RAF changed Dog grave wording

[slogen51]

Wow!

When I was growing up I do remember my mum telling me that word should never be used ever. I can't recall how it came up but the message stayed with me.

This thread is not to my taste and I do believe in free speech however I will stick with the jokes and Covid threads!

[Mike]

Wow!

When I was growing up I do remember my mum telling me that word should never be used ever. I can't recall how it came up but the message stayed with me.

This thread is not to my taste and I do believe in free speech however I will stick with the jokes and Covid threads!

Do you not remember the Gollywogs on jam jars, how many badges did you get?

[Mike]

My dog Ben was named after the rat in the film 'Ben' and the Michael Jackson song, so what's wrong with that?

[mustang5861]

Is Ben still around?

[slogen51]

I suppose it's politically incorrect but my last cat was called Sambo (she was black with a white bib & paws). Great moggy, she called it a day when she was 16 but she went everywhere that myself and my dog Ben went. That included the local pub, she found great delight in jumping onto to pool table and putting the balls into the pockets, the locals weren't happy as they were playing for hard cash.

During the 16 years that I looked after her there was absolutely nobody that complained about her name being racist in any way, hundreds of people knew Sambo.

This is Ben and Sambo, they were the best of friends..............

Sorry but I am still gobsmacked over your cats name! It is not a word I have heard in a very long time. I feel quite uncomfortable with this thread but you quoted me so here I am again. Maybe it is a case of "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt" but words can cause a great deal of pain.

[Bobcode]

Many years ago at a large pub in Windsor, there was a gorgeous barmaid that rejoiced in the name of Sooty, she did not see this as derogatory , quite the opposite in fact, she loved her nickname.

[plmc135]

One of my two cats is called Sooty, why because he is dark coloured. Was Sooty also not a hand puppet along with Sweep operated by Harry Corbett, I can see nothing derogatory about using that name after all most soot that comes down a chimney is black or shades thereof, ask a chimney sweep.

[slogen51]

Sooty is a good name for a CAT as is Ginger, Smudge etc but surely not N##### or S%%%%

I can see how you would have derogatory name for the enemy such as in World War 2 ( or even a group of people whose habits and life styles are alien to you , although if you get out more you become more tolerant and understanding , one of my best mates from work is from Pakistan and a great laugh ) - perfectly natural but surely it has been for many many years outdated and wrong to do the same to a bunch of people just because they have a different appearance.

PS hope this isn't a load of drivel - it feels like it

[Mike]

I don't see anything wrong with calling a black pet 'Sooty' but if I ever had a black cat again then I certainly wouldn't be calling it 'Sambo', things have changed a lot since I got her in the early 80s and people rightly show a lot more respect these days.

[Supra]

There are still many areas in the World where White Supremacist views are prevalent, but hopefully history going forward will show a complete eradication of this intolerable situation. Equally, historical events & attitudes should NOT be erased to suit the modern-day thinking of right & proper equality. The fact that these unjust events & references to non-whites did occur is part of history & the development of how the Nations of the World are STILL adapting to the long-overdue recognition of Equality.
There is no real purpose in 'sweeping the residue' under the carpet by way of denial. This s**t did happen. The dog's name was deemed acceptable at that time to reflect his colour (Goldie, Snowy, etc) as was the use of "N----- Black" on colour charts for artists, pencil lead & other innocent things. That IS history.
A simple explanatory caveat attached or appended to 'offensive' statues, headstones or other historical items really should suffice. Forcible removal of items is criminal, 'Forced' removal is barely less than? Obviously the tacky colour charts (ie:Really, really Black?) & unnecessary inclusion of racist overtones are long gone. Many Films & TV programmes from the 70's containing gratuitous racist use of wording & contextual situations are still currently shown on TV with a prior caveat that.... " This production includes some racist events & dialogue not in popular use these days, which may cause offence & Viewer discretion is advised!" Who can ever forget Blazing Saddles?
One final thought, without non-white people we wouldn't have a functioning NHS! How ironic that one has to have a life-threatening situation before the skin colour of the person treating you doesn't matter?

[ChrisCwmbran]

The problem is you have some people who see people, and some people who see colour.

And it isn't only white people who fall in to that category - David Lammy is a good example of a person who can only see colour.

[Blackcat1]

My African & west Indian friends always sent us a Christmas card to the family & always included Blackie my cat. I asked them the other day now they felt about Gibson's dogs name. It didn't bother them in the slightest as it was a long time ago, they said it's the PC brigade trying to cause trouble.

[Bobcode]

Well said Blackcat1, it’s what we have known all along !

[baz1]

what about Jim Davidson and chalky?

[slogen51]

Exactly!

[Tooks]

My African & west Indian friends always sent us a Christmas card to the family & always included Blackie my cat. I asked them the other day now they felt about Gibson's dogs name. It didn't bother them in the slightest as it was a long time ago, they said it's the PC brigade trying to cause trouble.

A very good black friend of mine is uncomfortable with the word, despite the historical nature of it, and he struggles to see why it wasn’t removed years ago. He’s somebody who has suffered the word for decades.

We can all find anecdotes to back up our positions. Why should we always default to the view of somebody who isn’t offended as being the right one?

I’m glad the RAF saw sense, and changed the memorial stone.

Oh, and I had a black cat called Sooty as well...

[Tooks]

what about Jim Davidson and chalky?

What about it? Unacceptable, and quite rightly consigned to the rubbish pile.

[plmc135]

So what about Bill Reynolds, played by Rudolph Walker in Love thy Neighbour, calling his next door neighbour a honky is that all right? I am no racist but the comments always seem to be going in one direction. Racism is apparent in all races and creeds and does not necessarily revolve around colour.

[Tooks]

So what about Bill Reynolds, played by Rudolph Walker in Love thy Neighbour, calling his next door neighbour a honky is that all right? I am no racist but the comments always seem to be going in one direction. Racism is apparent in all races and creeds and does not necessarily revolve around colour.

I’m not sure what is difficult about this to be honest, racism in any form from anywhere is unacceptable.

I get that times change, but isn’t it great that we can re-evaluate things and consciously decide not to carry on being offensive to anybody. What’s wrong with that?

I mean, does anybody really miss the ‘racist old days’, seriously?

[fester]

So what about Bill Reynolds, played by Rudolph Walker in Love thy Neighbour, calling his next door neighbour a honky is that all right? I am no racist but the comments always seem to be going in one direction. Racism is apparent in all races and creeds and does not necessarily revolve around colour.

No white person has ever been offended by being called honky.
You're pretty much calling reverse racism? It only goes one way because it is one way.

So it isn't about colour? so it's about peoples dna heritage and beliefs then? do you even realise what you're saying.

''I am no racist'' and the wording such as this means quite frankly you are. Usually met with but my friend is black.