[Jack_]

Oh yeah just to add to that, it's a word which is mostly used innocently, but it does have racist connotations that those using it don't really realise.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by Jack_

Oh yeah just to add to that, it's a word which is mostly used innocently, but it does have racist connotations that those using it don't really realise.

I think most people make the distinction though, don't you, Jack? This woman is probably a right old cow.

[Kazanne]

Originally Posted by Jack_

Because it categorises any non-white person into a humongous bracket when there's a lot of differing skin tones and ethnicities. It's basically inferring that 'there's white people and then there's the other ones...the coloured people', and that's offensive. It's just a word which makes me think of some little old lady living in a countryside town full of middle aged white people for a black family turn up and then refer to them as 'the coloured people down the road'...well white is a colour too.

Well surely black is offensive aswell then,it's all so silly,so if you are describing a person with brown skin how would you do it?

[Headie]

Originally Posted by Kazanne

Well surely black is offensive aswell then,it's all so silly,so if you are describing a person with brown skin how would you do it?

I'm mixed race (black & white parents) and I never used the word "coloured", I just say black (I also refer to myself as black). My best friend is also black and we just use the word black to each other.

I remember once I was sat in a school assembly about racism, and this old male teacher in his 60s or whatever put up a picture on the screen of 2 water fountains back in the 20th century, and they were labeled "white" and "coloured", and then he went "Coloured. That's a funny word isn't it?". I was like, um excuse you.

[GiRTh]

During the many years of apartheid in South Africa and segregation in parts of the USA they used to put up signs that said 'Whites' and either 'Non-whites' or 'coloureds'. Coloured is a word that is associated with apartheid and segregation.

Yes it can be used innocently but I do not believe for one second that this lovely frail disabled racist old lady actually only used those words. She needs to stop lying cuz her story is simply not believable.

Also, why does it mention that her carer is Kenyan? What is the significance of that fact? In my book it makes no difference she can still be racist if she had ten Kenyan carers. This story is littered with half truths and implications.

[lime]

Coloured is not offensive in SA.Growing up I never remember any mention of coloured people on signs..it was always Net blankes or Blannke gebeid.
They make up about 9% of Sa population and are very proud of their heritage.
It's a funny world where in the UK you would offend a black person for labeling them coloured and in SA you would offend a coloured person by labeling them black.

ETA .On topic I doubt this lady was all sweetness and nice and would guess her intentions were to offend

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by GiRTh

Who mentioned anything about feeling superior? Not me. No I feel that as a racist this woman deserves exactly what I wanted to happen to her. She's clearly lying and thus I feel my words are entirely appropriate for this poor disabled elderly racist woman. Maybe if she started telling the truth I might alter my stance but I doubt it.

I just meant you're wishing this quite severe punishment on someone for their attitude/language, but your own attitude towards her is no better. Just hypocritical I thought.

A bit like fighting violence with violence.

[Kizzy]

Hang on I'm confused, is it right or not, is it ok for those fom eastern Europe but not here?

[MTVN]

Eastern Europe? :S

[GiRTh]

Originally Posted by 08marsh

I just meant you're wishing this quite severe punishment on someone for their attitude/language, but your own attitude towards her is no better. Just hypocritical I thought.

A bit like fighting violence with violence.

I dont apologise. My attitude becomes very bad when I come across a racist trying to justify their beliefs.

[GiRTh]

[GiRTh]

[Nedusa]

She's clearly a racist old bitch who thinks she needs to put these "coloured's " in their place. When you read this story a little more deeply it becomes clear this woman has been using racist language on more than one occasion and just because she feels the quality of her delivery service was not up to scratch it does not entitle her to make these racial slurs.

Old and/or disabled does not give her any right to act like this in fact since she probably suffers from discrimination herself she should know better..!!!

[Ninastar]

if she had used it as a one off, and hadn't been reported of racial abuse beforehand, i'd have felt sorry for her. but it sounds to me like there's more to the story. Colored is something i hear some people my age sometimes say, because they feel nervous saying black because they think that's racist.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Ninastar

if she had used it as a one off, and hadn't been reported of racial abuse beforehand, i'd have felt sorry for her. but it sounds to me like there's more to the story. Colored is something i hear some people my age sometimes say, because they feel nervous saying black because they think that's racist.

..yeah, it doesn't look as it's so much her terminology but general attitude and not for the first time that's been offensive...I can't imagine a company like Sainsbury's acting so severely for a scenario that she described ....

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by GiRTh

I dont apologise. My attitude becomes very bad when I come across a racist trying to justify their beliefs.

I don't want you to apologise, like I said, I was just pointing it out.

[GiRTh]

Originally Posted by 08marsh

I don't want you to apologise, like I said, I was just pointing it out.

You've noticed something that I make absolutely no effort to hide. Well done.

[Marsh.]