I know that it is intentionally used as a racial slur. My point was that the word alone is not offensive. Indeed, here in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India, whenever our respective countries play Pakistan in cricket, many of the sport headlines in the papers refer to the Pakistanis as Paks or Pakis. And are not racial epithets.
At school, a prefect once called me a "Paki Bastard." When I pointed out that he should get his geography right and that I was a "Sri Lankan Bastard," he beat me up. Probably because he was a prefect and I was only 12.
It's the second word that is the problem. I find it strange that the word "paki" is deemed offensive on its own, i only over used it when younger when referring to the "paki shop" as it was indeed run by people from Pakistan, there was also a sikh who ran a shop and we called that the "indian shop". Interestingly, the recent "racism out of scotland" adverts created by the Scottish Government, had as an example of the worst of racism, a white scot in a shop saying into his mobile phone that he was "in the pakis", but of course he said it with a bit of venom and the staff in the shop all reacted with veiled anger. I still do see the point, i really do, but I would hazard a guess that the only people who intend offense at the word "paki", are the sort of people who have used the word "bastard" after it. Of course its very rarely used now, because people simply do not normally want to offend anyone. (which makes it even more offensive)
Which leads to something else, when normal people DO want to offend someone, because they cut them up at the lights or something, they may well bring up something like that. All school children, and adults who never really grew up, know that if you are going to offend, use the most offensive words for that particular person. If they don't watch though - they'll be branded a racist. As a society we sometimes put more import on words than intent.
While the campaign by the Scottish Government must by applauded, I was always under the impression that the Scots were not that bothered by non-whites. A cousin of mine was at St. Andrews University in the mid '80's and says he didn't notice much racism. He did, however, notice on their dislike of the English. Maybe things have changed in the last 25 years.
as far as i am aware, nothing has changed much as far as racism is concerned. I am sure I have said this before on the forum, but a Kenyan friend who had lived in both Aberdeen and London said she prefered the Aberdeen attitude of "yes, you are different, you are black, but so what?" to the London attitude of "you are no different". Her words, not mine - and I have no particular comment on what that "means" other than to say that perhaps a very multicultural society like the London one can get quite defensive about its acceptance of others - right down to shouting "there is nothing to see here, move along"
Personally, anyone who isn't exactly like me I am going to call one of the "differents". Just as a social experiment you understand. Anyone of you "different bastards" want to comment ?
oh and to comment on the anti-English thing. There is one certainly and probably stronger in most places than any issues with skin colour but it's certainly vanishing in most places. Except for sports - but there I would say it's historical rivalry rather than any racism.
There has always seemed to me, that in Britain particularly there is a view that racism only means white people hating black people.
I am half English and half Sri Lankan (though my mum is half English and half Scottish). So both brown and white to me are different and the same. In Sri Lanka I am seen as a local to the foreigners and a foreigner to the locals. I have only ever had one racial remark and that was in England as already mentioned. I was born here but lived in London from the ages of 5 to 39, and have been back here since (45 in April).
Bye the way DS it occurs to me that you haven't been very scathing in these few exchanges. Is it because I have stayed away from the jokes?
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