racism and mumsnet talk

[hatter]

Does anyone else out there think that the rules of Mumsnet Talk should include an explicit reference to racism? As they stand they actually only really rule out personal attacks - which kind of implies attacks on fellow participants. I know this can get horribly complex - for one thing there are many other forms of intolerance so does it make sense to be explicit only about one particular form? Or should it be extended to other forms? I expect the powers that be have already considered this. And I'm not yet sure where I stand myself. However, I do know that , for example my own work place has very strong written guidelines on intolerance and I certainly feel happier that they are there. But - obviously - this isn't a work place. Anyway I thought it would be an interesting debate in light of recent postings

i think the same as most of us probably do if your going to say something you expect a reaction ood or bad but you expect someone to say something aint that the idea of mumsnet to talk about things so if someone says something knowing that someone else aint going to like it then they are realy just trying to start a problem where there was no need to start a problem so what ever they get they are realy asking for
oh and im not racist in any shape or form just incase anyone was wondering

good for you, blu, great post

Thanks Blu
They're me and my dp, too - both of us, him especially as his dad was Muslim.

Well said Blu.

message withdrawn

Goodness, not liking agressive statements robinw?

How things have changed.

Or is your ire only directed at some people, with some attitudes?

Open season on breast feeders and teachers though, isn't it?

message withdrawn

Ah yes, I remeberyou once sugesting at a friend of mine had abused a child in his care and that was why the child had pulled a knife on him. I also remeber you infering that it was understandable that a child would hit a pregnant woman in the stomach because their lessons were too dull. You call breast feeders Nazis, and you have personaly attacked me several times on a number of thread even though I have never met you. I am vigerous in my dealings with bullies, but you still feel that you can insult me because I happen to belong to a particular prefession.

Who is the bigot? I think that you are.

message withdrawn

Hear hear twiglett, I completely agree.

Hmb, try not to let it get to you- you're in the right here.

I much prefered it when mumsnetters debated the evils of eating grapes in the supermarket and gina ford! I am a woss when it comes to confrontation!

Yep, great post Blu.

Oh godness gracious robinw hasn't gone off on one about teachers and breastfeeders again has she?

I came to the original muslims threads way to late to have anything useful to say but agree with Blu's post entirely. Well said.

Going back to hatter's original post.....
I think that it's better to let people express their opinions no matter how wrong "we" may think they are. Better to let the Wiltshires of this world voice their opinions so that the rest of us know that they are there and what they really think. And hopefully every once in a while someone will be convinced to change their mind. And although I entirely disagree with Wiltshire's point of view, perhaps there might be other occasions when someone posts a view that is more borderline and would it be right for someone to censor that post. And finally, in order for a debate to take place there needs to be more than one point of view. If we all agreed it would be an awfully boring place.

I think that the difference in a workplace setting is the assumption that you don't necessarily have the choice to be there and therefore rules on intolerance need to be stronger. The purpose of a workplace is not necessarily to debate or learn and therefore differing points of view are not as essential as they are on mumsnet .

And just want to add that I thought your post was eloquently put Blu.
And a little more facetiously...I guess Wiltshire was probably talking about my dh too, because although he isn't a minority, he has been known to wee in people's gardens (never when I'm around of course).

No, to be fair, she hasn't. I was just rather amused at reading her complains to unfair treatment of wiltshire, given her tendency to lash out at some groups.

she said 'I don't remember specific posts, so I don't know if you were one of the worst, and I'm not going to go and reread it. The cumulative effect of the posts was bullying. I'm dismayed that so many mumsnetters are proud of their behaviour. As for the original post - not everyone who read it interpreted it as racist, just unfortunately worded. After the extent of the aggression that her post provoked it is not surprising that wiltshire reacted badly. Yes there were a few voices speaking out for not using the hob nailed boots straight away but they were rather lost in a sea of aggression'

I just felt her comments ware rather rich given her behaviour on previous threads.

I also feel that her tendency to damn everyone from a particular group of people, in her case teachers and breast feeders, based on bad interactions whith some of those people was just like Willtshire offensive steriotyping of ethnic groups based on what she had seen of one or two.

To my mind it is narrow minded and bigoted to damn all of a group of people based on the behaviour of a few. Robonw and wiltshire have a lot in common, to my mind.

And blu, a wonderful post in which you showed great patience and understanding.

I agree with what you put SofiaAmes! was trying to think of what I wanted to say and you summed it up.

I thought this was an interesting article on this topic, by a Muslim woman politician, in today's Guardian here

Very interesting article, thank you for posting the link.

I agree with the writers concerns about the disafection within the Muslim community and the problems that arise from this.

The point where I do disagree is when she doubts the schoors wories about the H & S implications of the jilbab. I have read on another teaching site of a young woman in a FE collage who set alight her face covering during a science lesson