Benedict Cumberbatch sorry for 'coloured' comment

[JensenA]

AshVX220 said:

FredClogs said:

Cumbersnots

FredClogs said:

Cumbercock

You really are quite unpleasant aren't you? It must be difficult for you to walk in a straight line with such a massive chip on your shoulder weighing you down.

FredCloggs is a typical left wing arrogant hypocrite who spouts rubbish. He shouts with hypocritical venom at someone who used a term he regards offensive (on behalf of black people) yet he is full of prejudice, venom and anger against people he despises simply because they speak with a posh accent.

[WinstonWolf]

zygalski said:

WinstonWolf said:

unrepentant said:

B17NNS said:

You can't keep up with appropriate terminology these days. Black used to be offensive and coloured was acceptable. Now it's the other way round. Strangely, 'people of colour' is fine. If people had listened to the sentiment rather than taken one word out of context they'd have not been offended at all.

Coloured has never been acceptable, nor has people of colour.

It certainly used to be the PC term... It is hard to keep up though.
|http://thumbsnap.com/AtzWlTRW[/url]

Well you see nothing wrong with calling black folk n*****s so I think we can pretty much take your stance in this matter for granted.

Don't blame me if the coloured people's association disagree with you...

Don't you think they should change their racist name?

Like I always say, equality has to be applied equally.

[Ali G]

zygalski said:

Ali G said:

Non sequitur

Your logic is flawed.

zygalski said:

Ok Mr Justswallowedadictionary.

Should I be offended?

Literally, of course, I have not 'swallowed a dictionary'. I infer that you may believe that in some way I have 'Just' (i.e. with immediate effect) digested a not inconsiderable amount of 'savvy'.

I decide not to be offended! And instead take it as a compliment.

zygalski said:

When was the last time you heard someone refer to a coloured person as opposed to a black person in any media prior to Cumberbatch's self-admitted gaffe?

And this is what you take offence to?

Black, of course, has no colour - it is perceived (or not) by the human eye - simply as a substance which radiates no visible radiation.

I would be more offended if there was a barrier to 'western' ways and means of life, including education, employment opportunities etc. based upon the the radiative/absorption aspects of the epidermis of the skin.

[98elise]

LucreLout said:

sampsan said:

Was always told that using 'black' was racist, and the word coloured was acceptable.
]

Yes, me too.

I'm about cumberbatch's age, and back when we were school age the lefty nonsense brigade were very much pushing that the word black was racist, and coloured was the only acceptable term.

If they've messed about with terminology so much that they now find their own newspeak offensive, then the best solution is for them to STFU and stop looking to be offended.

I was also told it was racist, at school, by a teacher. We were also told we could no longer refer to the blackboard as a blackbord, it was now to be called a chalkboard. This was the late 70's.

[Smiler.]

zygalski said:

People are feigning ignorance or telling outright lies when they say they thought the term coloured was in use as a normal reference to race.
Can't remember the last time I heard the term, other than in a film or documentary.
If you hear the word black used as a commonplace reference to race then I would think it stands to reason that it's an acceptable word. The norm, if you like.
Like I said earlier, lots of pretend troll bullst going on in threads like these in this forum....

[sampsan]

98elise said:

LucreLout said:

sampsan said:

Was always told that using 'black' was racist, and the word coloured was acceptable.
]

Yes, me too.

I'm about cumberbatch's age, and back when we were school age the lefty nonsense brigade were very much pushing that the word black was racist, and coloured was the only acceptable term.

If they've messed about with terminology so much that they now find their own newspeak offensive, then the best solution is for them to STFU and stop looking to be offended.

I was also told it was racist, at school, by a teacher. We were also told we could no longer refer to the blackboard as a blackbord, it was now to be called a chalkboard. This was the late 70's.

Well glad not just me, thought my memory was playing tricks on me this morning when heard the news and all the outrage. Leave it long enough and black will be back out and coloured back in, maybe the next generation.

[silvagod]

Try one of these to avoid doubt :P

[supersingle]

I don't know why everyone's making so much fuss. The correct term for black people is now people of colour and white people are now referred to as people without colour.

[MrHorsepower]

"Savage, would I be correct in assuming that Mr Cudoogo is a coloured gentleman?"

I'm not mistaken in thinking that was a dig at racism in the S.P.G.

[J4CKO]

To be honest I was unsure as to the status of "coloured", I would have avoided using it but I do feel sorry for Benedict Cumberbatch as its status was perhaps a bit uncertain, it was the old "respectful" word, he is five years younger than me and probably heard it, like me, used in the seventies and eighties, grandparents used to use it when not using some of the ones we definitely know are not acceptable now, or then to be fair.

Words and their context get filed in your brain, the context in which they are used and sometimes we may get them wrong as we didnt get the memo, we have now been told so most will avoid it like the plague, god forbid anyone who lets it slip out after this, it wasnt like Ron Atkinsons comments when he thought he was off air, BC was actually being positive, he just selected the wrong word and then, to be honest overboard on the apology, being seen as a racist is second only to being seen as a Paedo these days.

[Sargeant Orange]

This whole discussion reminds me of the time I interviewed a young lad and our personnel representative asked him whether he was willing to abide by our equal opportunities practices.

Without batting an eyelid he says "oh yes I like all gays and blacks & my brothers a spastic so I have no problem working with them either".

