Let's consider the 'N' word. Certain parts of the black community use it frequently when referring to each other. If a white person used it they would probably end up in trouble or even arrested.
Even the correct term for a non white person has changed, it used to be racist to call someone black, the preferred word was 'coloured'. Now if you use the term coloured you are racist, yet the term 'of colour' is acceptable, as is black. I think that changed about 20 years ago maybe more.
It can be a bit of a nightmare, even for people who have no intention of insulting anyone, but I agree with @Essexphil, that poster was offensive and meant to be so, whether it should have resulted in the young lady being charged is another thing. One does wonder, as a teacher, what she is teaching our children though.
Intent is always the key to this sort of thing.
The only reason the term "coloured" went out of favour is that in some cultures that means "mixed race". As someone once pointed out to me-
"Black" means Dark Brown "Brown" means Light Brown And "White" means Pink
You believe that people going on racially sensitive marches, who use racist slurs while doing so, is less important than shoplifting.
And I don't share that view.
I think you were. Also my understanding of the term coconut, is that it is usually used by a non white person in respect of another non white person, and is therefore not necessarily racially motivated. It just seems ironic that this arrest took place on the same day as the article that kicked off this thread.
Really?
It is used by a non-White person. To another non-White person.
To say that someone is only pretending to be loyal to their roots. And is secretly doing anything they can to betray their own in support of White people, to the detriment of their own ethnicity.
For most non-White people, it is the worst insult there is. Far worse than the racial slurs White people use.
I think you will find that the person carrying the poster is not white.
That's why it is such an insult, akin to black people calling each other "An Uncle Tom" people get killed over that sh1t
I am certainly not a racist. I just saw the irony in the fact that the police were able to arrest someone for carrying a poster, on the day the article about less arrests came out. I havent heard about any race riots kicking off as a result. As far as the coconut issue is concerned, I believe it is used as a criticism of an individual, or individuals, rather than a particular race. I dont think that the poster bearer has anything to fear in this case, as Sunak, or Braverman wont be killing anyone. I wonder how frequently they get called coconuts on social media. It is probably a regular occurence.
As I said I do not condone racism, and have no respect for those that do. Although I do wonder some times, with all the stuff that is going on, how we could make a big fuss over a poster.
Let's consider the 'N' word. Certain parts of the black community use it frequently when referring to each other. If a white person used it they would probably end up in trouble or even arrested.
Even the correct term for a non white person has changed, it used to be racist to call someone black, the preferred word was 'coloured'. Now if you use the term coloured you are racist, yet the term 'of colour' is acceptable, as is black. I think that changed about 20 years ago maybe more.
It can be a bit of a nightmare, even for people who have no intention of insulting anyone, but I agree with @Essexphil, that poster was offensive and meant to be so, whether it should have resulted in the young lady being charged is another thing. One does wonder, as a teacher, what she is teaching our children though.
Intent is always the key to this sort of thing.
The only reason the term "coloured" went out of favour is that in some cultures that means "mixed race". As someone once pointed out to me-
"Black" means Dark Brown "Brown" means Light Brown And "White" means Pink
Calling someone from an Asian or Afro-Caribbean background a "coconut" is a racial slur. Designed to cause offence.
There are terms used about other races that can, on occasion, be entirely innocent. A lot depends on whether someone is trying to belittle and/or offend.
In that particular context, I fail to see how that poster can possibly be anything other than a racial slur. Disgusting.
Is the term ‘coconut’ controversial, racist – or both? The insult is commonly used to attack people in minoritised communities but debate persists as to whether it is racist
Nels Abbey, writer and founder of Uppity: The Intellectual Playground, told The Independent: “Hate crime legislation was supposed to protect minorities. The extremely dubious, racially ignorant and culturally tone-deaf 2010 ruling in the case of Brown vs Jethwa, has changed that.
“The ruling has effectively resulted in hate crime legislation going from a means of protecting minorities to a method of persecuting some racial minorities. It reflects how unsafe the British court system is on matters of race that require cultural nuance.”
Mr Abbey, author of Think Like a White Man: A Satirical Guide to Conquering the World…While Black, said: “‘Coconut’, like ‘Uncle Tom’, is not a racist term – when uttered within the community.
“It is a form of in-group, satirical political critique – one rooted in this history of formerly colonised people. It is a way of calling out behaviour that may well be harmful to other minorities. It is more often than not an anti-racist statement.
“It may certainly be impolite, but to call it racist, to have someone prosecuted by a culturally illiterate and predominantly white court system, punished and then labelled a convicted hate criminal – which massively damages their life chances – is nothing short of absolutely insane.”
