View Full Version : Politically 'correct'
Today at work, conversation got around to the different partys we have trying to get our attention and votes, and I said the words ''Yes, the British National Party DO accept willingly, that there are black people in this country...''
The moment I said the words ''Black people'' everyone gasped and I was scolded by the woman next to me (a superior in fact) for not referring to them as...
Dark - skinned or coloured people...
:|
She also said that the ASIAN girl at the front might take offense.
I decided to stfu and not get mad at how completely insane the whole situation was. But I wouldn't be supprised if I had some kind of disciplinary in the morning.
Anyone want to please tell me what the fuck I'm supposed to do?
The only way to be sure is to never speak again.
Sean of the Thread
06-19-2007, 12:40 PM
bfd
bfd
X2
But some fucking idiots seem to think it is.
Hulkein
06-19-2007, 12:42 PM
Sounds like you work with a bunch of fags.
I'd ask the asian woman if she actually was infact offended and if so just tell her that you didn't mean to offend her. I'm not sure that I'd apologize for what I said if I were you just because I don't see anything actually wrong with what you said, but I don't live in the UK so I don't know what flies there.
If someone referred to me as that dark skinned guy or that colored guy I certainly wouldn't be offended but I'd definitely look at them funny because it's just uncommon wording.
Thanks for that. I'll talk to her tomorrow.
I was honestly a bit dissilusioned this afternoon becouse I didnt dare ask anyone wtf was going on. Like all this time the words I'd used were actually seen as wrong or offensive.
Atlanteax
06-19-2007, 01:24 PM
Maybe people were sensitive because it was talking about politics, and people tend to get politically correct...
Are you new there? Sounds like they just took you too literally.
.
But yes, that is completely retarded that the Asian person might be offended.
Not like you said "yes... acknowledges that there are Chinks in the UK"
Tolwynn
06-19-2007, 01:27 PM
Start shopping your resume now, just in case.
Been there 2 weeks. Most of them have for 4+ years.
Celephais
06-19-2007, 01:47 PM
Go all out, shave your head, get some swatstika armbands, tattoos, and put up posters of hitler in your office. If they threaten to fire you say they are discrimnating against your political beliefs. You'll be immune to any attempts at firing after this and you can just coast.
Tsa`ah
06-19-2007, 01:58 PM
Go all out, shave your head, get some swatstika armbands, tattoos, and put up posters of hitler in your office. If they threaten to fire you say they are discrimnating against your political beliefs. You'll be immune to any attempts at firing after this and you can just coast.
Actually no, not even if he were in the US.
He's a Brit I do believe, and correct me if I'm wrong ... but their (if not most European judicial systems) hold the plaintiff responsible for all cost if they lose.
In the US he could drag it out forever and a day with the only financial burden upon himself being his own legal fees, but his chances of winning such a case are so close to zilch it may as well be zilch.
As for his original comments, maybe it's a cultural thing ... but what the hell did he say that was wrong?
Slark
06-19-2007, 02:02 PM
From what I've gathered in my relatively short life thus far, the phrase "colo[u]red people" is actually more offensive than saying "black people," because "colored" implies you're lumping all people whose skin isn't white into the same group, and, imo, it just seems like a huge generalization, not to mention a bit snooty. You should ask your superior why it isn't okay for you to use the phrase "black people" but it is okay for her to lump something like half of the world's population into the same category (asian). Find out what nationality the "asian" woman is and then call her the chinese woman, or the korean woman, or whatever, and get mad at people whenever they say asian. That'll give you some politically correct clout.
You're british, right? English?
Celephais
06-19-2007, 02:05 PM
Whos sig has the definition of Sarchasm? Or maybe it was Hyperbole... Either way, quite the gulf.
I don't see anything wrong with it myself either, infact calling them "coloured" would seem more insulting to me. Heh... you should call them African-American. (lets see if people don't get this either...)
Are dark-skinned Arab people considered black over in the UK? Just something I've wondered.
I fail to see anything wrong with calling black people black.
I never understood the whole African-American thing. Especially in a situation like this, where they are referring to British people of African descent. So do they call them African-Britains? Meh, I don't understand. We need to come up with a word that is not offensive, and stick with it. Hell, even the word Caucasion makes no sense for 99% of american whites. I'm sure as hell not from the Caucasus region of SE Europe. I don't find someone referring to me as white as offensive. I guess I just don't get it.