I had to leave the room

[Troubleatmill]

J4CKO said:

To be honest I was unsure as to the status of "coloured", I would have avoided using it but I do feel sorry for Benedict Cumberbatch as its status was perhaps a bit uncertain, it was the old "respectful" word, he is five years younger than me and probably heard it, like me, used in the seventies and eighties, grandparents used to use it when not using some of the ones we definitely know are not acceptable now, or then to be fair.

Words and their context get filed in your brain, the context in which they are used and sometimes we may get them wrong as we didnt get the memo, we have now been told so most will avoid it like the plague, god forbid anyone who lets it slip out after this,

Nail on head.
Each time I made my faux pas - the other party completely understood. ( It really doesn't stop you from feeling really awkward though )
What is worrying is that the younger generations won't get this - and genuinely believe that you are increasingly ignorant.

Will I make the same mistake in the future. Probably. I've been brought up that that phrase is the most correct for my most informative years.
Am I trying to make sure I don't use it again. Absolutely.

But - what worries me - is that I will fail. And as time goes on there is a growing chance that the other party may not be as gracious as I have previously experienced.

[LucreLout]

Surely the bottom line is that for the whole world to keep up with the ever changing newspeak the lefty nonsense brigade foist upon us, requires a great deal more effort than is required of them to simply not be offended, or to understand that their being offended is their problem, not everyone else's.

It's time these overly sensitive emotional wrecks grew up and grasp that being an adult means being capable of handling experiences that are unpleasant and may be upsetting.

This horrendous idea that they have some right to go through life without ever being offended is laughable and ridiculous. It also happens to be impossible.

[Troubleatmill]

LucreLout said:

Surely the bottom line is that for the whole world to keep up with the ever changing newspeak the lefty nonsense brigade foist upon us, requires a great deal more effort than is required of them to simply not be offended, or to understand that their being offended is their problem, not everyone else's.

It's time these overly sensitive emotional wrecks grew up and grasp that being an adult means being capable of handling experiences that are unpleasant and may be upsetting.

This horrendous idea that they have some right to go through life without ever being offended is laughable and ridiculous. It also happens to be impossible.

I would put it more simply down to - what is the intent of what that person is trying to say or do? (even if they haven't got it quite right )

[Wacky Racer]

Sargeant Orange said:

This whole discussion reminds me of the time I interviewed a young lad and our personnel representative asked him whether he was willing to abide by our equal opportunities practices.

Without batting an eyelid he says "oh yes I like all gays and blacks & my brothers a spastic so I have no problem working with them either".

I had to leave the room

Did he get the job when you came back?

[LucreLout]

Troubleatmill said:

I would put it more simply down to - what is the intent of what that person is trying to say or do? (even if they haven't got it quite right )

Grab yourself a megaphone and stand at Hyde park corner yelling "LucreLout has a tiny penis which he uses to worry sheep!" If you like. If I'm offended, that's really my problem, not yours.

What you say may be true (you've gotta have a hobby) or it may not. I can respond to it intelligently and make you look dumb, I can respond in kind and make us both look silly, or I can ignore the slight. What I shouldn't be able to do is interfere with your right to say it. And once that has been understood, it really doesn't matter what term anyone uses for black or white, gay or straight, etc.

[Troubleatmill]

LucreLout said:

Troubleatmill said:

I would put it more simply down to - what is the intent of what that person is trying to say or do? (even if they haven't got it quite right )

Grab yourself a megaphone and stand at Hyde park corner yelling "LucreLout has a tiny penis which he uses to worry sheep!" If you like. If I'm offended, that's really my problem, not yours.

What you say may be true (you've gotta have a hobby) or it may not. I can respond to it intelligently and make you look dumb, I can respond in kind and make us both look silly, or I can ignore the slight. What I shouldn't be able to do is interfere with your right to say it. And once that has been understood, it really doesn't matter what term anyone uses for black or white, gay or straight, etc.

I'm left scratching my head here.

Somehow fella - I think you have completely misunderstood what I was getting at.

I've read it 10 times now - and I still don't get it.

Pax
T

(Edit... For clarity - I am not slighting you )



Double edit.


Let me try again

In the case of Benedict Cumberbatch...
I would put it more simply down to - what is the intent of what he is trying to say or do? (even if he has got it quite right )

Edited by Troubleatmill on Tuesday 27th January 23:38

[LucreLout]

Troubleatmill said:

I'm left scratching my head here.

Somehow fella - I think you have completely misunderstood what I was getting at.

I've read it 10 times now - and I still don't get it.

Pax
T

In a nutshell: I don't see intent as relevant.

Freedom to speak should overrule any imagined right to not be offended by someone else's words.

[SpudLink]

MrHorsepower said:

"Savage, would I be correct in assuming that Mr Cudoogo is a coloured gentleman?"

I'm not mistaken in thinking that was a dig at racism in the S.P.G.

One of the great TV sketches.
When that was broadcast, coloured was the polite word used by people of my parents generation. I never met anyone at the time that felt offended by it.

So, are we all agreed that BC is a nice man who said a good thing, even if some would prefer he chose his words differently?

[Troubleatmill]

SpudLink said:

So, are we all agreed that BC is a nice man who said a good thing, even if some would prefer he chose his words differently?

Especially him - he is probably not sleeping too well right now.