Pookeyhead
But thats assumption that for example if Clarkson, or anyone else makes a joke about Mexicans, then all Mexicans must be insulted. That isn't necessarily so, in fact I'd go so far as to say very few feel insulted.
And you know this because?
In the same way as we used to tell jokes about the Irish. Did the entire Irish race go off on one?
No.. and I'm not suggesting the whole of Mexico has gone off on one either, but I bet the Irish would rather not have us perpetuate the stereotype that they're all thick.... Besides... I dare you to go into a Belfast pub and start telling Irish jokes. If it's as harmless as you say.. there'll be no issues... surely?
No. But even if they did feel insulted, is it really that much of an issue? Using a stereotype, the Irish have a sense of humour, and in general laugh it off.
You mean like us British did when when the Daily express ran an article on "British Jokes" from around the world a few years ago?
Ooohhh... the collective p1ssed-offness was palpable. Apparently Australians have jokes about us saying that we're all whining, crying babies who never wash and smell badly. It didn't go down well at all Bernie. The world didn't end, no.. but racist jokes based on negative stereotypes are A) Just not really funny... I mean, it's hardly sophisticated humour is it.. and B) The long term result is we're constantly raising generations with very real prejudices based on race. It's just too easy to dismiss it as harmless.
The perception amongst the PC Brigade is that they must be insulted, and that it is motivated by hate, dislike or some other form of malice, which of course it usually isn't.
I have two issues with that statement. 1. You seem to think you can speak for everyone who has racially motivated jokes made about them, and 2. That I think the jokes are made out of malice and hate. I don;t think that at all. I genuinely think that the purveyors of such jokes feel it's genuinely harmless... like you do. Oh.. and 3. I'm not part of any PC brigade. I just feel that making jokes that suggest Mexicans are lazy and feckless is just insulting, and really, really sh1t comedy. I mean.. getting a laugh by insulting someone else. That's what school yard bullies do. Since when has that been clever or admirable?
Of course the PC Industry won't accept that, simply because they are a 'growth industry', and if reality were ever allowed to creep in they'd be out of a job.
Political correctness is not an industry...
In reality, very few who might be expected to took offence at what Clarkson said,
How the hell do you know? LOL Polled the opinions of many Mexicans have you?
and even if they did, then they can speak for themselves.
Well.. the Mexican ambassador did... very firmly.
Those that complain about offence are rarely those who are could be offended and taking are it upon themselves to be insulted.
Again.. you know this how exactly?
For example the lunatic university professor who recently claimed a Radio 4 Gardening program was racist because they talked about foreign plants! Or the Government who declined a job center advert because it asked for people who were fluent in English.
You can't really compare some nut job on Gardner's Question Time talking about plants with insulting Mexicans in front of an audience of 350 million people! This has got nothing to do with political correctness. Besides.. sounds like the nut job was racist himself if he doesn't those damned foreign plants over here... LOL
The only time race should come into play is when someone is genuinely treated in a disadvantaged way
You're disadvantaging people every time you perpetuate negative racial stereotypes of them. If you can't see that, you're ignorant of the facts.
I say genuinely because all to often racism is shouted when it really isn't.
In what way is calling Mexicans lazy, feckless and flatulent not racist? Sorry.. maybe I'm being stupid... but how is that not racist?
The fact is, crap comedians fall back on racial, gender and sexual stereotypes because it's the lowest common denominator and appeals the broadest, easiest to please audience. It's lazy comedy. If making fun of other people just because of who they are is so essential to comedy, how come Bill Bailey, or Eddie Izzard have no problem getting through an entire 2 hours set without doing it once, and still be more clever, witty and entertaining than someone like Bernard Manning?
If you think reducing people to insulting stereotypes is funny... then I just feel sorry for you.
"Harmless" racial stereotypes cause harm. I once remember my Mum telling me that all Indians smell of curry because they eat so much if it, and that they're dirty because they don't use toilet paper. I believed that when I was a kid. Why wouldn't I? My Mum told me. Fortunately I've grown up, got an education and travelled the world and since realised that ultimately, we're all the same, but someone uneducated, perhaps living in Burnley.. never really travelled or integrated much... well.. Why do you think these places are hot spots of deeply disturbing racism? How come affluent areas of London that have larger areas of certain cultures don't suffer the same fate? The answer is obvious... less ignorance in some places that others, clearly. That distrust and dislike starts somewhere. It doesn't just happen.. something germinates that way of thinking, and like most behavioural issues, childhood is where you should be looking.
Incidentally, many Indians don't use toilet paper, and do actually wipe themselves with their hands.... actually they WASH themselves with their hands.. and they think WE'RE dirty because all we do is smear it around with a piece of paper and pull our pants up, leaving smelly skid marks in our undies. The thing is... they're absolutely right... our asses smell.. there's probably don't. LOL That's neither here nor there though... I just found the irony of this funny when finding this out brought my Mum's comments back.
Any way.. we'll just have to disagree. I feel I've put a good case forward, but you either get this, or you don't. Clearly you've never experienced racism in your own life... either directed at you, or the ones you love. If you had, or do, you'd not have this glib attitude to casual racism. Serious racism has it's roots in this casual "harmless" racism. Racism is racism.. there are no harmless kinds, and the casual acceptance of it in this forum is saddening to see. Just can't say all Mexicans are lazy, any more than you can say all Black men are criminals and gangsters, or that all Irish are thick, or all Arabs are Muslim radicals.... you just can;t... and if you think it's a great idea doing it to a WORLDWIDE audience... you truly are ignorant.
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Have you decided your now Scottish?
