Older generation - racist?

[Burnsy2023]

I wouldn't of hit him personally, but I would have put him in his place and call him a ****ing idiot.

I wouldn't. I would have simply said "Would want me to smash your head in the door?" and then smile.

 

[Bennie-Mac]

Really? No non whites at your school then? What year are we talking about here?

This was in 2003! There were a few people from different backrounds in the school however i don't recall there being any black people in my year at the time. There certainly weren't any in that particular class, i could have seen him getting fired pretty quick if there was...

 

[dirtydog]

When I was at school (I left in 1989) there were only a handful of non whites. I bet the same isn't true today at the same school.

 

[craptakular]

70% of British food comes from some ethnic country anyway.

What is an ethnic country?

 

[do_ron_ron]

It depends on age. People who are 75+ were brought up in that atmosphere where it was the norm.
People who are ~50+ tend to be borderline.
People who are 25 or under tend to be more racist.

Reason: Older people often refer to Pakis etc but they are usually not saying in a racist manner but as a description - as in 'Go to the ****'s for a pint of milk'. This is cultural.

Younger people have been brought up in a different cultural atmosphere and there is not the same excuse and the people who use racist remarks tend to be racist.

 

[semi-pro waster]

Absolutely yes. You only need to look back to the late seventies/early eighties to see television programs like the Sweeney and Til Death Do Us Part to see actors on prime time tv calling black characters Nig Nogs and Darkies, Asian characters pakis and **** and Irish characters Bog Trotters and Bombers. In addition comedians like Bernard Manning and Jim Davidson regularly took the mick out of other races in a manner that would today be considered un-pc.

People who were bought up during those times and enjoyed these television programs (which you have to remember were the norm for the times) were quite probably using the same language everyday to talk about different cultures in their daily life.

The only thing that has changed is the political outlook on such things - people haven't and I'm not in the least bit surprised to hear older people still using this kind of language. Rather I'm surprised we don't hear it more - especially with political correctness wearing quite thin with a lot of people.

My problem with Jim Davidson and Bernard Manning isn't that they are racist, it's that they aren't funny (I'm obviously the final arbiter of what constitutes humour y'see).

I'd have to disagree that people haven't changed, I think a lot of people have changed and realised that stereotyping on something as arbitary and useless as skin colour doesn't make a lot of sense.

I'm still surprised no one has mentioned Honkys (I think thats spelt right) But because that is aimed at white people its not considered a racial slur by a lot of places.

It is a racial slur and should be viewed as seriously as any other racial slur, although I'd laugh if it was said to me it is still an offensive term and shouldn't be treated differently.

 

[p4radox]

My grandparents pretty much admitted to being racist once. My grandmother said that she found black men more "scary" than white men, and that it was probably due to only seeing her first black man at the age of about 20. She admitted that not having been exposed to any other ethnicities other than whites from an early age gave her a sort of "fear of the unknown" that has remained with her.

I don't think they're racist in the sense that they see other races as being completely inferior, they just have this bizarre misunderstanding.

 

[Dreadi]

I still remember when i met my ex's great aunty (think that was the relation) when i had dreadlocks. She asked "why'd you wonna make yourself look like one of them n****** for?" Needless to say, i was a little shocked!

 

[Deadly Ferret]

They grew up in a time when you were allowed to say what you think, no real surprises thee.

This is half the explanation. The other half is that peoples' perceptions of what racism actually is has changed.

 

[dirtydog]

This is half the explanation. The other half is that peoples' perceptions of what racism actually is has changed.

Which peoples are you referring to?

 

[Fuzz]

I'm not sure if I should say your honesty is commendable but can I ask you why you are racist.

You seem to be aware therefore you should be able to see how untenable your statment and prejudices towards those of a different race is?

It kinda comes across as though you are pround but please correct me if I am wrong.

Crikey, no not proud.

I just find myself laughing at jokes that are clearly derogatory towards black people, I still find myself using the obvious derogatory terms.
The trouble, as I see it, is the fact I don't get hung up on what are essentially just words.
If some one called me by some word that was considered racist towards white people, I'd be like "WTF, who cares."
But then I am a really shallow ******* anyway.
The old adage "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" goes a long way in this context.

On the flip side of that though, I would never have the "gall" to use those terms in front of, or directly to someone who may "take offence" to it.
I have enough tact to realise the connotations that has.

Edit ***
I seemed to have missed out how I perceive different races..
I need to add that I don't care what colour a persons skin is, or where they come from, you get nice people and you get ***holes in all parts of the world, so in that respect I am in no way racist. Some black girls look exceedingly hot actually but when they are 50 their ass will be the size of Africa so that puts me off somewhat. LOL
I have met some top drawer people on my travels and I've never looked "down" on them because of the colour of their skin.
That's a bit pathetic.

