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!

Hi, I'm a white woman so will only post once.

I've posted on the other thread trying to argue that yes JA is living with a terrible disability that he cannot help and we should all be compassionate and understanding. I also believe this must have been a very unpleasant experience for the men on the receiving end and a lot of black people in the audience/watching. I think that the organisers could have navigated this in a way that removed the risk of a racial slur being shouted while black people where on stage.

There is absolutely no nuance. It has descended into me being both racist and ableist and saying that I think disabled people should be locked up and not allowed into society.

I'll continue to read this thread as I think there is an interesting conversation to be had.

Well ya know, a couple of Black people using the N word means the whole monolithic Black community approves of it.

By that logic, we would have to say all White men are traffickers and abusers because of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, Jeffrey Epstein and Jimmy Savile. And all White women are complicit in trafficking and abuse because of Ghislaine Maxwell and Myra Hindley.

That's absurd because we all know that white = individuals and Black = monolith. 🤔

Where was the compassion for Black people?

But they can edit out free Palestine.

That's my point. There was none.

Posters on the other thread are actually arguing that the N word isn't that offensive.

Those people are talking crap (or trolling). Of course its offensive. Ok its a disability, but you wouldn't be human if you weren't hurt by it.

Exactly, really would like to understand the BBCs rationale.

I think you can still be injured by someone's actions but you feel differently about it if it was accidental rather than intentional.

There's a very enlightening thread running at the moment where the op's dd suffers tourettes and verbally tics. It made a lot of sense to me

Not in the current climate.

Black woman, 2 dc with TS here. Just listenig to it all, feeling quite sad about it all.

I didn’t watch this event, glad I didn’t now, I’ve only seen the fallout on social media.

It’s interesting that the BBC would edit out someone saying “Free Palestine” and yet keep someone saying the N word. Not sure how they will square that circle.

I guarantee if the racial slur used had been one referencing Jewish people, or Muslim people, or Asian people, or in fact any other people, it would have been edited out.

Black Lives Matter eh, except they don’t really lol

Not surprised at any of this. Just tired of it all.
It's the fact the BBC decided to keep it in.
It was clearly a decision and I believe they've now said they're going to remove it, but it's too late.

Dawn Butler has asked for the BBC to publicly explain their rationale for deciding to gets to be aired.
I bet they're not going to reply to that if it's been removed.

I started reading a post that was in this section but signed off when I saw it wasn't us replying.

@Socrateswasrightaboutvoting monolithic vs individuals is something that honestly pisses me off.

I used to be cabin crew and at that time, we weren't allowed to sit unaccompanied minors next to men.

If it had been done by mistake, the rage these (white) men would have always made me roll my eyes because I'm sure a lot of them would have agreed with stop and search disproportionately targeting black men.

You know what, I feel bad for all parties, but I was not riled up about this until I'd just read, here on MN, that those two men probably go around calling themselves the n word anyway.

What the hell??????!!!!!

Delroy Frickin Lindo.

That like saying Patrick Stewart walks around the house saying 'init bruv' or whatever equivalent historically hate-filled curse word white people use among themselves after it was used for centuries against them oh wait....

I never use it. My family do not use it. How on earth can you justify one person's pain and belittle another's?

Yes, I am now angry at these over defenders of the universe who think it's okay to be racist while telling us that JD wasn't racist.

What I will say is, we know how south south these situations can go for people who feel the world is against them. I don't wish that for JD,.

Sadly I knew what it would come down to on MN. Jamie Foxx's take wasn't helpful but several posters on the threads I saw said it was possible to feel sympathy for both KD and MBJ and DL, as well as Black people who had to hear it.

But no, they were accused to being bigots and told that if Black people felt like that then they should educate themselves. The irony in saying that being completely lost on them as they wouldn't spare a minute's thought for why it might be upsetting for us.

Things that I have seen on MN and elsewhere that made me furious:

The queen was happy to be sworn at, so PoC should be. Er, the queen didnt have people questioning if she was British or not. She hasn't spent a lifetime being overlooked and sneered at. She was not a Windrush kid like Delroy Lindo.
The two black presenters should issue a statement supporting JD. WTF?
Well about white slavery, huh?

I've given up even reporting those threads as HQ just say they don't break talk guidelines. What the fuck does break the guidelines then? Imagine the ire on MN if JD had been a black man and shouted a slur at a white disabled person. Would they have been as understanding? Somehow I don't think so...

There is no equivalent slur to the N word. There is no such slur for white people that carries that weight.

Ah now people are accusing PoC of playing the victim card.

But comparing the circumstance to Foxx’s character using the term in a film is beyond moronic.

This is true. That is why I really am disgusted with the BBC for not removing it from the broadcast. They have a serious problem going on there, if they could not foresee what would happen by leaving that word in. Do the feelings of their black audience not mean anything what so ever? Why remove the 'free Palestine' comment? I hope that it is true, as another poster says, that Dawn Butler is in contact with the BBC about this, as they will have to answer her queries. They should have done better.

So stupid right?!

I am white but this is such a rational thread, I just couldn't comment on the others.

The BBC has again shown that its wokery is entrenched in its editorial teams. It defies belief that the editor(s) made the decision that because the comments were involuntary, the recipients had no right to be offended and that they would their broadcast it uncut.

The law in this country is that racist actions are defined by how they are received, not the intention with which they are made

Nothing new there. It is as old as the hills, that. They never seem to apply the same sentiments, when it is to do with them complaining about men who have acted, or said misogynistic things though, funny that.

I actually think it was deliberate to increase traffic in a way they believe would not harm them.