I agree that the woman was ill-mannered to pursue her line of questioning but if I went to the Whitehouse wearing a kilt, a traditional Welsh hat or dressed as a pearly queen, I would expect my heritage to pop up in conversation at some stage. What the woman wore was, at least, a hint at her African heritage. I think the real shame is the wasted opportunity to discuss the abuse of women and children.
Scottish people don't grow up being told to go back where they came from though.
Are you sure about that. I do have Scottish heritage and was actually spat at in Caernarvon some years ago and told, I quote "To f*** off back to where you came from"
@steveTu, there are degrees of racism: if she had told her to go home, that would have been a hate crime, as it was just an everyday case of racism.
OK - if it is an 'ist'/'ism' statement - what is your definition? Let's assume that there is a legal thing where someone could be punished for being 'ist'. You would be happy for that LiW to suffer punishment for her question?
If I ask someone what age they are is that 'ageist'?
What about if I ask what sex they are is that sexist?
If I ask someone how tall they are, is that tallist?
If I ask someone how much they weigh is that weightist?
Do you wear glasses? Is that spectacleist?
They may all be impolite and socially inept, but 'ist'?
....just heard that the Queen started with 'What do you do?' as the ice breaker.
Isn't that job'ist? Doesn't that embarrass the poor sod who feels bad about his/her low paid job? Fine if you're an architect, banker (or is it?), lawyer...
That rings a bell with me - just came back to mind. I was going to go into the 6th form at school to do 'A' levels. We had to sit an interview with a board of or teachers to get offered a place. I thought I was doing swimmingly, then one of the teachers, I can't recall who, asked which newspaper I read. I came from a council estate and my dad was a lorry driver and my mum a dinner lady (served dinners at the school) and we used to get The Mirror. Being gauche, and embarrassed to admit that, I said 'The Mail' (thinking that was a bit more upper class and yet still believable!) - so one of the other teachers then asked me which pages the TV and sport were on. Git. They did offer me a place, but I'd managed to get a job by then, so never took them up on it. Those little things that change your life eh?
@steveTu, there are degrees of racism: if she had told her to go home, that would have been a hate crime, as it was just an everyday case of racism.
TBH I don't even think it was racism..more cloistered long term disdainful ignorance from somebody who has been cosseted from real life & surrounded by people with identical views.
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When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
Are you sure about that. I do have Scottish heritage and was actually spat at in Caernarvon some years ago and told, I quote "To f*** off back to where you came from"
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.