Being disrespectful
Discussion
I love it when people from another country do a British accent, I find it hilarious by and large. I think I personally like it because it makes you feel like people have some notion of Britain, its culture, customs an how we speak. It is generally gentle ribbing but in a lot of cases I find that is actually done affectionately and inclusively.
My old boss in the states used to do it and always sounded like Dick Van Dyke doing a Cockney voice. I dont mind the French calling us Rosbif, or being called Whinging Poms by Australians, Limeys or whatever.
I dont mind Black Comedians doing skits on "White people be like", sometimes its good to get another groups perspective on how you are perceived, though it would never work the other way round, but hundreds of years of actual racism have caused that.
Racism, to me is based on irrational hatred and doing things intended to hurt, offend or otherwise demean a person or a group of people based on their race.
Trouble is now, anything that isnt manifestly positive is regarded as racism, nuance and intention is lost in the clamor to declare someone racist.
As for the OPs example, I cant speak for the Japanese but something like that, especially nowadays would be ill advised and really, on a TV show sent to the whole country, I wouldnt have done it personally. We have moved on but sometimes it does seem like the good aspects have gone with the bad.
My old boss in the states used to do it and always sounded like Dick Van Dyke doing a Cockney voice. I dont mind the French calling us Rosbif, or being called Whinging Poms by Australians, Limeys or whatever.
I dont mind Black Comedians doing skits on "White people be like", sometimes its good to get another groups perspective on how you are perceived, though it would never work the other way round, but hundreds of years of actual racism have caused that.
Racism, to me is based on irrational hatred and doing things intended to hurt, offend or otherwise demean a person or a group of people based on their race.
Trouble is now, anything that isnt manifestly positive is regarded as racism, nuance and intention is lost in the clamor to declare someone racist.
As for the OPs example, I cant speak for the Japanese but something like that, especially nowadays would be ill advised and really, on a TV show sent to the whole country, I wouldnt have done it personally. We have moved on but sometimes it does seem like the good aspects have gone with the bad.
Esceptico said:
Of course they do but what point are you making? It is okay to be a 
because other s exist? That doesn’t seem a very good or strong argument.
I'll give you (slight!) credit since what normally seems to be the case is that the UK/US (in particular) seems to be beaten with the "anything they do is wrong" stick and you don't. However it does throw up a few other questions: I seem to recall that you live in NZ. As a non-indigenous person living there how do you reconcile with living on stolen land? because other s exist? That doesn’t seem a very good or strong argument. 
andyxxx said:
Anybody that can’t see the photo by the OP is humour, not racism needs to get a life.
It is an observable fact that Japanese often speak English in this manner and I can’t see it as racist to comment on it.
Is it deliberately taking the piss out of the band by making a joke based on a national stereotype? Yes. Is that pretty much the dictionary definition of a racist joke? Yes. Trying to claim otherwise is irrational.It is an observable fact that Japanese often speak English in this manner and I can’t see it as racist to comment on it.
The question is whether making jokes like that is OK or not, and that's down to the circumstances in which they're made. If someone wants to tease me about being a Brit with s
t foreign language skills, that's fine with me because (a) it's true (b) it's my fault (c) I don't really care and (d) by any sane standards I live a very comfortable and pretty privileged life so no one is screwing up my life chances by taking the piss out of me. Contrast that with someone taking the piss out of a 2nd generation Pakastani immigrant child for speaking English with an accent. So, where does the OGWT joke sit? Just strikes me as being fking rude, if it wasn't the band's idea, and it doesn't strike me as likely that it was the band's idea.
ATG said:
andyxxx said:
Anybody that can’t see the photo by the OP is humour, not racism needs to get a life.
It is an observable fact that Japanese often speak English in this manner and I can’t see it as racist to comment on it.
Is it deliberately taking the piss out of the band by making a joke based on a national stereotype? Yes. Is that pretty much the dictionary definition of a racist joke? Yes. Trying to claim otherwise is irrational.It is an observable fact that Japanese often speak English in this manner and I can’t see it as racist to comment on it.
The question is whether making jokes like that is OK or not, and that's down to the circumstances in which they're made. If someone wants to tease me about being a Brit with s
t foreign language skills, that's fine with me because (a) it's true (b) it's my fault (c) I don't really care and (d) by any sane standards I live a very comfortable and pretty privileged life so no one is screwing up my life chances by taking the piss out of me. Contrast that with someone taking the piss out of a 2nd generation Pakastani immigrant child for speaking English with an accent. So, where does the OGWT joke sit? Just strikes me as being fking rude, if it wasn't the band's idea, and it doesn't strike me as likely that it was the band's idea.Most Japanese I have seen have dark hair – this observation may be a stereotype comment but does not make me racist - as in some one who hates the Japanese because they are a different race to my own.
I chuckled to myself at the OPs picture and that in your mind makes me a racist.
So be it - but if so, I would imagine the bulk of our population regardless of race/colour would also see a bit of humour their, so are also racist.
You are diluting 'racism'.
Esceptico said:
For some reason an Old Grey Whistle Test session from the 1970s, with a Japanese band I had never heard of, popped up on my YouTube feed. Curious I clicked on it.
As you can see, it looks like some wit at the BBC changed the name to “Old Gley Whistle Test”. I remember casual racism being a thing in the 70s but still a bit taken back, especially as the OGWT was a show for popular music.
Or maybe there is an innocent explanation. Although I’m struggling to come up with one.
Anyone with similar examples?
Are you by any chance searching for something to be offended about?As you can see, it looks like some wit at the BBC changed the name to “Old Gley Whistle Test”. I remember casual racism being a thing in the 70s but still a bit taken back, especially as the OGWT was a show for popular music.
Or maybe there is an innocent explanation. Although I’m struggling to come up with one.
Anyone with similar examples?
Edited by Esceptico on Wednesday 11th May 06:14
At our school the Chemistry teacher wax an Indiian, a Mr Bhatnagha
There were two lads in class whose surmanes were Vale and Watkins, who he referred to as Wale and Votkins
They tried to get him to pronounce their names correctly, but despite all this he still carried on...until one day one of the brighter lads told him that their surnames were spelt Wale and Votkins
Next day he pronounced them correctly The onlt thing was they changed places in the register roll call!
There were two lads in class whose surmanes were Vale and Watkins, who he referred to as Wale and Votkins
They tried to get him to pronounce their names correctly, but despite all this he still carried on...until one day one of the brighter lads told him that their surnames were spelt Wale and Votkins
Next day he pronounced them correctly The onlt thing was they changed places in the register roll call!
I was talking to a chap from New Delhi at social event and he said he worked at City Bank as an AVP. Sensing he was giving it a bit of the biggun, I asked, "AVP?" to which he replied, "Assistant _Wice_ President". I said, "but you said AVP..."
Wound him up for a minute or so until he twigged, but he took it well and we had a laugh.
Wound him up for a minute or so until he twigged, but he took it well and we had a laugh.
Glassman said:
I was talking to a chap from New Delhi at social event and he said he worked at City Bank as an AVP. Sensing he was giving it a bit of the biggun, I asked, "AVP?" to which he replied, "Assistant _Wice_ President". I said, "but you said AVP..."
Wound him up for a minute or so until he twigged, but he took it well and we had a laugh.
ATG will consider you a racist.Wound him up for a minute or so until he twigged, but he took it well and we had a laugh.
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