Posted January 21, 2007 Most people I know use the word paki as in just going down the paki shop. Its a very english thing I think anyways. So do those that consider the word paki racist think that me describing the blokes in the kebab shop as Turks racist as well? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 21, 2007 I think that it's just bullying by another name. You don't get put in jail for picking on someone with glasses, by calling them four-eyes, which they can't help, but you do for calling someone black, when they can't help that either? It's stupid. I don't see any reason to class it under anything other than bullying. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 21, 2007 No, I actually consider myself british anyway, but my parents are from Guyana, at the top of south america, both of indian descent from when the country used to be under the British Empire and slavery and all that jazz was cool, so they brought over Indians and Blacks. Most people assume I'm from India in some way though, because I look it and my last name is Singh. If not, they think I'm African because they don't seem to understand Guyana and Ghana are actually two seperate entities, despite me telling them. 'Ghana? That's in Africa isn't it?' 'Yes, Ghana is, but my parents are from Guyana, it's like the top of south america, near brazil' 'But I thought it was in Africa?' Some people refuse to acknowledge there could be another country with a similar name, though I think those are the funniest people, the ones who try to argue with you about something you'd clearly know better than them. Once a girl tried to tell me I lived in a different city, because it had a road with the same name as mine, she didn't understand despite me telling her that there's two roads with the same name, in different towns. I know Apple's post may have been addressing people from Pakistan, but it might have just been using it as a blanket term, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt though. Most people I know use the word paki as in just going down the paki shop. Its a very english thing I think anyways. So do those that consider the word paki racist think that me describing the blokes in the kebab shop as Turks racist as well? Yes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 21, 2007 What about referring to the chinese take-away as the chinky, is that racist? PS: I don't refer to it as that because I think it sounds stupid but a lot of my friends do and they aren't racist. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 21, 2007 Stepping aside from the word "paki" for a moment: One thing that does grate my cheese is how people refer to anyone asian as "a paki." Now, even if they are using Paki as a shortened form of Pakistani, it's plain wrong. It's like saying "oh, all white people are English." Which just isn't true. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 21, 2007 It's like saying "oh, all white people are English." Which just isn't true. That happens a lot though, people just assume I'm English because I speak English and don't have an American accent. Just after New Year I was at my gran's house and she was deciding who was going to help her wash up using the classic "Eeny meenie miny moe" method. When I was growing up we caught a tigger by its toe, she catches something quite different by their toes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 21, 2007 Stepping aside from the word "paki" for a moment: One thing that does grate my cheese is how people refer to anyone asian as "a paki." Now, even if they are using Paki as a shortened form of Pakistani, it's plain wrong. It's like saying "oh, all white people are English." Which just isn't true. I should think that's the whole point that makes it racist. What about referring to the chinese take-away as the chinky, is that racist? PS: I don't refer to it as that because I think it sounds stupid but a lot of my friends do and they aren't racist. Well, like Flink said earlier, it is in part the meaning behind the words. It is a racist term, and it applies the same as calling the kebab shop guys turks if they aren't, and the shop a paki shop just because it's run by some indian asian people, but it got me thinking, if you refer to it as the Chinky amongst yourselves, where no one is offended, does it really matter? EDIT: At first, I thought that was a typo Moria, then I realised what you meant. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 21, 2007 .. in work today - this couple came in to buy a pair of shoes ( i work in a shoe shop) - the guy was from here ( northern ireland) and asked for a size two in shoes for his kid... brought the shoes down ok... made sure it was size two - then his wife goes ( in a polish accent) - do you have them in brown? now - i didnt think anything of that ( polish accent) but as soon as they left the shop.. the girl i was working with goes "shes only with him for a visa" - and i was .... "hello? how much more racist can u get?" - pisses me off when people act like that Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 21, 2007 I hate whites.That's a quote from the Boosh btw... + Rep for the Bob Fossil/ Big Leg quote. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 21, 2007 Well, like Flink said earlier, it is in part the meaning behind the words. It is a racist term, and it applies the same as calling the kebab shop guys turks if they aren't, and the shop a paki shop just because it's run by some indian asian people, but it got me thinking, if you refer to it as the Chinky amongst yourselves, where no one is offended, does it really matter? Well one instance that sprung to mind is when we were staying at my brother's in Leeds and we ordered a chinese. It came really quickly (just a few minutes after we had rung) and when my mum heard the knock she was really surprised and said, quite loudly, "That can't be the chinky can it?" She didn't mean the man she meant the fod but I thought that if the man had heard her he might have been offended. What do you guys think. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 21, 2007 .. now - i didnt think anything of that ( polish accent) but as soon as they left the shop.. the girl i was working with goes "shes only with him for a visa" - and i was .... "hello? how much more racist can u get?" - pisses me off when people act like that Its not racist its probably true. On an immigration note do you guys not think enough is enough and we stop letting in so many people? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 21, 2007 ..but is it not racist to assume that just because the lady was polish that she only married the guy to live here?.. {edit} and that same girl always pushes me to serve the polish community ( we have a large polish community in northern ireland) ... she doesnt want to serve them ( apparentl she cant understand their accent.. thats bull) ..my cousin married someone from india.. and she didnt marry him for a visa... (admittidly she lived in england for a number of years prior to that - but they had an indian wedding and her parents were from there) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 21, 2007 Its not racist its probably true. On an immigration note do you guys not think enough is enough and we stop letting in so many people? I think we should only let people in that have a trade/skill/qualification. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 21, 2007 I highly dissapprove of the word myself, it IS a racist word, as explained by the fish. I'm a pretty easy going guy, and often to subject of jokes and such from my friends, but most of them know that even if they call me a Paki in a joking way, I'm actually going to punch them in the face.I also can't help but think Apple NdiB's post was a little less than innocent in using the word. Don't get me wrong, I phrased it the way I did to show that, contrary to what was said in the post before my own that there's no such thing as an acceptable context for the word. There are enough people on here who are used to my way of expressing my thoughts, but I apologise if I caused any offence to anyone. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 21, 2007 I think we should only let people in that have a trade/skill/qualification. Yeah give people training to make their own country better. Then, steal them and make them work here for pennys. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 21, 2007 I think we should only let people in that have a trade/skill/qualification. I'm no expert on the subject, but isn't that already the case, and if people wish to stay here permanently they need to justify why they are better suited to the job they're applying for than anyone who's already here, skill shortages etc? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 21, 2007 Yeah give people training to make their own country better. Then, steal them and make them work here for pennys. It's not stealing them if they want to come here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 21, 2007 Some people used certain words with ill intention. That tainted those words. So the others also had to stop using those words. Eventually that became the "standard" of what you can and can't say. I don't like it, but it's a practical solution to a complex problem. You are dealing with what people intended or meant, which requires a perfect lie-detector to prove. You can call people racial names and then claim that you didn't mean anything bad, when in reality you did. It takes one such person to ruin it all for the rest of us. It's the world we live in I'm afraid. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 21, 2007 I'm no expert on the subject, but isn't that already the case, and if people wish to stay here permanently they need to justify why they are better suited to the job they're applying for than anyone who's already here, skill shortages etc? Then instead of coming to claim our benefits they're coming to steal our jobs though, see A fact people don't like to mention is if English people on the dole were willing to take the type of jobs that migrant workers do, there'd be no job market for most of them and they'd go somewhere else. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 21, 2007 Then instead of coming to claim our benefits they're coming to steal our jobs though, see A fact people don't like to mention is if English people on the dole were willing to take the type of jobs that migrant workers do, there'd be no job market for most of them and they'd go somewhere else. But since they're more qualified to do the job, doesn't that mean they're entitled to it? It's not as if we're losing out, migrant workers put more money into the economy than they take out (will come back to you with a source on that). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 21, 2007 Yeah, I was being facetious - They do put in more money than they take out, the best right-wing think tanks have been able to do with the figures is say that if you divide how much they bring in by the amount of people in the country it doesn't sound like very much. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 21, 2007 We do need those low wage workers though. They are what pushes up the higher layers. That's the irony of it. Contrary to them "taking our jobs", Britain actually need them to get the grassroots economy in motion. I read the other day that apparently in Japan they looked at what we're doing and are also considering increasing foreign workers to boost the grassroots economy. That puts Britain into perspective, doesn't it? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 21, 2007 I think it's funny, people from other countries coming here to work for more money, doing a better job for a better price than uk citizens, whilst at the same time, lots of businesses are outsourcing to places like india because the labour is so cheap. I very much believe it's not so much a case of 'them coming here, taking our jobs' but just them coming here and doing the jobs we don't want to do at the price we're offered, it's simple supply and demand, above it all, even above racism, is money. Don't get me wrong, I phrased it the way I did to show that, contrary to what was said in the post before my own that there's no such thing as an acceptable context for the word. There are enough people on here who are used to my way of expressing my thoughts, but I apologise if I caused any offence to anyone. It's cool, I was slightly wary of it, but having explained it like that I see what you were going for. Funny how context can change things so much. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 21, 2007 Yeah, I was being facetious - They do put in more money than they take out, the best right-wing think tanks have been able to do with the figures is say that if you divide how much they bring in by the amount of people in the country it doesn't sound like very much. Oh, sorry, after a re-read I'm definitely picking up on that, it's just becoming difficult to weed it out from some of the other things I've read in this thread. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 21, 2007 A lot of them do send a far wedge of money home rather than spending it in the UK, but hey, if they work here they pay tax here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