Anebriated
06-19-2007, 02:21 PM
oh shit, i said white people, someone file a lawsuit.
You're british, right? English?
Yes
Whos sig has the definition of Sarchasm?(lets see if people don't get this either...)
Nieninque's.
Are dark-skinned Arab people considered black over in the UK? Just something I've wondered.
.
Yes they are.
So it seems I just work with complete idiots, comparing their reaction to the thoughts of people here. I'm not going to worry about it.
Also I too thought calling black people 'coloured' was a no.
Thats probably because you spend all day talking to Americans on a message board, playing RPGs with a majority American base, and watching American TV like House... you need to reconnect with your British roots!
Ilvane
06-19-2007, 02:30 PM
Ugh, someone call me white and I'm gonna kick your ass..
Caucasian Italian-Irish-French American or I am going to so sue your behind.
:rolls her eyes:
Angela
Also I too thought calling black people 'coloured' was a no.
It's quite unnecessary unless of course you're 70+ from the deep south with a serious lack of cultural progression. In that case you get a free old fogy pass card.
Why do we go Black, White, Asian instead of Black, White, Yellow? How come Indians are Indian and not Asian?
Hulkein
06-19-2007, 02:35 PM
We need to come up with a word that is not offensive, and stick with it.
Most black people I know don't mind being called black.
Why do we go Black, White, Asian instead of Black, White, Yellow? How come Indians are Indian and not Asian?
Would you prefer to be called African? We need a way to distinguish race without referring to country / continent of origin.
FUck it, everyone can just call me "honkey".
Why do you need to distinguish by race in the first place (He pretty idealist isn't it? Maybe one day in the TheE's world)? I thought it was obvious that I was being tongue-in-cheek but I guess maybe not. Anyway my point was really that there is no set way to distinguish an individual.. sometimes people use a color (black, white) sometimes people use a location (asian, middle eastern) sometimes people use heritage (hispanic). Because there is no hard and fast 'rule' there will always be confusion.
You could call me African or African American or whatever you want you'd probably be wrong though. Unless you can trace my family tree back further than I can.
Exactly my point. You can't use country of origin, or heritage as a way to describe someone unless you know them personally.
The only reason to distinguish by race that I can think of is for Describing a suspect. In which case it is now done by "African American" "White" (I find this odd, since in most everything else its Caucasion) "Asian" "Spanish / Hispanic" etc. I'm not saying I think it's right, I'm just stating how I see it.
Skeeter
06-19-2007, 03:58 PM
you're probably going to be fired. Update that resume
drigore
06-19-2007, 04:03 PM
I know a lot of Hatians that would cut your throat and bleed you out for a Voodoo ritual if you ever call them African-American. It's such bullshit. Hi, I'm brown with a spattering of darker birthmarks. What a joke. Black, white...better then brown and pinkish.
Is that because you reject pinkish?
Nieninque
06-19-2007, 05:00 PM
The moment I said the words ''Black people'' everyone gasped and I was scolded by the woman next to me (a superior in fact) for not referring to them as...
Dark - skinned or coloured people...
Then she is a fucking idiot. Dark-skinned is a fucking lame reference to Black people. WTF is that supposed to mean? "Oh that person over there with the lovely sun tan..." GTFO.
"Coloured" as a reference to Black people is a throw back to the 70's and beyond. Apartheid and the like used 'coloured' as a term of reference. Both of those terms are far more likely to cause offense than the term 'Black'.
Having said that, there are some people who dont like to be referred to as Black. You will come across them. All you can do is then ask them how they prefer to be referred to. Most will tell you. You cant come up with a throw away phrase that is going to be comfortable for everyone who doesnt fit into the WASP snapshot.
She also said that the ASIAN girl at the front might take offense.
WTF...so she is a superior and doesnt even know the fucking name of the Asian girl at the front? That I find more appalling, that and the fact that she is imposing upon that girl (woman? Sexism is ok then?) her own belief systems and her fucked up ideas about what people are likely to be offended by, without actually finding out.
Wanker.
