Racial slur as man calls Welsh woman "English", page 1

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Topic started on 5-12-2007 @ 08:25 AM by more_serotonin_pls

Racial slur as man calls Welsh woman "English"

uk.news.yahoo.com

A man has been convicted of racially aggravated harassment after calling a Welsh woman English.

Michael Forsythe was sentenced to 10 weeks in jail, suspended for 12 months, after being found guilty of racially aggravated disorderly behaviour, a court official said.

(visit the link for the full news article)

reply posted on 5-12-2007 @ 08:25 AM by more_serotonin_pls

I am absolutely amazed by this. If we think about racially aggravated disorder one would think more along the lines of a group of Chavs abusing muslims or other such religious group in the street.

I cannot believe that the law was meant to be used in situations such as this. Surely the magistrate must think about the 'mischief' that the law was meant to address and bear that in mind when interpreting the legislation. In my view that would have to be allowing people to express racial hatred openly. I do not feel that what the driver allegedly said is racist in this context. Silly, yes. Misguided, yes. Racist, No.

Instead the magistrate has taken the law literally, insomuch as calling someone 'English' refers to nationality and as such must be 'racial.'

It is ludicrous that this situation has arisen.

Sorry for my rambles but I need to gather my thoughts more before I carry on regarding this.

uk.news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply posted on 5-12-2007 @ 08:32 AM by _Phoenix_

That story really doesnt make much sense, lol. How odd.

This reminds me, a couple of times Ive seen a bunch of chavs call out from accross the street to a muslim lady, calling her a dirty jew. LOL Shows how dumb they are. Chavs can be so pathetic.

reply posted on 5-12-2007 @ 08:34 AM by CX

Thats almost laughable.

I'll never understand the justice system here in the UK, it's embarrasing at times.

You could mug a granny and get less than that here.

My dad will be pleased about this though......he's a very patriotic Scot and when he gets any official forms to fill in, where it asks, "British or other", he always writes "Scottish" in big letters!

I'm not sure anyone would get as far as a court if they called him English!

CX.

reply posted on 5-12-2007 @ 08:47 AM by Britguy

I remember a time that now seems long ago when people used to have thick skins and this sort of incident would be laughed off with a witty retort.

Another one for the "just when you thought things couldn't get any more insane, along comes...." file

reply posted on 5-12-2007 @ 08:50 AM by _Phoenix_

Originally posted by Britguy
I remember a time that now seems long ago when people used to have thick skins and this sort of incident would be laughed off with a witty retort.

Another one for the "just when you thought things couldn't get any more insane, along comes...." file

Yeah whatever happened to the good old days where you could just solve it out with conversation, or just ignore it and move on, without bringing in the courts, police, lawyers, and trying to sue people. And Im only 21 and I see MUCH change, how much more are things going to change?

reply posted on 5-12-2007 @ 08:58 AM by Niall197

I remember a Scottish guy taking his English employers to court ages ago, claiming he was being racially discriminated against. The court ruled he was being discriminated against - but it was because of his nationality not his race. The court decided that the Scots are not a race but a nation and that the racial discrimination legislation wasn't appropriate in his case.

So if the Scots are merely a nation, how come the Welsh & English are both nations and races ? A very weird court decision ...

reply posted on 5-12-2007 @ 10:06 AM by an0maly33

it probably doesn't help that to a lot of outsiders the accents are all the same anyway. =)

i can tell the difference between irish/scot/english, but if someone threw welsh into the mix i might group it with english. anyway i don't see what the fuss is about.

reply posted on 5-12-2007 @ 10:14 AM by Rasobasi420

Our London IT guy is Welsh and one time I did call him English. He took some offense to it, but I had no idea what the difference was aside from being different isles in Britain. I suppose it's the same as calling an American a Canadian.

reply posted on 5-12-2007 @ 10:31 AM by khunmoon

Originally posted by Rasobasi420
Our London IT guy is Welsh and one time I did call him English. He took some offense to it, but I had no idea what the difference was aside from being different isles in Britain.

And you still don't.

FYI, Wales, England and Scotland are on the same isle of the British.

About the topic, he did call her "bitch" too. If someone called me German --which I'm NOT-- I could forgive it as ignorance. But if I was called a German dog (or worse) I would take offense.

reply posted on 5-12-2007 @ 10:31 AM by Oldtimer2

I remember mistaking an Aussie with an englishman,boy was he ever pissed off,honest mistake here in California

reply posted on 5-12-2007 @ 10:39 AM by Britguy

The "Bitch" part of the comment seems to have taken a backseat as far as the charge goes. I am always thought to be Australian when I travel in the US but it doesn't bother me at all and just needs a polite correction.
Hell, someone can call me names all night and, apart from providing some amusement, will not scar me for life or affect the price of baked beans.

This sort of stuff is a complete non-issue as far as I can see but provides the PC brigade and it's idiotic enforcers justification to exist and draw breath.
We all survived a long time ignoring remarks made against us and the world is still turning

reply posted on 5-12-2007 @ 10:45 AM by SE7EN

To make light of the topic this guy might have to be carefull other wise he might face a beating with leaks or potatos or maybe woolen gloves!

I have plenty of freinds from diffrent backgrounds I even call my asian friend token white man and he is never bothered by this at all. Some people in this day and age are to pent up and need to relax

reply posted on 5-12-2007 @ 10:47 AM by groingrinder

The magistrate who ruled on this must be mad!! Can he be impeached by the people or otherwise removed from office?

I remember a few years ago, I was out in the desert prospecting about mid day. A couple cowboys came by driving their cattle to the local windmill for some water. As they pass by one of them says "Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noon day sun." I told him "Never call me an Englishman!" I should have asked which one HE was.

reply posted on 5-12-2007 @ 11:24 AM by Rasobasi420

Originally posted by khunmoon

Originally posted by Rasobasi420
Our London IT guy is Welsh and one time I did call him English. He took some offense to it, but I had no idea what the difference was aside from being different isles in Britain.

And you still don't.

FYI, Wales, England and Scotland are on the same isle of the British.

So right you are

But considering the space between, It's more like being offended if someone said I was from Connecticut instead of Rhode Island. Pretty minor if you ask me.

However, if someone said I was from Texas, I might take offense

reply posted on 5-12-2007 @ 12:19 PM by SpeakerofTruth

Originally posted by more_serotonin_pls

I am absolutely amazed by this. If we think about racially aggravated disorder one would think more along the lines of a group of Chavs abusing muslims or other such religious group in the street.

Why be amazed? This is the hole political correctness has dug for humanity. I'm not surprised in the least bit. Is it stupid? Yes. Surprising? Not really.

[edit on 5-12-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

reply posted on 5-12-2007 @ 12:35 PM by greeneyedleo

Wow. That is as ridiculous as the school that cant use "porkchop" as the name for their PIG mascot!!!

www.pennlive.com.../base/news-14/119674488429440.xml&coll=2

Announced on Sunday as the name of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs' mascot, PorkChop was fun, piggish -- everything the Philadelphia Phillies' Triple-A affiliate was looking for.

But it also dredged up memories of prejudice and racism for some area residents.

"Here in the Lehigh Valley, the name for Puerto Ricans was pork chop and in particular in areas like the steel company and Mack Truck," said Guillermo Lopez, a Bethlehem Steel Corp. worker for 25 years. "I was called pork chop in the workplace."