No, racism is unfair treatment of someone because of their race. There may be many other reasons why you'd need to classify somenone or know someones race that aren't racist. It might even be to their benefit.

If I was going to open a centre for the treatment of sickle cell anemia, I'd probably want to open it in an area which had a large black population, as that's who are mainly affected. So I'd need to be able to find out which areas had the most black people. That's not racism.

no, that would be racial prejudice or racial discrimination

nothing snide about it, sorry if you feel that way

but in 1946 what would have been the difference between those Indians and future Pakistanis? Religion? And there are of course millions of Muslim Indians

I see your point. However If people actually thought it was a racist term then why have people said they see no problem in using it.

I think one poster actually said he would be fine with someone saying it but if someone called him a half breed then he wouldnt. I think thats a fair enough comment.

If i was to shout at someone 'Oi you half caste ' = Racist
If i was to say 'Could you tell me that half caste's fella name please' = its not

By snide I meant the stupid comments about the map makers, the kashmir border dispute and phrenology.

Don't worry, I don't blame you, its become the norm to reply in a snide fashion on PH when disagreeing with someone so it's not surprising you don't see it. (that for the record was snide... and patronising albeit in a jocular fashion )

If you think there are no differences in appearnce or indeed genetics in the people who inhabit the areas we refer to now as India and Pakistan then I go back to what I said earlier; Most people just see a brown person and that's that.

Perhaps the differences are more prounounced the further south in India you get and the further north in Pakistan you go, but I still stand by my statement. Line me up 10 Indians and Pakistanis and I'll tell you who is who.

I agree, race is not necesarily a concrete state of being, but to say its not possible to identify someone other than being white black oriental or "asian" is well wide of the mark.

If you use a word that you know to be insulting or contentious in it's use, even if by a small minority of youghurt weavers, when you could use another term that you know not to be contentious, then I'd wonder why you wouldn't.

I think mixed race is accepted and generally known to be the correct term, unless you're over the age of 75 and/or live on the Isle of Man.

There are other words you could substitute in your example, i.e the N word, which some people with selective ignorrance would argue they have a right to use. My question is why hold so dear the right to be insulting, if not for malicious purpose?

This, the word Caste originates from the Indian sub-continent, denoting the numerous castes within Indian culture; particularly the caste identification of one's background and the social status of the family. For example, to be Jatte/Jat within the Punjab is deemed the highest caste status and castes would normally/traditionally marry within their respective social status groups. Marrying out of their social status groups is highly frowned upon and would lose the family social status.

This of course is in direct contradiction, and therefore hypocrisy, to the main Indian religious views of all being equal. An amrit Sikh of Jatte caste would rarely marry outside of their caste and never outside of Sikhism. Although the same can not be said of some Hindu & Muslim families who will readily marry a Sikh Kaur in order for her to relinquish her Sikhism.

Therefore, the term half-caste denotes someone of mixed-caste background. Logically, it is primarily in the UK where the term is deemed derogatory. We should not be uncomfortable in stating that someone is of mixed background; there is nothing offensive in using this term.

To finish on a lighter note, most Punjabi's will use the term Gora or Gaura when refering to us British/English Anglo-Saxons; and it is 'lightly' offensive. So if you hear a British Indian use the term in public, quietly mention to them that you are not 'Gora', but British/English/Welsh/Scotish/Irish or whatever background you prefer to be known.

I wouldn't say half-caste is racist as in intentionally said to cause offense. But offense it taken by people not given (generally, there are of course terms said with venom). I have a half white-British half Japanese friend who calls himself a halfy, and anyone else like him a halfy.

Also have a half Indian-half Irish friend who after someone else mentioned it, now refers to himself as a potato curry, he loves it!

Oh Iv'e heard a few stories about "Aussies" and frequency of comments/feelings on anyone not white......

of course it's possible to identify Gujaratis, Bengalis, Ghurkas, Tamils, Pathans, etc usually you'd have to ask though .......

it's also possible to have educated guesses based on various cultural factors