The racists are much better at hiding it these days ... with, perhaps, the inference that they are just as prevalent. But I really think not. Friends who are, or were until retirement, secondary school teachers and university lecturers say there has been a noticeable shift in opinion over the past 40 or so years. Intolerant, derogatory classroom chatter and name calling would pass without comment in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Many in the class would join in; it was a reflection of home attitudes as well. But since then such inappropriate language would be fiercely called out by class mates. Perpetrators would be ostracised, or worse.
And these young people of the 1990s, intolerant of intolerance, have become parents now themselves and young children grow up in homes where understanding, kindness and respect for diversity prevails. But not all. Obviously. Work, through education, must continue as the bigots no longer reveal themselves. The shield of keyboard anonymity must be stripped away. I do not have a clue how but surely it is possible and governments must be much more forceful with insistence that Facebook et al. get their houses in order, and face stiff sanctions if they don’t.
I am fairly optimistic we are going in the right direction. I do not have the abhorrence of this government (despite never having voted Conservative in my life) or of politicians in general that seems quite widespread on this forum. I don’t rant at the modern world. The vile hooliganism that tainted football a generation back has largely been banished and, I believe, pernicious racism and intolerance that manifests itself through football at the present time will be a stain that will not embarrass us by the next generation.
Yes I think you've summed it up quite well BenCotto I worked in Education for 24 years and any offensive racist behaviour is simply not tolerated anymore. Most of all the pupils themselves would dive in and admonish anyone for such behaviour so as you say the attitudes of change are now passing down the generations.
I once mentioned in conversation that a friend of mine was a nine bob note to which my daughter asked what that meant and on explaining to her she hit the roof ( If you dont know I'm not telling you here) that her father would use such language and that I should be ashamed of myself using such a term in this day and age. the problem was myself and my nine bob note mate just thought it was funny as we both grew up with such terms. I suppose that's part of the problem older folk use terms that were never considered offensive as that was they way it always was back then.
Of course she is right ( especially as shes a Teacher, no arguing with Miss) and there's really no place for language that can offend, but when the target of what is now considered offensive language uses it themselves it gets very confusing.
Times they are a changing and for the better I hope. I for one can certainly say that those old predigest that I was bought up with have all been consigned to history and I'm certainly a more tolerant and respectful person of others than was taught to me by the society in which I grew up in.
'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.
I once mentioned in conversation that a friend of mine was a nine bob note to which my daughter asked what that meant and on explaining to her she hit the roof ( If you dont know I'm not telling you here) that her father would use such language and that I should be ashamed of myself using such a term in this day and age.
Queer is an acceptable word these days though and plenty of people openly identify as queer. It is the Q in LGBTQ after all. That's not to say people won't still use it as an insult though.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
I read Reni Eddo-Lodge's book (Why I am No Longer Talking to White People About Race). It was a real eye-opener, so much so that I don't feel qualified to add anything to this debate, struggling as I still am with the ideas of white privilege. And no, my agony over this doesn't help the lived experience of black people at all. Feeling helpless, all I can do is sign petitions.
I once mentioned in conversation that a friend of mine was a nine bob note to which my daughter asked what that meant and on explaining to her she hit the roof ( If you dont know I'm not telling you here) that her father would use such language and that I should be ashamed of myself using such a term in this day and age.
Queer is an acceptable word these days though and plenty of people openly identify as queer. It is the Q in LGBTQ after all. That's not to say people won't still use it as an insult though.
Queer is acceptable when used by a homosexual person to or about another .., but not when used by heterosexual folk. Just as the ‘N’ word has been reclaimed and is used in the African-American community to each other … but is an insult when used by white folk about black ones … it’s the history and the context that makes it acceptable or not.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Language is a minefield! People like me who became out of date years ago can offend without even knowing. I think it's a problem when talking to or of people who are not heterosexual, white, British born. Sometimes you seem to be getting it right and you're still wrong. Here on the Island, where people come for holidays or retirement an opening gambit is, "Where do you come from?" Not a good idea.
@Posy Interestingly enough, just a few months ago on Radio 5 Live, there was a caller who used the word Black when discussing racist attitudes. The presenter, Jim Davidson I think, immediately told the caller that the term black was unacceptable and that he should have used the term " person of colour ". I thought it rather odd because the term BAME was in common usage and going off other comments on the programme, the term coloured was thought derogatory by some.The caller wasn't making racist comments - actually doing the opposite. As far as asking a tourist "Where do you come from ? " that's quite acceptable surely ? I suppose you could say "Where do you usually live when not here on holiday ? " Somewhat wordy tho I'd be extremely surprised if anyone took offence at the question. If we become frightened of offending people simply by common courtesy or out of interest, none of us would utter a word. Just mutter Hi as we passed by.
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Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
It's amazing the racist stuff they sell on Etsy these days https://www.etsy.com/listing/789234140/shite-in-a-bucket-wall-decor-irish-slang
Yes I think you've summed it up quite well BenCotto I worked in Education for 24 years and any offensive racist behaviour is simply not tolerated anymore. Most of all the pupils themselves would dive in and admonish anyone for such behaviour so as you say the attitudes of change are now passing down the generations.
I once mentioned in conversation that a friend of mine was a nine bob note to which my daughter asked what that meant and on explaining to her she hit the roof ( If you dont know I'm not telling you here) that her father would use such language and that I should be ashamed of myself using such a term in this day and age. the problem was myself and my nine bob note mate just thought it was funny as we both grew up with such terms. I suppose that's part of the problem older folk use terms that were never considered offensive as that was they way it always was back then.
Of course she is right ( especially as shes a Teacher, no arguing with Miss) and there's really no place for language that can offend, but when the target of what is now considered offensive language uses it themselves it gets very confusing.
Times they are a changing and for the better I hope. I for one can certainly say that those old predigest that I was bought up with have all been consigned to history and I'm certainly a more tolerant and respectful person of others than was taught to me by the society in which I grew up in.
'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.
George Bernard Shaw'
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
As far as asking a tourist "Where do you come from ? " that's quite acceptable surely ? I suppose you could say "Where do you usually live when not here on holiday ? " Somewhat wordy tho
If we become frightened of offending people simply by common courtesy or out of interest, none of us would utter a word. Just mutter Hi as we passed by.