Old people say the racist-est things..
Discussion
Has the world changed so much in the last couple of decades that what is hugely unacceptable now, was perfectly fine in the recent past?
Example, my Gran (Nanny!)
In the car (maroon cavalier mk3) a 205 Dimma drives past. Very very loud induction noise, could hear it screaming up the road for a fair distance.
Disgusted, she turns to my Mum. 'I didn't see dear, where they young's or blacks?'
I did giggle.
The Mother in law came to visit, which was lovely of course. On the way in she noticed my car (Capri 2.8i Special at the time) parked outside the house. I had just washed and polished it and it really looked good. IMO.
She says to me, 'some men are outside looking at your car'
'Ok' says I proudly, 'Many people do look at it! It looks the nuts!'
'Yes of course it does, but these men are coloured. They only want to steal it!'
I assured her, they were not.
The same woman at a later date was having a discussion with her sister, whose Polish daughter in law had just had a baby. She wanted to get a gift for her mother and was unsure what to buy. They were pondering for some days when the MIL thought of cake. Foreign people like cake, that is why they get fat she explained.
Now these made me laugh a bit, but also rather sad. Maybe I am somewhat surrounded by bigoted old women. If a guy of my age said something like that I would be shocked but you just can't try and correct someone twice your age. When did we as a nation become more tolerant? Was it a sudden switch?
Example, my Gran (Nanny!)
In the car (maroon cavalier mk3) a 205 Dimma drives past. Very very loud induction noise, could hear it screaming up the road for a fair distance.
Disgusted, she turns to my Mum. 'I didn't see dear, where they young's or blacks?'
I did giggle.
The Mother in law came to visit, which was lovely of course. On the way in she noticed my car (Capri 2.8i Special at the time) parked outside the house. I had just washed and polished it and it really looked good. IMO.
She says to me, 'some men are outside looking at your car'
'Ok' says I proudly, 'Many people do look at it! It looks the nuts!'
'Yes of course it does, but these men are coloured. They only want to steal it!'
I assured her, they were not.
The same woman at a later date was having a discussion with her sister, whose Polish daughter in law had just had a baby. She wanted to get a gift for her mother and was unsure what to buy. They were pondering for some days when the MIL thought of cake. Foreign people like cake, that is why they get fat she explained.
Now these made me laugh a bit, but also rather sad. Maybe I am somewhat surrounded by bigoted old women. If a guy of my age said something like that I would be shocked but you just can't try and correct someone twice your age. When did we as a nation become more tolerant? Was it a sudden switch?
isee said:
I don't think there has been a switch, people just don't say it out loud anymore. Or they say it only to people they know won't be shocked by their comments.
I'd say compared to our grandparents generation we have been schooled with a wider racial group, have been treated medically, worked with and legislated over by a racial mix they would never have imagined in their youth, which has done much to stifle the ignorance that is at the heart of any bigotry. We're very different now.
Edited by Justayellowbadge on Tuesday 6th July 13:23
You really should correct your MIL on stereotypes. If she is going to be an Alf, she should at least get 'em right!
a) loud-chavved up exhaust = White/Asian
b) fat people who like CAKE = White
Actually, i was sat near some correctly racist old biddies on the 265 to Putney. One commented on those 'enterprising coloured folk' as we drove past some Halal shops. The other one put her hand on my knee for some reason, but i carried on making polite conversation and ignored this minor transgression.
a) loud-chavved up exhaust = White/Asian
b) fat people who like CAKE = White
Actually, i was sat near some correctly racist old biddies on the 265 to Putney. One commented on those 'enterprising coloured folk' as we drove past some Halal shops. The other one put her hand on my knee for some reason, but i carried on making polite conversation and ignored this minor transgression.
Edited by fido on Tuesday 6th July 13:40
Justayellowbadge said:
isee said:
I don't think there has been a switch, people just don't say it out loud anymore. Or they say it only to people they know won't be shocked by their comments.
