Harry's in bother again

[VikingHumpingWitch]

Jan 12, 2009 15:26:51 GMT ricklinc said:

Did anybody ask Harry to stop calling him a Paki? Apart from the general, all-purpose, wet blanket ban optimisitcally imposed by the rising damp of the UK.

Well now we're getting into the pointlessness of publishing this. I frequently exchange racist abuse with Swedish friends, they call me a blatte and I call them a Svenne and it's all good fun and nobody loses an eye. But then, you know, none of them are third in line to the throne.

[vania]

I think Puff is right in what she says. However I am curious about one thing re 'name calling' in the army.

Is it the case that these are really acceptable terms among friends, or just things you have to put up with as part and parcel of army life? (which isn't the same thing imho).

[flatandy]

If I'm about to run the country will someone tell me to stop calling them cuntface ot twatbunny or rancid herpetic sore on the syphilitic cock of humanity?

Or will they just shut up because, well, firstly I could have them executed, and secondly, in the army, they'd be considered a weak-livered puff if they kicked up a fuss.

Nobody's going to tell Harry to stop. But that doesn't matter. Nobody should need to tell Harry not to call a black person "you fucking useless lazy nigger, just like all black people"; and nobody should need to tell him not to call anyone Paki.

Because the word is racist when it's used by a relatively young British person who's grown up in Britain and is therefore aware of the context in which the term exists these days.

[Deleted]

In ordinary life I would agree that derogatory terms are unacceptable.
I have never called anyone a 'paki' as far as I remember.
However I agree with ricklinc that we have always had such a thing as good manners.
In the army I would imagine that things are different.
If you lead men into battle you have to give them confidence and be tough yourself.
Calling each other names can be a form of male bonding in certain circles.
Here's a good sample;


"Come on, you sons of *****es-do you want to live forever?" (Attributed to Gunnery Sergeant Dan Daly, USMC, Belleau Wood, June 1918.)

[sweet soul]

I aint ever called a Paki a Paki either.
Harry wasnt been racist in his vid. Thats what matters.

[vania]

I'm not sure sure 'we've always had good manners' Icas. Look at this thread. It is pretty well accepted that Paki is deemed offensive yet there are plenty of people insisting they are still going to use it irrespective because it's "PC gone mad" to object.

It just seems rude to me.

[Deleted]

Well it's true that not everyone has good manners.
Some may simply be coarse and thoughtless.
It is dismissive to call people derogatory names in my view and so it makes the person saying it feel more important I suppose.
Mr icas did tell me though that sometimes mickey -taking and name calling is like male bonding.

[flatandy]

If you know it's racist, and you continue to use it, that's not just rude, it's racist.

The ignorance defence is gone.

[minge tightly]

Slow news day

[RMPNCO]

Re: #32 on the corresponding News thread.

Indeed you may Jonren. Whilst serving in the RMP I was at various times known as Taff, Druid or Sheep Shagger. Whilst serving in the infantry I remember two coloured lads in our company. The darker of the two was known as Midnight (a term he encouraged the use of) and the other who was not as dark was known as Ten To (as in ten to midnight................geddit? )

My favourite term for my Scottish friends was Oatmeal Savage ( a tad more civilised than Porridge Wog!) ;D

[RMPNCO]

As an aside, I'd be interested to know roughly when the term Paki was deemed racist . Was it only since the likes of the BNP used the term when prefaced with the word 'f***ing'?

I ask because I recall a few years back watching an Australian cricket world cup highlights programme. The programme began with a theme tune that made reference to all the teams taking part and I distinctly recall a line about "the Paki's and the Windies".

Anyone else recall it perchance?

[Libby]

I think it would have been far more significant if it had been said in normal conversation to someone unknown. As it happened it was between army lads who were mates, and no offence was apparently intended or taken. Surely that's different and bad manners were not intentional. They are comrades after all. I deplore rascism, but on this occasion i really don't think anything rascist was intended.

[Deleted]

On the face of it 'paki' does seem more racially offensive than taff etc.
Maybe a couple of hundred years ago 'taff' and 'Jock' would have caused a riot, but they have been weathered by time and the tides
I can't explain it any other way, I'm afraid.

[Libby]

I understand what you mean icas. What i can't understand is why if someone is called a Brit it's not offensive when from Britain, and yet if the word Paki is used for a person from Pakistan it instantly becomes offensive. I don't mind being called a Brit, or being called white or pink or whatever.

[puffin]

Political correctness doesn't come high on the list of priorities in the military.
They have far more pressing concerns than worrying about how the civvies look upon their terms for each other. They are rarely complementary but they are all comradely and affectionate names for real friends.

[Deleted]

Libby.
On the face of it that's right- a Brit is from Britain and proud of it, so why is a paki not someone from Pakistan and proud of it?
The only way I can answer is to use a method that Doc Cruel used once[He's a mythical poster who belonged to news]
Words mean what we infer them to mean and some words lose their original meaning altogether.
If you mean something bad when using a term, then that term takes on that meaning after being used that way.
Paki is used to offend Asians in many cases.
However in this case I think Harry was simply joshing around.
I can only go by what RMPNCO is saying about army life.

[Beachcomber]

Hmmm - someone from Afghanistan is refered to as an Afghan. Uzbek from Uzbekistan and Pak from Pakistan

(Not Paki)

[Deleted]

I dunno

[Libby]

I completely agree with what you are saying there icas, the same as saying someone is an Iti (eye-tie) for an Italian can be deemed derogatory. I think with the case against Prince Harry as it happened three years ago, it's best left and put down to experience. He has had one or two other unfortunate experiences since then!

[Deleted]

I think he's learning the hard way.
I'd give him the benefit of the doubt on account of his yoof.
I was quite silly in my yoof.