“To do so is a crime against the prosecuted person and a crime against free speech – yet it is happening.”
Rio Ferdinand fined for Ashley Cole 'choc ice' tweet.
Published 17 August 2012.
Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand has been found guilty of improper conduct and fined £45,000 by the Football Association for comments on Twitter.
An independent commission concluded Ferdinand's response to a tweet describing Chelsea's Ashley Cole as a "choc ice" did not make him a racist.
But it was ruled the centre-half had brought the game into disrepute.
"The commission found that the breach included a reference to ethnic origin, colour or race," read an FA statement.
Ferdinand was also warned as to his future conduct. Manchester United have decided not to appeal against the decision.
The United defender tweeted: "I hear you fella! Choc ice is classic hahahahahaha!!" in response to a message from @carltonEbanks which stated: "Looks like Ashley Cole's going to be their choc ice. Then again he's always been a sell out. Shame on him."
The term relates to the black and white nature of a choc ice and can imply someone is being black on the outside and white on the inside.
The tweet appeared on Ferdinand's timeline after Chelsea and England left-back Cole appeared in court as a defence witness for team-mate John Terry, who was cleared of racially abusing Ferdinand's younger brother, Anton, in a game against QPR on 23 October last year.
Comments
The only reason the term "coloured" went out of favour is that in some cultures that means "mixed race". As someone once pointed out to me-
"Black" means Dark Brown
"Brown" means Light Brown
And "White" means Pink
I just saw the irony in the fact that the police were able to arrest someone for carrying a poster, on the day the article about less arrests came out.
I havent heard about any race riots kicking off as a result.
As far as the coconut issue is concerned, I believe it is used as a criticism of an individual, or individuals, rather than a particular race.
I dont think that the poster bearer has anything to fear in this case, as Sunak, or Braverman wont be killing anyone.
I wonder how frequently they get called coconuts on social media.
It is probably a regular occurence.
As I said I do not condone racism, and have no respect for those that do.
Although I do wonder some times, with all the stuff that is going on, how we could make a big fuss over a poster.
Is the term ‘coconut’ controversial, racist – or both?
The insult is commonly used to attack people in minoritised communities but debate persists as to whether it is racist
Nels Abbey, writer and founder of Uppity: The Intellectual Playground, told The Independent: “Hate crime legislation was supposed to protect minorities. The extremely dubious, racially ignorant and culturally tone-deaf 2010 ruling in the case of Brown vs Jethwa, has changed that.
“The ruling has effectively resulted in hate crime legislation going from a means of protecting minorities to a method of persecuting some racial minorities. It reflects how unsafe the British court system is on matters of race that require cultural nuance.”
Mr Abbey, author of Think Like a White Man: A Satirical Guide to Conquering the World…While Black, said: “‘Coconut’, like ‘Uncle Tom’, is not a racist term – when uttered within the community.
“It is a form of in-group, satirical political critique – one rooted in this history of formerly colonised people. It is a way of calling out behaviour that may well be harmful to other minorities. It is more often than not an anti-racist statement.
“It may certainly be impolite, but to call it racist, to have someone prosecuted by a culturally illiterate and predominantly white court system, punished and then labelled a convicted hate criminal – which massively damages their life chances – is nothing short of absolutely insane.”
“To do so is a crime against the prosecuted person and a crime against free speech – yet it is happening.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coconut-racist-palestine-march-sunak-braverman-b2447123.html
Published 17 August 2012.
Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand has been found guilty of improper conduct and fined £45,000 by the Football Association for comments on Twitter.
An independent commission concluded Ferdinand's response to a tweet describing Chelsea's Ashley Cole as a "choc ice" did not make him a racist.
But it was ruled the centre-half had brought the game into disrepute.
"The commission found that the breach included a reference to ethnic origin, colour or race," read an FA statement.
Ferdinand was also warned as to his future conduct. Manchester United have decided not to appeal against the decision.
The United defender tweeted: "I hear you fella! Choc ice is classic hahahahahaha!!" in response to a message from @carltonEbanks which stated: "Looks like Ashley Cole's going to be their choc ice. Then again he's always been a sell out. Shame on him."
The term relates to the black and white nature of a choc ice and can imply someone is being black on the outside and white on the inside.
The tweet appeared on Ferdinand's timeline after Chelsea and England left-back Cole appeared in court as a defence witness for team-mate John Terry, who was cleared of racially abusing Ferdinand's younger brother, Anton, in a game against QPR on 23 October last year.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/18847477