I'd say compared to our grandparents generation we have been schooled with a wider racial group, have been treated medically, worked with and legislated over by a racial mix they would never have imagined in their youth, which has done much to stifle the ignorance that is at the heart of any bigotry. We're very different now.
Edited by Justayellowbadge on Tuesday 6th July 13:23
That and I am in a bit of a glass is half empty mood right now
My uncle on my mum's side is the most racist old person I know. He absolutely hates '
s' and will tell anyone who'll listen. It confuses many people as he himself is Jamaican and black as a very dark brown thing. But not as black as proper 's' from Africa, whom he hates, apparently. And don't get him started on Barbadians. . . . . . . . 
s' and will tell anyone who'll listen. It confuses many people as he himself is Jamaican and black as a very dark brown thing. But not as black as proper 's' from Africa, whom he hates, apparently. And don't get him started on Barbadians. . . . . . . . eightseventhree said:
The Grand mother in law was in a shop describing the paint she wanted as N**ger Brown, and she is as sweet as they come no harm intended
She also explains that when they perchased there first house they got it cheep as a black man lived next door
Had she painted your Grandad brown and got him to rent the place next door?She also explains that when they perchased there first house they got it cheep as a black man lived next door
perhaps she was thinking about trying the same trick again? The crafy old bag. OnTheOverrun said:
My uncle on my mum's side is the most racist old person I know. He absolutely hates 's' and will tell anyone who'll listen. It confuses many people as he himself is Jamaican and black as a very dark brown thing. But not as black as proper 's' from Africa, whom he hates, apparently. And don't get him started on Barbadians. . . . . . . .
Wasn't there a black American comedian who did a routine based on the fact that good, decent honest black folk really hate 's' and will tell anyone who'll listen. It confuses many people as he himself is Jamaican and black as a very dark brown thing. But not as black as proper 's' from Africa, whom he hates, apparently. And don't get him started on Barbadians. . . . . . . . s'?An ex-girlfriend's dad was a pikey (one of 17 children, and the first amongst his siblings to have a house without wheels) and he used to say that he could get on with anybody: black people, Asian people, oriental people (or words to that effect), but the one group of people he couldn't stand were Dubliners. "They're all s, the fking lowest of the low them. I hate them all." This, coming from a nasty thieving pikey who used to con people left right and centre!
s, the fking lowest of the low them. I hate them all." This, coming from a nasty thieving pikey who used to con people left right and centre!clarksonisawilly said:
Has the world changed so much in the last couple of decades that what is hugely unacceptable now, was perfectly fine in the recent past?
I can only assume it was acceptable in the past. Was it as painful to receive it in the past? I can, again, only assume it was.I have been very shocked over the years to hear how some elderly people describe black people, really shocked. These 'quaint old folk' have some appalling turns of phrases.
Don said:
OnTheOverrun said:
My uncle on my mum's side is the most racist old person I know. He absolutely hates 's' and will tell anyone who'll listen. It confuses many people as he himself is Jamaican and black as a very dark brown thing. But not as black as proper 's' from Africa, whom he hates, apparently. And don't get him started on Barbadians. . . . . . . .
Wasn't there a black American comedian who did a routine based on the fact that good, decent honest black folk really hate 's' and will tell anyone who'll listen. It confuses many people as he himself is Jamaican and black as a very dark brown thing. But not as black as proper 's' from Africa, whom he hates, apparently. And don't get him started on Barbadians. . . . . . . . s'?Justayellowbadge said:
I'd say compared to our grandparents generation we have been schooled with a wider racial group, have been treated medically, worked with and legislated over by a racial mix they would never have imagined in their youth, which has done much to stifle the ignorance that is at the heart of any bigotry.
We're very different now.
Compared to me, you're obviously in your first flush of youth, as I only have to go back as far as my parents to witness blatant racism.We're very different now.
In their "defence", they grew up in a small harbour town in the North East and didn't even see a non-white person until the moved to Watford in the mid '60s.
But nigh-on forty years of living in multicultural urban Hertfordshire did nothing to mellow their views.
I'm extremely lucky that I turned out as well-balanced and tolerant as I did.
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