Are dark-skinned Arab people considered black over in the UK? Just something I've wondered.
Not black, but Black. As a political statement, many people from other ethnic backgrounds do accept the reference of being Black (capital B) but I guess they are varied in how they prefer to be called outside of that.
Nothing worse though, than people walking on eggshells, afraid to call someone black for fear of offending them, and thinking they are progressive.
When I was at University, I was Equal Opportunities Officer on the Student's Union. I spent a good 30 minutes once, at a University Committee meeting, listening to a bunch of white, middle aged academics and bureaucrats debating whether they should be using the term "people with disabilities" or "disabled people". Fucking spacks.
Sean of the Thread
06-19-2007, 05:02 PM
I love working with the little retards.
Davenshire
06-19-2007, 06:04 PM
The whole race thing is rediculous. who cares- it is just an adjective. I've had black friends who refer to "that one white guy, what was his name?"
Your co-workers sound terrible.
RichardCranium
06-19-2007, 07:43 PM
Bring Tabor to work with you. You'll look like the Pope before all is said.
TheEschaton
06-19-2007, 08:54 PM
I consider myself Asian, despite being referred to as Indian or "South" Asian all the time. And I refer to myself as brown all the time as well.
Fucking people.
-TheE-
Stanley Burrell
06-19-2007, 10:37 PM
Because colored folk, as your dumb bitch implies, sounds soooo much better than "black people" :rolleyes:
Unless I miss something, your supervisor is prolly trying to look PC in front of a group of people and get self-appointed brown-nosing points for it OR is somewhere from a slight to severe retard.
I consider myself Asian, despite being referred to as Indian or "South" Asian all the time. And I refer to myself as brown all the time as well.
Fucking people.
-TheE-
This one is so tricky, it's ridiculous.
People can't (or don't, according to PC standards) say "Oriental" for what-everyone-is-thinking-but-afraid-to-say sharp, Asiatic, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, etc. racial features -- Of course, you can't immediately assume someone of aforementioned racial composition IS from one particular country of strict Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Hong Kong, etc. origin and immediately base this as proof that each of these groups should be racistly lumped together somehow. The other thing is that, if I'm not mistaken, Councilor Alok's looks would not be best described as Northish Asian descent.
How can anyone following contemporary standards put together a tangible enough plethora of wordplay crock'o'shit to refer to people of (original and characteristic) Indians/Pakis/Bangladeshi/etc. features in ANY friggin' PC way if there is no way to immediately categorize who's who. South Asian? North Asian? Middle Asian? Having possible origins of the Asian continent? Mesopotamic?
I think the problem is that nomenclature is not being updated to the same scale PC sheeot is; and that, in and of itself, immediately works as a sort of retrograde-degrading factor for classifying people by their features, unfortunately. Not like racism hasn't been around since the dawn of time, but political correctness assumes an agenda of retardedly modern age, avant-garde, snooty up-to-date correctness. Jesus fuck, people are stupid.
Kind of reminds me of that one South Park episode with the flag controversy. It makes me wonder wtf Ash would have/should have said. Does "African Britannian" sound subtle? Sheesh. All praises to Archie Bunker.
Whatever. Dumb shit like that makes me feel for you dude. We're politically sloganized up, out, left, right, and Dennis from the wazzoo.
Celephais
06-19-2007, 10:52 PM
We're politically sloganized up, out, left, right, and Dennis from the wazzoo.
Stanley wins this thread...
Get ye flask.
Stanley Burrell
06-19-2007, 11:01 PM
Oh dag!
Latrinsorm
06-19-2007, 11:26 PM
I've heard the phrase African-British. I always thought it was a cheap knock-off of X-American and didn't flow nearly as well with the sharp B noise, but for some odd reason people don't always do what makes sense to me.
I don't think Ash lives close enough to Indiana to take Tabor to work, but maybe a conference call? He can wail on the pound sign for "..."s.
"Coloured" as a reference to Black people is a throw back to the 70's and beyond. Apartheid and the like used 'coloured' as a term of reference. Both of those terms are far more likely to cause offense than the term 'Black'.
