The world's gone mad!

[Foxholer]

It's a pretty hippy concept where we all just take people as we find them and, sort of, "get along". Don't expect to see it in my lifetime.

You won't see it in anyone's lifetime.

Hippy concept is basically everyone is the same and it therefore could be communist ideal or, God forbid, North Korea. The great thing about humans is that we are all different and think and act differently too. One man's racist comment is another man's fair comment and that's how it will ever be!

Bit of a leap from hippy 'communal' approach to the North Korean (or Stalinist) 'communist' way!

But as the (Male) Human Race's main drivers seem to be Greed and Sex, possibly disguised as other terms, I certainly see it ever happening!

 

[chrisd]

I'm not for a minute suggesting that everyone should be the same, heaven forbid! Just that everyone should be aware that everyone is different and that those differences cease to be an issue between us. And, in my hippy ideal, it's just because everyone is comfortable enough in their own skin that the differences simply don't matter.

To be honest, I think that we all agree with that, but, it's so difficult in a world where everyone has opinions, talks differently and has widely varying opinions on what is acceptable to say or do. Even on the most innocuous of subjects on the forum we often get to infractions! I never cease to be amazed at some views and how radical they are even on a golf forum.

 

[FairwayDodger]

To be honest, I think that we all agree with that, but, it's so difficult in a world where everyone has opinions, talks differently and has widely varying opinions on what is acceptable to say or do. Even on the most innocuous of subjects on the forum we often get to infractions! I never cease to be amazed at some views and how radical they are even on a golf forum.

Indeed. Probably useful for all of us to see some diverse opinions, whether we agree with them or not. As long as we keep it civilised!

 

[richart]

It's moved on a bit from the op, but that to me chris sounds a bit like acceptance. Some attitudes can never be accepted, like the one displayed in post 54.

Seems like they are on here though, criticise a Mod and you're banned, post using racist language left up

It's ok he was trying to be funny, it was only ironically racist FFS

The remark in post 54 should be deleted. Sounds to me like a quote from 'Love thy neighbour'. That is what we had to put up with in the 70's.

It shows though that racism is being lost amongst these non racist acts. Can no one see the wood for the trees here. At football matches racist chants, banana throwing goes on across Europe with little or no action. A young women that supports an anti racist cause, putting her money where her mouth is, gets all this bad publicity for at worst in my mind an error of judgement.

Does as a white women she think she is superior to a black one. Of course not. Now the BNP that is another matter.

 

[chrisd]

The remark in post 54 should be deleted. Sounds to me like a quote from 'Love thy neighbour'. That is what we had to put up with in the 70's.

I agree that it should be deleted

Love thy neighbour and Till death do us part would be an absolute no no these days, and rightly so. However, the fact was that the bigots in both programme's both actually were the ones who came out looking the idiots given the careful writing and acting.

As a member of the older generation I have seen that offence can be easily taken, and was clearly done so, by ethnic minorities over many years and these days we are more enlightened to the plight of people from different backgrounds, sexual orientation etc and we, by and large, understand the need to be more careful in what we say and do, but, I do get brassed off when the main complainants are from do gooders who are just looking to be the thought police for other people who probably wouldn't themselves care a jot over an issue.

 

[Slime]

@therod has got it right for me. I don't find it offensive but might question why she chose Whoopi Goldberg - not the most obvious of choice for a fancy dress party unless you think it funny provoking comments of (highly dubious) nature such as 'haha - you is dressed up as a black person when you is white - haha'. I don't get her thinking - unless she was cunning and thought she'd dress up and disguise herself as someone who dresses up and disguises herself.

So the 'blacking up' bit is just rather thoughtless and in somewhat poor taste given all the historical connotations @therod has covered.

Why not?
Can white people only go to fancy dress parties as whites and coloured people only go as coloureds?
If a coloured friend of mine went as a white person I'd find it hilarious, not offensive!


Slime.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Why not?
Can white people only go to fancy dress parties as whites and coloured people only go as coloureds?
If a coloured friend of mine went as a white person I'd find it hilarious, not offensive!


Slime.

Think you'll find the word 'coloured' is a bit 1970s and not the term used nowadays and is considered as a bit offensive by the people you are referring to.

I know, I know, political correctness gone mad, and they are indeed coloured as opposed to non coloured people who are see through, and any right thinking coloured person would not be offended by this term, blah blah blah. But them's the breaks.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Can see why some people would be offended by the fancy dress choice and they are entitled to be offended by that.

