[Colette]

I think what he actually said was that those girls would be referred to in the US as white trash, but he preferred not to as he treats all people the same.

But whatever the detail, his remarks don't coincide with a bullying campaign and therefore seem a lot less harmful to most people.

Serious racism can apply to any racial group - a racially motivated attack on a white person is just as serious as the opposite. But we tend to be (rightly in my opinion) a bit more sensitive in this country to racism from the majority against the minority.

It's the difference between a big guy kicking a little guy and a little guy kicking a big guy.

It is also true that the white working class of this country are treated pretty badly, but I don't think you can seriously make a case for Jermaine's comments being anywhere near as offensive as the three girls' behaviour