Sort of, but not really. Under apartheid Coloured was the term for partially black people, mixed race or mullato people with some sub-Saharan ancestry but not enough to be considered Black so it was a technical term and not necessarily a pejorative. Apartheid split people into four groups: White, Black, Indian, and Coloured. Now that the ANC (majority black party) is in power Coloured people are being discriminated against so that Blacks may benefit; in fact Coloured's have a saying: Not white enough under apartheid, and not black enough under the ANC.
Just proves, once again, it's not a race issue, it's a power issue. Whoever is in power will use it as best as they are allowed to advance their own causes.
TheEschaton
06-20-2007, 07:47 AM
Wow, I'm glad you know so much about South African politics. Have you ever talked to a Coloured person?
Now, having lived in Southern Africa for two years I can tell you this - these people didn't have a concept of colo(u)r until the colonizers decided to separate them based on it.
In fact, tribalism is a far more pressing problem in South Africa (with the Xhosa and the Zulu, with all the other groups) and Namibia (with the Owambo, and the Herero and the Damara-nama, and the Kavango, and the countless other groups), and most Coloureds in both countries stick mainly to themselves. Institutionally, there is no apartheid left, but yes, you may be right in saying most blacks distrust the Coloureds, as they worked with the whites in oppressing them.
And Coloured is still an uncouth term in AMERICA and WESTERN EUROPE, where it has traditionally referred to black people.
-TheE-
GS4Khistian
06-20-2007, 08:56 AM
What kind of backwards ass place have you landed a job? lol. I would think a term the BBC uses constantly to classify a group of people would be PC enough for the work place.
What a bunch of tossers.
Bring Tabor to work with you. You'll look like the Pope before all is said.
ROFL, QFT
I think your 'supervisor' is an idiot or so new at the job she doesnt know WTF she's doing. Either way she's dangerous.
rant:
Simply put as mentioned above, its an adjective, nothing more. People need to get over it already. The identity crisis has got to stop. When someone starts banging on the fact that they are African-American I look at them funny and ask them if they were born here. If I get a yes, then I correct them as they are American, period. They were born in America and they live in America. They are American.
Lets see, my mom's family is from Scotland and England and my dad's family was spanish gypsie. So I'm a Scottish-English-Spainard (heinz 57 european variety-Texan-American. For Christ's sake. Oh, speaking of Christ. I didnt even throw in the religious afectations. Lets add a few more sur-names onto the list. :banghead:
These people need to grow up, have some pride in where they live, be mindful of their culture but quit using it as a crutch. And for Gods sake quit giving it more attention than it deserves.
/rant
These people need to grow up, have some pride in where they live, be mindful of their culture but quit using it as a crutch. And for Gods sake quit giving it more attention than it deserves.
/rant
I can't help but wonder if the woman scolding him was even black. Do tell, Ash.
I mean, do you work with any blacks in your office that actually gave a fuck that you said "black people" :gasp:?
I’ve been of the mindset of let someone call themselves what they want for whatever reason they want. Who am I to tell someone what they can and can’t call themselves? Who is anyone to tell that to anyone else anyway?
Call yourself Dutch-Afrikkaner-half-Thai-American for all I give a shit. Call yourself Gleebo-King-of-the-Martians. Sure, people may look at you funny but thats your call, not anyone elses.
As to calling black people black, its common here in the US to use the term. African-American also, though it is becoming a bit blasé now. Colored I have not heard in a loooooong time. It may have been acceptable back during segregation but it really does not fly now. I’ve never really ever considered it derogatory but its from a time in our past we aren’t proud of.
I mean, do you work with any blacks in your office that actually gave a fuck that you said "black people" :gasp:?
My current office has no blacks working, we have a mix of hispanic and white, male/female, short/tall, thin/fat. I'd add religious affectations/political affectations but I have not taken a poll. ;)
This keeps playing in my mind.
Watercooler conversation (2 men and a woman)
Man1: Hey, I was at the store the other day and this black guy was walking by... (interrupted)
Man2: Wait a minute! Are you saying because he was black and...? Cause I'm black and...
Man1: No I was... ok, then this short guy was walking by and...
Man2: Wait a minute! Are you saying because he was short...? Cause I'm short and...
Man1: No I was... ok, then this bald guy was walking by and...
Man2: Wait a minute! Are you saying because he was bald...? Cause I'm going bald and thats a sensitive area...
