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Original poster

Ron Atkinson.................

99 replies

Northerner · 23/04/2004 12:32

And his 'f*king lazy thick ni*er' comment live on air.

Discuss please.

OP posts:
Tinker · 23/04/2004 12:32

Brave girl, was too scared to start this one yesterday...

Twinkie · 23/04/2004 12:33

Apparently it is well known what a biggot he is - he made comments about the cameroon footie team during the world cup too!!

What a tosser!!

Original poster
Northerner · 23/04/2004 12:33

Brave or Stupid?!

OP posts:
Clayhead · 23/04/2004 12:34

For me there's no excuse, totally unacceptable. Deserves whatever he gets.

Codswallop · 23/04/2004 12:35

crap comment it must be said. I quite like him though, and very nice ex colleague of mine was bvery friendly ith him and she was lovely.

article about him int he times sport today (ds1 like to look at scores)

Clayhead · 23/04/2004 12:35

Radio 5 Live reported those things during the WOrld Cup, said Garth Crookes had had to be physically restrained from hitting RA! Don't think Ian Wright was much of a fan either.

gothicmama · 23/04/2004 12:36

Think now at least he has been found out there really is no need for it

Codswallop · 23/04/2004 12:37

here

Janh · 23/04/2004 12:37

I saw him being interviewed on ITN News last night - total impasse - interviewer would say "that was a racist remark", RA would say "no it wasn't", interviewer would then say "but people will say that saying it wasn't means you are a racist", RA would then say "I'm not a racist" - "but that was a racist remark"..."no it wasn't"...

Quite funny in a mad but depressing kind of way.

marthamoo · 23/04/2004 12:40

I was going to post about this yesterday.

Jeremy Vine was talking about it on R2 and I was snarling at the radio. The number of people who rang in and said "yeah, well, he's apologised, don't see why he has to resign." One pig ignorant, barely articulate man rang in and started talking about "coloured" people - "they call us things and we don't take offence do we?" I was shocked, I mean, I suppose they picked callers who would provoke a reaction, but to me it is absolutely cut and dried, and I couldn't believe how many people were saying "oh he's a good bloke, football will be the poorer for not having him around, can't see why it's such a big deal" etc.

Leaving aside that I don't think there is a word for a white person with the same historical and cultural offensiveness, the fact that they even gave air-time to a person who could talk about "coloured people" made me think I need an alternative Radio Station!

The fact that Ron Atkinson could use such a word indicates to me that his racism is so ingrained - he said he was devastated that he had used it, and it was a mistake - more like he was devastated at being caught on air using such a word. I don't agree he should have resigned though.... he should have been sacked.

Codswallop · 23/04/2004 12:40

according to the article he did a lot to encourage black players int he 70s when life was pretty tough for them.

I think his terminolgy is poor and tastelss but maybe generational

also black poelple are allowed to say it!

Original poster
Northerner · 23/04/2004 12:41

On the other side of the coin, on celebirity fit club Harvey called one of the women (can't remember her name but the one with funny glasses)a fat white whale. Which IMO is also offensive but the world didn't go mad at that.

It seems to me that it is far more unacceptable when a white person is racist, but when the other way around it is swept under the carpet. Why?

OP posts:
Codswallop · 23/04/2004 12:41

mee too norhtener ! I ma off for lunch

i have had jamaican firends who parody each other like that.

bossykate · 23/04/2004 12:45

well, let's see, northerner, do you think it might be because white on black racism results in:

poverty
poor educational outcomes
discrimination
lack of representation in the power structure, e.g. mps, judges, police, company directors
increased likelihood of becoming the target of violence

to name just a few.

whereas black on white racism does not have the same effect. it makes all the difference in the world if you are a member of a wealthy, dominant majority group versus a poor, oppressed minority.

Twinkie · 23/04/2004 12:46

Are there any words that you would find this offensive when referring to a caucasion??

Codswallop · 23/04/2004 12:47

I am sire there are some.

CountessDracula · 23/04/2004 12:48

white trash is pretty offensive

Original poster
Northerner · 23/04/2004 12:48

black on white racism can also have a tragic outcome - bullying, vandalism and death. I'm not condoning either. Just riles me that one is deemed more horrific than another.

OP posts:
Codswallop · 23/04/2004 12:48

there are more that I wouldnt know or understand

Codswallop · 23/04/2004 12:48

I think we are being a but pinko libearal here

Twinkie · 23/04/2004 12:49

If someone called me white trash I would laugh at them - mind you I am confident enough not to be worried by things like that.

bossykate · 23/04/2004 12:49

northerner, i agree that individual incidents can be just as horrific, but there simply isn't a systematic, institutionalised effect on whites the same way there is on blacks.

bossykate · 23/04/2004 12:50

god forbid we should be pinko liberal - when the alternatives are so attractive - not.

Twinkie · 23/04/2004 12:52

Do you remember the film - White men can't jump - can you imagine the outcry if there was a film called black men can't swim?? - I do think that the same respect should be afforded all races (regardless of the things that racism causes) - how can one race demand to be treated a certain way and yet not afford a different race that respect??

sobernow · 23/04/2004 12:52

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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