When it comes to what is offensive there is no right or wrong answer IMO.

 

[Slime]

Think you'll find the word 'coloured' is a bit 1970s and not the term used nowadays and is considered as a bit offensive by the people you are referring to.

I know, I know, political correctness gone mad, and they are indeed coloured as opposed to non coloured people who are see through, and any right thinking coloured person would not be offended by this term, blah blah blah. But them's the breaks.

So what do we call people that are non-white without offending them ................ non-whites?


Slime.

 

[freddielong]

I fail to see how she could have dressed as Whoopi without blacking her face surely to say she could not dress up as Whoopi due to the colour of her skin is racist.

I can see how dressing up as a non white in a generic way such as a golli wog is offensive as it carries the implication that they are all the same, but I cannot see the offense in d ressing as an individual.

 

[CMAC]

I fail to see how she could have dressed as Whoopi without blacking her face surely to say she could not dress up as Whoopi due to the colour of her skin is racist.

I can see how dressing up as a non white in a generic way such as a golli wog is offensive as it carries the implication that they are all the same, but I cannot see the offense in d ressing as an individual.

Exactly! as has been said many times on this thread. But certain individuals want to hang a thousand years of oppression on it and insist a white person cannot imitate, even if it's to celebrate, a non white.

If she didnt imitate Whoopi Goldberg she would just be a girl in a nuns habit but she wanted to imitate a character (thats key here) from well known and loved movies.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Just because some people can't see the offence it "could" cause doesn't mean the offence to some isn't possible.

 

[Imurg]

Just because some people can't see the offence it "could" cause doesn't mean the offence to some isn't possible.

The problem with that line is that absolutely anything and everything will be offensive to someone somewhere at some time.....

 

[freddielong]

People can take offence to anything it doesn't automatically mean the other person is wrong

 

[Deleted member 15344]

The problem with that line is that absolutely anything and everything will be offensive to someone somewhere at some time.....

Yes there will be - obviously there will be levels of offence etc but I believe we need to be a bit more aware and possibly tolerant of others but being careful not to go too far.

It's like people being offended by Jimmy Carr or any comedian at a concert or telly - simple answer - if it's offends you then don't watch him. But when it comes to emotive subject like the colour of someone's skin then we must never ever forget the oppression that people faced in history and certain things will drag up that history.

If someone of the same colour of Whoopi Goldberg took offence to the fancy dress and brought up history of minstrels and gollywogs etc then we surely must see and accept the possibility of the offence it could cause.

Obviously the young lady didn't dress up to cause any offence but it seems she is aware of the offence it could cause.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

People can take offence to anything it doesn't automatically mean the other person is wrong

Correct but it also doesn't automatically mean the people can't feel offence also - maybe we need to be a little bit more aware

 

[Slime]

I fail to see how she could have dressed as Whoopi without blacking her face surely to say she could not dress up as Whoopi due to the colour of her skin is racist.

I can see how dressing up as a non white in a generic way such as a golli wog is offensive as it carries the implication that they are all the same, but I cannot see the offense in dressing as an individual.

I totally agree, who wouldn't?

Just because some people can't see the offence it "could" cause doesn't mean the offence to some isn't possible.

How is attending a fancy dress party as Whoopi Goldberg offensive?
The poor girl was not mocking Whoopi Goldberg, merely imitating her. She's an anti-racist campaigner for goodness' sake.
Has she offended just coloured people or has she offended religious people too?
I think that maybe just some people choose to be offended ..................... and I mean just some.


Slime.

 

[richart]

I feel that people are taking offence in this case, after they have been told by certain people it is potentially racist. Have any black groups taken offence, or is it white people taking offence on their behalf ? I would be interested to know, as I haven't heard any response from a single black person.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I totally agree, who wouldn't?



How is attending a fancy dress party as Whoopi Goldberg offensive?
The poor girl was not mocking Whoopi Goldberg, merely imitating her. She's an anti-racist campaigner for goodness' sake.
Has she offended just coloured people or has she offended religious people too?
I think that maybe just some people choose to be offended ..................... and I mean just some.


Slime.

I believe you have missed the point very clearly. No one has suggested she has offended anyone.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I feel that people are taking offence in this case, after they have been told by certain people it is potentially racist. Have any black groups taken offence, or is it white people taking offence on their behalf ? I would be interested to know, as I haven't heard any response from a single black person.

I know a black person who finds it offensive still to see people "black" up. But he understands that when it happens in this occasion he can see that person is intending to cause any offence