Racial Slur Left Up

[BarbaraHoward]

Hi MN

I reported this post shortly after it was made this morning for using the slur "throw a paddy". I received an email saying it was being looked into, but despite a follow up email and then another report it's still up.

I've reported this phrase many times over the years (I'm sure you're sick of it, but I do think it's important to challenge racist language when we come across it) and it's usually taken down straight away. As I said in the email, I know the poster probably isn't aware of the phrase's origins which is why I didn't want to derail the thread. I also, frankly, don't have the energy today to have that row yet again.

Is there a change in moderating standards that means racist language is now left to stand? Should we be challenging everything on the boards?

Completely with you. I hate it. Never heard it before MN either.

I didn't see that thread, but I entirely agree with you, @BarbaraHoward. As an Irish person who lived longterm in the UK and experienced anti-Irish prejudice from a minority of people on a semi-regular basis, I think this kind of unthinking prejudicial language is unacceptable and needs to be challenged wherever it is found.

Thanks @FierceQuiet and @username358 .

I'm really disappointed it's still up, and I've had no replies for nearly 6 hours.

I hope it gets resolved soon.

I'm with you. It's casual irish racism, although I think a lot of thickos don't actually understand where it comes from.

I've learned on here that many have no clue about the origins (how it isn't obvious I don't know, but I guess if you're not Irish it doesn't slap you in the face like it does us). I don't mind when people take it on board, but usually the don't and it's a whole row and like I said, I didn't have the energy today so I just reported.

But now I'm just having a row in another way.

It's actually way more depressing MnHQ didn't immediately remove it than the usual thickos going on about incomprehensible names, the wrongness of Hiberno-English, and how there's no anti-Irish prejudice etc.

They usually do remove it straight away which is why I'm really puzzled about today.

I've noticed that moderation isn't always consistent.

Well yes, to say the least.

As an Irish person I find the phrase “Irish twins” far more offensive, it drives me insane when I see it on Mumsnet.

That too. But there is inevitably an Irish poster who bobs up and says, brightly 'But we all say that in Ireland all the time! It's not at all offensive!' Which then makes me want to start explaining cultural cringe and internalised colonialism to the point where I bore myself.

I was in a London NCT group with another Irish couple who completely unironically used to term 'Plastic Paddy' about their unborn baby.

I'm convinced a lot of the "Irish" people that crop up on those threads are second or third generation in GB. And if they have Irish citizenship, then they're Irish, but if they haven't grown up here or lived here for any length of time they won't know what language is and isn't used.

I noticed myself saying "taking the mick" as a more polite version of "taking the piss" but I suppose it's not actually more polite if it's also anti-Irish, right?

It's absolutely disgusting and should not be allowed, it's an racially offensive slur !! Before people write or speak this they need to educate themselves !

Take the Mickey isn't anything to do with Irish people.

In fairness I'm sure we all have a few phrases that we use without putting 2 and 2 together on the origins. But most of us take that on board when it's pointed out.

Yes it's rhyming slang isn't it? Can't remember what for though.

Huh looking it up "Mickey Bliss" cockney rhyming slang. Good to know I'm not taking the mick when I'm saying "taking the mick".

I don't think we know the origins but it could be from take the Mickey Bliss.

It's whenever someone quite calmly points out that the saying is offensive and then explains why and as sure as shooting, someone pipes up to tell them it's not offensive and you've taken it all wrong 😑 The casual racism against the Irish is horrendous.

I grew up in a new town in Essex full of former Londoners and not an Irish person in sight, and from what I remember, there was something called p....whack which was a dog chew, and so the word you mention OP, we always thought of it as a short form, which you could easily throw a long way in a temper. Particularly since as a child I had watched a film called The Inn of the Sixth Happiness in which there is a song that uses that word and giving a dog a bone in the same song. There are probably many other people who thought the same as me.

Having long since learned of the other usage and its offensive connotations, I wouldn't say it now.

Zero issues with that @blacksax , like I said I'm sure there's phrases that I use that are dodgy as hell, but I don't realise it. Happens to us all.

Raising that particular phrase on a thread always descends into an argument because people get defensive. Sometimes I think it's important to have the argument. Others I can't be bothered and just report.

I see the post has now been edited to say "tantrum" instead. But no reply to my email, second report or this thread.

To be fair, I think people use phrases all the time without considering the origin.

Until Eamonn Holmes got in trouble for saying it about Meghan Markle, I had no idea "uppity" was considered racist. I thought it was just an insult, and if you don't know, it never occurs to you to look it up to check.

Growing up, I heard "throw a paddy" occasionally, not that often. But I never heard "paddy" in relation to Irish people, so didn't make the connection until well into adulthood. It was a phrase I very rarely used, and didn't hear very often, and so never considered looking into, or even thinking about the origins tbh.