Man1: No I was... grrr, ok, this dude was walking by and I noticed that he had this beautiful woman on his arm, talking with her and...
Woman: Wait a minute! How do you know she didnt have the man on HER arm? Just because a beautiful woman is with a man all that can be said...
Man1: Never mind... I'm going back to work.
My current office has no blacks working, we have a mix of hispanic and white, male/female, short/tall, thin/fat. I'd add religious affectations/political affectations but I have not taken a poll. ;)
Just wanted to clarify, that question is for Ash.
Just wanted to clarify, that question is for Ash.
Yea, I just wanted to chime in. ;)
I guess that's good to know. Interesting office makeup.
Whats sad is that there are only a total of 2 men in my branch office.
Working with 11 women can be DIFFICULT!!!
StrayRogue
06-20-2007, 11:49 AM
Fucking darkies and their lovers.
We live in sad times my friend. You can tell our world is fucked up when a job application form "encourages" minorities to apply because of "equal rights" balancing in their company. First it was women, now it's the immigrants.
I can't help but wonder if the woman scolding him was even black. Do tell, Ash.
I mean, do you work with any blacks in your office that actually gave a fuck that you said "black people" :gasp:?
She is white. But I do think what Ganalon said could be true, she's trying too hard to be PC and it's dangerous. But the general populace of the entire office was all ''gasp''.
Like I mentioned, there is only 1 Asian girl in my particular division of the office but through the rest of the building there's a few different ethnicities which I'm sure wouldn't have seen anything wrong with the term I used.
The asian girl didn't take any offence at all. I spoke to her today and she said she could tell everyone was talking about the 'incident' but were missing her out in the looks and whispers at and about me, making her feel uncomfortable.
I told her not to worry they're just ignorant and I offered to buy her coffee.
She laughed and said she didn't drink it but thanked me all the same. Heh.
There were no reprocusions today and I think the whole thing has blown over but Christ I'll just shut the fuck up in future.
grapedog
06-20-2007, 12:13 PM
Whats sad is that there are only a total of 2 men in my branch office.
Working with 11 women can be DIFFICULT!!!
women drivers, no survivors...
CrystalTears
06-20-2007, 12:16 PM
Whats sad is that there are only a total of 2 men in my branch office.
Working with 11 women can be DIFFICULT!!!
I'm surrounded by mostly men. It wasn't until recently that another girl started in customer support. Thank god.
I work in a company that's basically a melting pot. Plenty of asian, hispanic, black, Jewish, Catholic, tall, short, fat, thin. The thing is that I have never ever heard anyone refer to anyone by their skin color or race. It's either their name, or what department they're in, or where they sit, or who they know.
It actually amazes me sometimes that in some areas people need to still distinguish people that way.
she's trying too hard to be PC and it's dangerous. But the general populace of the entire office was all ''gasp''.
What's even more ridiculous is that she's trying hard to be PC and failing at it miserably all the while being politically incorrect in the process.
Someone needs to set her straight. I don't know any black people that have an issue with it or who consider it to be a politically incorrect term. Though you'll always run into the select few who think so highly of themselves that they'd much rather go by the Jesse Jackson inspired African-(Insert Country Code Here). However, that's definitely not the case for mostly all the blacks I know personally.
This is a pretty good example of why you never discuss politics in the office, unless your job is politically inclined.
StrayRogue
06-20-2007, 12:53 PM
Or religion.
This is a pretty good example of why you never discuss politics in the office, unless your job is politically inclined.
Trust me I'll think twice.
Or religion.
I wouldn't even begin to speak about religion since I know for a fact I would end up offending someone.
grapedog
06-20-2007, 01:22 PM
or, just don't talk to the asshats working in your office.
Pretty much everything that comes out of my mouth is not politically correct...but that doesn't stop me from talking with co-workers. You just have to be careful not to include any pin-heads in your group of friends at work and you're fine.
TheEschaton
06-20-2007, 08:38 PM
I think we should just boil it down to: if you're a white male, just don't talk.
-TheE-
Sean of the Thread
06-20-2007, 11:03 PM
I think we should just boil it down to: if you're a white male, just don't talk.
-TheE-
Or talk softly and carry a burning cross.
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