Alan Hansen apologises for using the 'C' word on tele...

[Jinx]

obob said:

what about those pesky yellows and light browns

Look just eat all your M&Ms they all taste the same.......

[rb5er]

Why can you not call a black person a black person anymore, is it not true?

John terry for example calling someone a stupid black is apparently terrible, but if he had called an ugly person a stupid ugly that would be ok?

Can we no longer call an apple an apple or a spade a spade?

Is it really racist to refer to someone as that black guy rather than have to describe him using 20 different adjectives first?

[Corsair7]

Piersman2 said:

There's not clear manual on this which is why I have much sympathy for Hansen.

When I were a kid using the term 'black' was deemed offensive and the phrase "coloured" was the PC phrase. Sometime over the last 15-20 years the term 'black' has now become the preferred description amogst black people and the term 'coloured' is now seen is derogatory.

My personal take on it is the black people don't want to be lumped in as 'coloureds' along with everyone who is none caucasian an have decided to reclaim 'black' and make it a word to take pride in rather than it be derogatory.

Seems to have worked as well - just means that occasionally people who have experienced both 'educations' may get a little confused.

I must admit, I still feel uncomfortable using the term 'black' when talking to my team at work, 3 of whom are black. They don't bat an eyelid and freely use the expression themselves... it's just me that feels uncomfortable because I was taught as a kid that it's not acceptable.

Seems to me the dropping of the term 'colored' stems from the rejection by the majority of 'black' race people to being associated with people of indo-asian, indian and arabic races. Basically, 'black' seems to be only associated with african decent.

its an interesting thought that it is indeed another form of racism to some extent.

[hornetrider]

So.. to clarify.. black is the acceptable term now, and coloured is off limits?

[Mr GrimNasty]

oyster said:

Why are you scared?
Use of the phrase 'coloured' became outdated decades ago.

Garbage - in common usage and I don't know a single COLOURED person that would be offended, and I know dozens if not hundreds. The world has gone mad. Welcome to 1984.

[carmonk]

I hope his apology was heartfelt as befits his hideous faux pas...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSHaCzb3yYk

[Corsair7]

rb5er said:

Why can you not call a black person a black person anymore, is it not true?

John terry for example calling someone a stupid black is apparently terrible, but if he had called an ugly person a stupid ugly that would be ok?

Can we no longer call an apple an apple or a spade a spade?

Is it really racist to refer to someone as that black guy rather than have to describe him using 20 different adjectives first?

you can describe someone as black, as long as its not used as a derogatory term.

"You know who I mean, that witty, handsome black guy in the other office" is acceptable, but "that stupid black guy from the other office" is not.

Eggsells mate.

[Corsair7]

hornetrider said:

So.. to clarify.. black is the acceptable term now, and coloured is off limits?

Only because some American rappers have said its so.

[Oakey]

Corsair7 said:

Only because some American rappers have said its so.

Hold on, they regularly call each other s, is that acceptable now then?

[Fleegle]

I'm still waiting for the MOWO awards to come around

[southendpier]

is "darky" ok?

[al bebak]

why blacks, there brown or shades of last time i looked, and assuming brown is a colour and black isnt then in my book they should wining about saying "blacks" not "coloureds" but wtf dont they insist on being called brown.
this country wonders why its on its knees.

[g3org3y]

SC7 said:

Storm in a teacup brewed up by ttter morons with nothing better to hashtag. s.

Absolutely.

On watching MOTD yesterday, as soon as he said it I knew there'd be some kind of issue.

Working out in Essex it seems 'coloured' is the choice phrase for middle aged/older members of the public. In conversation they will often refer to the 'coloured doctor' or 'coloured nurse' etc. I don't think it's ever meant in a racist or offensive way, it's just how people have been brought up.

[Chrisw666]

rb5er said:

Can we no longer call an apple an apple or a spade a spade?

I think calling them a spade will get you shouted at too.

Can't we just call everyone Nigga regardless of skin colour? Rappers can so why can't the rest of us?

[Fleegle]

southendpier said:

is "darky" ok?

It was said without guilt when I was a kid. Even worse things said on TV. Remember Love Thy Neighbour and Alf Garnett.

We have moved on for the better, however, if these people keep complaining, I can't help but feel Racism will become more prevalent due to peoples frustration

[Nicholas Blair]

Isn't there a rerun of the Black + White Minstrel Show on over Christmas?

If not, there should be

[james_tigerwoods]

I'm offended too - I'm not black, nor am I coloured. I am, in fact, a dark oaky shade of brown and that is how I want to be referred to in future.

In fact, I think there should be a sliding scale that could be used to accurately guage the colour of a "black fella".

Not sure how that would for for italians, greeks, chinese, etc people though.

This is such a ridiculous story it's not worth all the print it'll garner - if he's said "black", he would be in just as much trouble.

[dandarez]

He 'deeply regrets' using the word 'coloured'. FFS!
I have my granddaughter with me this afternoon - she's almost 2 and 'brighter' than some of these puritan sparks today.

I hear York City Council has banned children and 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' so they can no longer make the traditional 'Star' sign with their hands while performing this nitty little song.

It apparently means female genitalia in official sign language of the deaf.

Country... plot... the.. LOST... time... BIG... has... This !!!

[Chrisw666]

Coloured, Coloured, Coloured.

Look no swear filter so it must be ok.

[Piersman2]

Corsair7 said:

Seems to me the dropping of the term 'colored' stems from the rejection by the majority of 'black' race people to being associated with people of indo-asian, indian and arabic races. Basically, 'black' seems to be only associated with african decent.

its an interesting thought that it is indeed another form of racism to some extent.

Indeed, that was something I was hinting at in my original post and seems to be part of it.

As someone said a little above, you can use any term really, so long as you use it correctly.

I've often thought that when people get wound up and are angered by another then they will resort to name calling. Whether it be fat bd, ginger , speckie four eyed git, posh wker or black tt, it's no so much to do with race and more to do with indentifying something 'different' about that person from ourselves at that time in the heat of the moment.

Calling someone a fat bd doesn't mean you hate all fat people or feel all fat people are in some way inferior. And the same can go for calling someone black bd, doesn't follow that that person thinks all black people are the same... but at that moment in time, in the heat of argument, it's the one obvious thing that differentiates that person from themselves.

Which is where I believe the Suarez and Terry problem comes from. In the heat of the moment they've called the opposition something based on being angry and wishing to differentiate, doesn't lead to mean that either of them are inherently more racist than any other person.