General Chat

"PRINCE HARRY WHY ALL THE FUSS"

I seen the video and to much emphasis is being made on Paki and not enough on the fact he called him his friend! What next are we going to be upset about people calling us Brits? Or will I get upset if you call me a Manc?Rubbish if you ask me
Dave B, The MANC!

xx

What is the world coming to?

Why is everyone sooo sensitive?

Do we get upset at ....paddys,geordies ,scousers,pommies etc etc.

After all it is perfectly acceptable to say Pakistani...Why not the shortened version.He was a friend for goodness sake,and for the chap's father to carry on I think shows how insecure they are.
good on you Harry for being a normal young soldier!

Brenda x

What is more, it was three years ago.
Harry and the other guy were of equal rank.
And it was an informal occasion, not on duty.

It is just muck-raking.

Good morning Dave and Rita & All
Couldn't agree more!
With all the cut-backs and folk losing their jobs etc. Troubles abroad and innocent people being killed every moment of the day through attrocities! I think there are much more serious issues to address than folk being touchy about a 'nick name'.
There have always been names given to people, living in other areas or countries,since time began.......I feel too much importance is given in the press to stir trouble.
This happened three years ago and who gave details to the press?
Mau

I love Prince Harry, and I think its the news of the world at its worst. I have been called worst names all my life because of my red hair but who cares about that NOBODY that what I call bulling

thank you glad people agreed with me load of rubbish, I have lots of Asian friends who call me fat, not that fat lol! Gingers are called by them we call tham Paki and they laugh, whats the world coming to if we cant have a laugh between FRIENDS!
Dx

While I agree that probably more has been made of this than is necessary I really struggle to understand how people don't realise what a derogatory word the P word is. The vast majority of Asian people find it offensive as it was used by racist groups and used with a lot of venom. It is akin in my opinion to the N word. And someone with the vastly expensive education that Prince Harry had would hopefully know that!
As for words like Paddy, Jock Taff etc has no-ne else noticed that these words are less acceptable as well these day? If someone finds a 'nickname' offensive then why insist on being allowed to use it? As for the lad Harry addressed in this case, while he was apparently an equal rank he would probably have found it very hard to complain about a Royal in that situation if he was offended.

Sally if you a Brit? I dont know are you opposed to being called that? Im proud to be a brit and a Manc, shortened names all the time now Christian, i.e Mike |Dave Chris, Flo Judy, I can go on and on, Mountain out of a molehill, Harry Harold etc
Dx

I am British and being called a Brit doesn't bother me in the least. But then again it doesn't come with the same baggage as the P or the N word do. Especially as the majority of the time it is used by other 'Brits' to describe themselves and each other.

Sorry folks but an insult is an insult.
And calling each other names of any type is fun when both people are doing it... my friends and I insult each other all the time and we BOTH laugh.
However, when someone senior to you insults you please tell me honestly, what can you do about it?
A prince insults a recruit.. he is expected to take it.... what would happen I wonder if the recruit had insulted the prince?
Believe me, I am the daughter of a regular soldier.
That lad would have no power to retaliate.
No need to answer me, I already know your views.
Deanna X

I am absolutely with Sally on this one!

The P word is as bad as the N word! And I can't believe that in this day and age there are people defending its use!

Are you all forgetting that the soldier he used it against is BRITISH and fighting for the BRITISH ARMY defending BRITAIN as a job and has probably never been to Pakistan in his life!

Surely we would need to hear the other soldiers view, if he wasnt offended at the time 3 years ago !!! and still isnt why stir this up now ,its the father thats found it offensive,yes a derogaotry and unpleasant remark by any standards but it was made in the confines of a group who by all accounts were mates and they refered to Harry as Ginge,,but it goes to show its meaning is felt even spoke by a Royal.

I am really confused because, in Rap songs, etc, black people call each other by the N word and that's ok. while we white people are not allowed to say this.

On holiday in Tobago, on 3 occasions because we love it so much, the blonde men were called Champagne Boys by the locals and no-one took offence. One local women was very racist towards me as we drove through her village and I let it pass. Should I have sued her??

I don't think Harry meant any harm but, in his position,he should be more aware of the issues.

Totaly agree with Sally and Deanne. I spent most of my life in a highly populated Asian and Carribean district in London where the N and P word was always a highly offensive word used as a derogatory term whereas Brit, Manc, Jock etc just did not 'carry the same weight'..they were almost used as more as a endearing term. No doubt, as Harry has never lived in the 'real' world he undoubtedly didn't realise that this word would cause such hurt and offence.

Sorry Dave have to reply yo you comparing it with shortening names. ie David to Dave etc. It is not the same at all. By no stretch of the imagination.
And Helen in Kent, if you ask the large majority of Black people if they feel that the N word is appropriate even if used by other Black people they will tell you no. I've been in big discussions about this on other sites where there is a larger ethnic mix than on here it would seem. And they all told me that it has so many racist and slavery connotations that it would never be acceptable to the mainstream population. And that it is still a very offensive word that they wish rap artists etc would not use.

I saw and heard the video and i thought he said,,'our little pakki friend' in quite a kind tone,,,
Maybe Im wrong but it always seems that the ethnic population have a chip on their shoulder as regards rascism...It doesnt take much for them to get offended,

Helen,,i think the term'Champagne Boys' is quite nice,,lol

Weather he said it in a 'kind' or a patronising tone doesn't make any difference to the fact that he said the word 'Paki'.. I am genuienly surprised that there are people around who dont seem to be aware of the enormity of the offence felt by the Asian population of the use of this word.

He was called it because of the colour of his skin not because of where he came from so its a RACIAL comment!!

How anyone can disagree with that is beyond me!

I have been called Cockney, when living in the North, even though I was not born within the sound of Bow Bells.

And- What about the Brits being called Pommie b...... in Oz.

Taffy, Jock, Paddy, Toni (for Italians) Nick (for Greeks)

None of us worry about being called nick names.

PC getting out of hand.

Think more important things to worry about, such as the state of the economy instead of this pettiness.

Mo

I think I agree with the 'mountain out of molehill' people on this one. I havent seen the clip but from what I have read it was a term or affection or friendship it wasnt said with malice. We have a friend, who when he phones he says, 'tell Al (my OH) its the Paki on the phone'. I think the problem is when someone isnt Pakistani but Indian or otherwise. However what is the problem because infact most non-white people living in the UK are there for generations; are they simply not British or English. Its not surprise there is segregation if we continue to refer to people, long in the UK, as different. (I hope my explanation isnt too clumsy.)

When I first moved here I would not say someone was 'taking the Mick/y' because Mick used to be a derogatory slang word for Irish people. However only last year I discussed this with some of my college friends and they thought I was crazy. 'Micky' is the slang word for penis here!

I am sure somewhere int eh definition of racism there is something about malice or bad feeling.

Anyway for future reference I better not be called fat, blonde (well they are all bimbos), Irish or a Brit. I am none, I am me!

love Theresa