Prince Harry caught on video using a racist slur

[sherby]

what do we think about this one then?

You would think after the nazi thing he would've learnt his lesson no?

PW - "He's not a great advertisement for private education, is he?" Isn't that a bit like a public schoolboy saying Jade Goody isn't a great advertisement for a state education?

So why do you have to ask why using the word Paki to describe someone is different from the word Aussie?

because both are a shortened version of the name of a country

i cant see the difference, sorry

I agree with Seeker about Paki. It is used as a derogatory term to describe anyone from the Indian Continent not just someone from Pakistan. So it is not just a question of shortening the person's country of origin. It is also frequently followed by bashing or prefixed with dirty or smelly. I'm genuinely surprised that anyone thinks it is OK terminology in any circumstances.

I meant Indian sub Continent

i nver said i thought it was ok
i would never ever use the word paki
it just annoys me that its wrong. it shouldnt be

Why shouldn't it be wrong? Calling somebody a bitch or a c**t is wrong and those are just words for a female dog or a body part! Some words are OK to use - some aren't.

thats not what i mean

it should be ok to call each other nickanmes
its only an abreviated name of a country after all

oh just forget it

This explains it well.

Swedes - I'm sure a lot of public schoolboys DO think Jade Goodey is an example of state school education, some people on here do (Xenia)

I'm also sure the fellow officer doesn't particularly like being stereotyped as 'our Paki friend' either.

I think that what Nailpolish was saying is similar to the people who think we shouldn't be afraid to fly the cross of St George just because it has been used as a symbol for the BNP.
A word is only derogatory because people have used in it a derogatory way.
If it is used in a non-derogatory way then isn't it just a word?

I am not condoning Prince Harry's use of any kind of offensive or derogatory language ... I'm just trying to support what Nailpolish was saying - at least what I think she was saying ... correct me if I'm wrong Naily!

yes thats right tigerschick - thanks - apart from the bit about the flag (i think)

if we started using "aussie" in a derogratory way then it would become an insult - or if the aussies decided they didnt like it

this gives me brain pain

slight hijack sorry

ps tigerschick i love your pic esp the storm trooper - lol! and dd is a real cutie

• thanks.

If a bloke constantly referred to women as sluts and bitches
but in actual fact meant it in an affectionate cuddly way
would that be alright?
Advise me, you wise MN biatches

Fwiw, Harry made a mistake and apologised. Finito.

DaddyJ - I do have friends who pretty much exclusively refer to themselves/eachother using perjorative terms (women are slags, sluts, tarts etc. Men are cnts, tats, mther fckers etc) This is within their circle of friends, as was Harry's comment ... his mistake was to make it while being videoed.

FWIW - I whole-heartedly agree with your final statement.

Most are over the Harry incident.
I think some MN's including myself are just a bit suprised why some people on here fail to understsnd why the 'paki' word is offensive.
Again, it was a word use by racists/ skinheads to hurl abuse and violence.
We don't generally associate Aussie, Pomme with the same.

yes, tiredsville - the "it was a joke, term of endearment etc" carries no water. If Pakistani people wish to 'reclaim the language' even, that STILL wouldn't help Sri Lankans, Indians, Bermese, Afghans, and the whole non-Pakistani diaspora from being labelled a 'Paki' when they have never bee nto the country and have no attachment to it.

This is one of the many reasons "it's only a shortening of a country's name" is a very poor 'defence'.

Agree with tiredville and pan totally and am also shocked at how some feel rascism can be explained in the context of the armed forces banter - not the best advert for signing up.

His Grandmother must be very proud as are the tens of thousands of her asian subjects both in the UK and Commonwealth

im not defending anything and i totally understand that its offensive
im just discussing

doesnt matter, i obviously cannot explain my self ver well

I think the difference is that Paki has never been anything but offensive - and usually coupled with some other unpleasant word.

It also isn't accurate to describe most of the people called it. An Aussie is an Australian - a Jock is a Scot but a Paki could be an Indian, a Sri Lankan, an Afghan.....basically anyone who looks brown skinned.

"I think the difference is that Paki has never been anything but offensive"
actually I don't think that's true at all.
people of my father's generation used to refer to the "paki shop" for example as a descriptive term.
obviously some people may read into this a certain reductiveness, but I don't think it was (in context) intended to be offensive.

Er harpsichord carrier -that is an extremely offensive description. Just as much as Paki Doctor Paki lawyer Paki dentist Paki teacher Paki anything else.
This makes me very tired.
As a child who grew up in the 70s intimidated by stupid suburban skinheads shouting Paki go home ( i was 7 FFs) I think that it is an unacceptable term and like the Guardian writer hoped it had died out.
Prince Harry is a moron. Anyone who does not understand why is equally moronic- end of discussion.

I do see what harpsi means, though I DO disagree. My father would never have uttered this. And again, the shop has as much chance of being a Bangladeshi shop!
Reminds me of the furore about a poster using "Chinkie" to describe her local take-away food shop.

Apart from 'paki shop' which Harpsi mewntions, is there any other use which could not be considered offensive for this word's use. Can't think of one.

Last night, as I was going to bed I heard the news in this order:

1.- Prince Charles calls a fellow member of his polo club "sooty"

(This is in the wake of Harry using the term "our little paki friend" to describe his fellow sandhurst cadet who, incidentally won the most outstanding cadet of his year award.)

1. several people, including two 13 year olds, have been arrested for shouting racist abuse at Sol Campbell at a football match between West Ham and Portsmouth last year.

Hmmm, so children are culpable for what they say, but the heir to the throne and his (?) son arent? Would that be because thay are mentally incapcitated, or just good old british double standards?