’t mean about BHM more the current climate and the issues around a known racial slur.

They bleeped out when others were called derogatory names due to his tics including the host, and had a mic near him JD has said which he thought was odd.

The whole thing is a mess and I think there should be some type of consequences for supposedly missing this since there was a second slur that was edited out.

How do you not double check you have gotten out both?

https://news.sky.com/story/filmmaker-jonte-richardson-quits-as-bafta-judge-over-handling-of-racist-slur-at-awards-ceremony-13511468

If somebody shouted “Heil Hitler” or “F the Jews” or “Zionist B” during your events, would you still be told to leave them in, or does this policy only apply to racial slurs against Black people?

Asking for a friend 👀

I’ve just read the BBC are now claiming that leaving it in was an accidental error 🤣🤣🤣

Common sense is knowing you cannot dictate what people find offensive.

You can repeat the same thing a million times, but it doesn't mean you'll bully people into accepting that their offence is invalid, because you say it is.

Yeah that damn truck tut tut no attention to detail.😂 Sack the truck!

I think we all know the answer to that…

Who on earth said that 🙄. I know white folks like to exercise their privilege, but that takes the biscuit.

I really don't know how some posters haven't been banned as the racism I've seen on some threads has been dreadful. Comments have been deleted but the posters are still there. But since when has MNHQ cared about non-white women? I suspect not a single moderator is a WoC.

I reported several yesterday. The posts remain. As do the posters.

Every black poster on MN has been very measured and not attacked JD, once his condition was understood. But that's still not enough. Everyone black at the BAFTAS must apologise and prostrate themselves!

I am also so annoyed by the general notion that this is an American backlash. No, British PoC don't want slurs unedited any more than the American ones.

As others have said, people have leapt gleefully on this so they can use it against black people. And eagerly argue they can use the N word.

I should add that I do welcome the educational posts on Tourettes started by a mum whose child suffers. But those too have been filled with minimisers.

Just popping in to agree, and add that I have found, aside from outright racist comments, there are also a large number of commenters who seem to be deliberately missing or distorting the point of what other commenters are saying (there's probably a name for that).

For example, saying that the n word is a racist slur that causes harm, even though Davidson didn't intend it that way, nets responses like 'so you think he's racist? You're so ableist!'

Or saying, 'having that word aimed at you, even involuntarily, and then aired on international television, must be hurtful' will net responses like, 'Davidson isn't aiming the word at anyone! He's not doing it on purpose!'

Otherwise rational posters whose names I recognise seem to be incapable of understanding nuance suddenly, and I can't help but think that MBJ and DL's race is contributing to that.

It's shameful.

Yesterday I said JT was not racist about 10 times. I was still called an ableist bigot for wanting the slurs edited out.
I am absolutely convinced that if derogatory slurs about Jews had been yellled, no one would say they should be left in.

I saw some of that exchange, and I was so frustrated for you. It's been my experience too, when I've tried to argue that people should be allowed to feel bothered or hurt by tics without being accused of being ableist or playing the victim, particularly in this case.

Right now I understand very acutely why black and brown mumsnetters need this space, where their voices aren't drowned out. And on that note, I'll go back to lurking and stop butting in.

JD, not JT, I meant.

I highly doubt it as well. The same could be said for the BBC editorial team!

I just read that the BBC edited out JD calling Alan Cumming a pedophile.
It's in the Variety interview.
They had lots of time to edit everything but the N word.

This thread is so refreshing, it restores my faith in human nature.

I'm blind to my far right hand side. It means that I frequently bump into people on my right. By the rules of those posters, I have no need to apologise because I can't help it that I can't see them.

But I'm not apologising for not being able to see them, I'm apologising for any shock or discomfort I've caused them by bumping them.

What reasonable person wouldn't do that? So why hasn't Davidson?

They also edited out homophonic slurs he made and JD had asked and been told they WOULD edit any out. He also asked to be seated away from stage and was 40 rows back. Yet BBC put a microphone near him.

It is a disgusting failure by the bbc and the baftas to have not considered the harm that was going to be caused by this because it was very likely this would happen.

I dont know ifthey just didn't even consider the offense and hurt that could be caused, they didnt realise? But i think that is goging them the benefit of the doubt when they absolutely have shown themselves to be sustematucally racist so then a part of me wonders if it was done intentionally because of the drama that would be caused? They are happy to have blacks as collateral damage fof some publicity or use them as a 'teaching' moment which is disgusting.

I dont know and I am white so I dont want to speak for anyone in this situation.

There is another thread on mnet this morning about the article in racism in midwifery and though some posters are saying it is a problem and listen to the report yet again its a thread basically dismissing and ignoring black voices. I will report it to mnet hq... for all the good it will do.

I am also wanting to be aware this is not my life, not my lived experience. I only know my own experience of dealing with ableism on behalf of my children how painful that is and even that is easier for me because I am white.

I am sorry you are dealing with this.

He has now reached out to DL, and MBJ, and the lady HB in a private message, through Warner Bros, it has been reported, on itvX. That was the right thing to do. The whole situation has been a complete mess.

Gosh. Life IS good when you hide threads. I don't feel the weight of all that ignorance happening elsewhere on this site.

I'm glad he has apologised to those affected. What a shame many of his defenders are actually racist and would never show grace, as he has.

Otherwise rational posters whose names I recognise seem to be incapable of understanding nuance suddenly, and I can't help but think that MBJ and DL's race is contributing to that.

This is why I have simply hidden the other threads and am only discussing it here. If JD had unintentionally hurled out misogynist or anti-semetic slurs they would absolutely get it. As these are just two black men on the receiving end they simply cannot get it. Their anti-blackness gets in the way.

I wonder if MNers think that decision was “ableist” and “censorship”….

(Rhetorical question - I know the answer.)

Alan Cumming is definitely richer and with more power than Hannah Beachler and possibly Delroy Lindo. So why couldn't he just turn the other cheek? After all, he can afford therapy.🤔

@StuffyHuffyPuffy I agree. But this incident has been gold to some people out there, with a not very nice view towards black people. I have already hidden a thread this morning about midwifery, because I know how it is going to go, without even starting it, and Madthings posts, shows that I made the right decision.