 

[Deadly Ferret]

Which peoples are you referring to?

At least 50% of people under the age of 40 in this country...

 

[RDM]

The old adage "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" goes a long way in this context.

It is wrong as we allegedly remember emotional pain better than we can recall physical pain. So "names" will be more painful in the long run than a broken bone.

 

[drunkenmaster]

My grandparents pretty much admitted to being racist once. My grandmother said that she found black men more "scary" than white men, and that it was probably due to only seeing her first black man at the age of about 20. She admitted that not having been exposed to any other ethnicities other than whites from an early age gave her a sort of "fear of the unknown" that has remained with her.

I don't think they're racist in the sense that they see other races as being completely inferior, they just have this bizarre misunderstanding.

she said she feared what she didn't know, most people do. Fear, and hate are completely and utterly different things. The fact she could understand why she felt that, and could talk about it pretty much says she isn't racist.



Personally I don't see people any less racist today than they were 20 years ago, or from what I can see from older people and have read/heard about it being 50 or 100 years ago.

All together too many people will make racist jokes, and say things with a racial tinge to it when they are together in a group of people they know in private, but would happily be friends with say a black person but talk about them behind their back and make jokes. To me it merely seems that people are just more careful about where they say what they say and that to me would appear to be down to this. 60 years ago there weren't many black people around so people spoke openly, those same people are now old but used to talking openly. Now there are lots of varied coloured people around so people simply grew up being much more careful of what and where they say. I don't think people have changed all that much at all, they just know when to act like they aren't frankly.

Its altogether worse now aswell, 60 years ago it would be some old grannie who simply heard some stories and was afraid of what she didn't know, she didn't hate black people, she just didn't know any and feared the unknown. Now people who have these views grew up with black people and in their own minds decided they were better and the black people were worse, an altogether more hateful and worse take on the situation.

So basically uneducated people not knowing what they were saying years ago, versus fully educated people who know there isn't a difference who still choose to hate black people for altogether more ignorant and hateful reasons.

 

[drunkenmaster]

It is wrong as we allegedly remember emotional pain better than we can recall physical pain. So "names" will be more painful in the long run than a broken bone.

Unless its a doctor standing over me saying "ok, i'm calling it, time of death x:xx... xx/xx/xxxx" then words don't kill me directly, while my bones breaking can kill me, you can recall words that hurt you, you can't recall anything if someone kills you, i know which I'd prefer.

 

[semi-pro waster]

Unless its a doctor standing over me saying "ok, i'm calling it, time of death x:xx... xx/xx/xxxx" then words don't kill me directly, while my bones breaking can kill me, you can recall words that hurt you, you can't recall anything if someone kills you, i know which I'd prefer.

How about when someone says "execute that man at dawn"? That any better for the whole words can kill you thing as they've now directly led to the death.

It's a simple point, words are not entirely without consequence in this World and while being alive is almost certainly better than being dead, emotional hurt can be very damaging - don't seek to trivialise it too much.

 

[Jez]

I was Shocked by a couple of my workmates, They refer to Bananas as Monkey food & then started chatting to this girl about how many "Monkeys" there are over in Nuneaton. There was No hush hush about it or anything & he just talked normally, The guy is between 45-50 I would say. There was about 5 people within ear shot who laughed along as I just stood there picking my jaw up.
I felt guilty not saying owt but he is the team leaders husband so I felt it better not to rock the boat any more.

To be honest that is completely normal amongst pretty much everyone (including myself, and everyone in my age group) in my area. Its mainly just banter, which black people simply have to accept if they want to live here.

 

[wormwood]

So basically uneducated people not knowing what they were saying years ago, versus fully educated people who know there isn't a difference who still choose to hate black people for altogether more ignorant and hateful reasons.

People who make racist comments or use racist terms aren't automatically racist though. I agree with the rest of your post, people are just a bit more careful of what they say in public these days. Racist comments are thrown around my home willy nilly but the purpose is not to offend nor is the reason because I feel I am better than whichever ethnithicty the comment was about. It's purely for humour.

 

[JohnnyG]

This is half the explanation. The other half is that peoples' perceptions of what racism actually is has changed.

That's a great point, people get branded racist nowadays for almost anything they say or do that concerns a different race, creed, colour or religion.
Some people just don't know what racism is.

 

[The Funktopus]

Two of my great uncles , Chuck and Don were both US airmen serving in Britain during WWII, and thus grew up in Arizona and Pennsylvania respectively at a time when segregation was the norm. Hence my great uncle Chuck's consternation when he attended a veteran's association reunion here in the UK back in 1995 only to find it was being hosted by a serving black USAF Colonel who was stationed at RAF Lakenheath at the time.