Just shows how sad and stupid this country is becoming. if that can be used as a racial slur. It's not being white it's being English. Just shows that some ethnic groups don't want and actively encouraging each other not to integrate into English society. Absolutely absurd that this is classed as a racial slur.
You coconut!
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Just shows how sad and stupid this country is becoming. if that can be used as a racial slur. It's not being white it's being English. Just shows that some ethnic groups don't want and actively encouraging each other not to integrate into English society. Absolutely absurd that this is classed as a racial slur.
Soldato
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It's not really a racial slur, just like lots of people in this country who don't like other community groups aren't racist. They are culturalist as was this remark - as it's an attack on the cultural behaviour of individuals.
The black councillor who made the remark was obviously suggesting that the asian lady was acting more in line with white middle class behavioural norms than (for example) black or asian cultural norms. In fact if you watch the full video (and I did) she further goes off into a tirade against the conservative party (traditionally white middle class).
She called the asian lady a coconut which my jamaican friends have explained clearly to me is a derogitary term used when a black person wants to accuse another black person of being or acting like a white person instead of being and acting within black cultural norms.
This insult is seen as particularly offensive within groups that still see the white european racial group and the slave trade as responsible for all their social problems and therefore suggesting that a black person is actually a white person on the inside is tantamount to calling them a traitor to the black race.
So you can see why the asian lady - who I imagine knows exactly what that insult is all about - was shocked and offended.
To compound matters further, the black councillor when asked about the incident trotted out the old line "How can I be racist? I am black" - therefore showing her ignorance in believing that her and her kind are the only ones who can be racially offended (or that if they abuse someone racially it somehow doesn't count).
In my humble opinion this woman at the very least needs to attend some diversity training, or be kicked out of politics for being a racist moron - a line I'm sure she would insist on had she been the victim in this.
And groups such as that should not be pandered to, a slur like this should not be widely acknowledged. if it's widely acknowledged as an insult that means the majority of people feel it to be an insult. When clearly it is not. Acting as a British person can only be a good thing. (probably badly worded)
She should be kicked out as she is a retard and obviously has not got the general public interest in mind.
Soldato
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Too late I'm afraid, this is already widely acknowledged as an insult.
I think she should be forced onto the training too - just to rub salt in the wounds...
What I'm trying to say the only reason it could become widely acknowledge as an Insult is if the majority of people really believe becoming British is a bad thing. which just shows the state of some groups.
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I agree with what you are saying, however coconut isn't an insult limited to just this little group of islands.
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chinese call other chinese acting white (e.g. unable to speak chinese with english as their first language) a banana
Whoa, I think people should hold up before being outraged once again at yet another whimsical term that has been floated about.
To me, calling an Asian person a coconut is merely a light hearted way of remarking that for their ethnicity, they have a very English/Westernised lifestyle etc. I have used this to my friends, I have heard many others using this term also. It has never been spoken insultingly. It is neither a racist term, nor is it showing that 'some ethnic groups don't want... others to integrate into English society'. I have never heard the term 'coconut' being used disparagingly, and I have heard it a lot.
I think the only reason this has even caused an issue is the fact that the term 'coconut' has any relation to skin colour at all, and of course in today's society, anyone's skin colour is now taboo. The term itself is not a racist slur, in my opinion (although I will concede that of course it could be used as one, if specifically intended)
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Yeah, except that it isn't a slur about acting 'British' - it is a slur about acting 'white'. This particular insult is also used in other countries too.
If white people can be forced to resign or are sacked over racial comments then so should this woman. As I said earlier it is quite clear that she meant the Asian lady was behaving like a white person and therefore not on the same side. It is very apparant that she has a them and us attitude in regards to whites vs coloureds.
being a coconut does not mean acting british, it is known world wide as a racial slur and is the same as a white calling an asian a "****" or a black person a "******". This lady should be sacked, how can she try and say she cant be a racist because she is black? just shows her mentality and how stupid and misguided she is, how can we even have people like this making decisions for us.
If it had been a white person that had said that it would be front page news and they would be sacked, why rules for some and not for others? i thought they wanted to intergrate into this country.
If it had been a white person that had said that it would be front page news and they would be sacked, why rules for some and not for others? i thought they wanted to intergrate into this country.
Yes it is....
maybe you have not lived among many black people then, the word is a racist word that they use on eachother and stems from the days when black people hated whites and to a black person acting white was a huge insult.
The insult is that they are denying their roots, rather than insulting them for actually being black.
The word '******' is a discriminating word for all people of black skin colour.
The word '****' is a discriminating word for all people of middle eastern origin.
The word 'coconut' is an insult that a man has lost in touch with his roots. It is only applicable to black people.
There is a huge difference between coconut and ****** or ****. All are offensive, but only two are using skin colour as a basis for the insult.
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But saying that someone is 'denying their roots' is racist in a way, as that's stereotyping them. That's like saying black people must act black or something, whatever that means.
Not really.
I wouldn't even go as far as saying it's racist, it's more of an emphasis on stereotypical views of how people should (or are expected to) think/act/whatever.
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Its not only blacks, certain indians and asians use the term against eachother aswell, it is racist as you will not call a white person a coconut would you? so it discriminates against people of colour and is therefore racist, i know a lot of people that would find the term coconut used towards them far worse than ******.
edit-it has nothing to do with their roots, where did you even hear that it did?