Nature or Nurture

Nor me. The point being that we seem to be in danger of totally
abandoning the 'mens rea' principle when it comes to the use of some
words. In the reported cases of 'niggardly' being objected to there was
clearly no racist intent, and yet the mere fact that it sounded a bit
like a racist word was enough to cause complaints.

Do you mean ignorance of the correct meaning of the word 'niggardly' or
ignorance of the implications of the word 'golliwog'?

Not just the context, but the intent. I fully accept, however, that the
use of a racist word in some contexts can be offensive even if it wasn't
said or written with the intention to be a racial slur.

Thatcher ought to have known that it might cause offence. If she
genuinely didn't then when challenged she should have graciously played
the 'my generation' and no offence *intended* cards and expressed
regret.

I haven't read all the details, so I'm not sure if she was given a
chance to do that before the matter was leaked.


--
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest * 2 Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+

 

The former.

 

I'm sorry you feel offended.

Beg pardon, I'm sorry you're *not* offended.

My mistake - you appear to have all bases covered.

 

Unfortunately, the trend is to shoot one's mouth off afterwards, safe in
the knowledge that no one will call you to account for it, when you're
proved to have spouted nonsense...

<http://tinyurl.com/avfukq>

D.

 

Simian posted:

If Andy B had the muscles to match that figure, proportionally
speaking, no-one would be calling him anything.

 

I don't know anything that is secret to me

 

Nailed.

 

No.

 

Agreed.

I watched the interview with Jay Hunt Controller of BBC1 on Today this
morning. Given the circumstances (12 people in the 'Green Room'), and
the phrase which she implied that Thatcher used the remark was clearly
offensive.

Dismissing it as a 'joke' when she had the opportunity to apologise
(seemingly before the story was leaked) wasn't sufficient in my view.

--
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest * 2 Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+

 

the irony of course, is that Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (about whom the
comment was made) looks far more like tha gorilla than a golliwog.

 

You racist ****.

--
Krusty

'03 Tiger 955i
'02 MV Senna (for sale) '96 Tiger (for sale)
'79 Fantic Hiro 250 (for sale) '81 Corvette (for sale)

 

c'mon - I didn't even mention that he has a fat neck.

 

Nice sig

 

Oooh look! An old silverback male!

We're dead respectful of your sort.

 

I resent your orange-ist remarks!

 

Still listening to Johnny Mathis?

 

Kerb drill.

 

Resent all you want, gnome-boy!

Orange isn't a race! So ha-ha-ha-ha to you!

 

See previous post's sig.

 

<g>