[Red Moon]

Racist? Emily's only mistake was to act black

You can call Emily Parr many things. Posh, arrogant, clever, kind, sexy (in an icy, Sharon Stone kind of way), polite, drama queen, diplomatic, thoughtful - an OK Yah Sloane desperate to get some street cred by ingratiating herself with indie culture.

Yes, she is all of the above. But even her worst enemy would struggle to call Emily Parr a racist.

Yet today the shell-shocked 19-year-old is back at home in Bristol with a capital 'R' effectively branded on her porcelain forehead after Channel 4 turfed her out of the Big Brother house for directing an offensive term at a fellow housemate.

Poor Emily. She is the loser in a much more complex game than anything played out on a Channel 4 reality show. It's a game in which the card of racism is now enough to trump any other.

In this confusing, multicultural game, you can be a black male rapper talking about women in the most disgusting, gynaecologically-specific terms on the radio. You can even use the offensive n-word, the one Emily used just once, over and over again and no one will dare to breathe a word of criticism.

But if you are white, like Emily Parr, and you make the mistake of thinking you enjoy equal status in this game, then boy, are you in trouble.

For those who may have missed the 'offence' itself, allow me to recap. It was getting late and Emily was in the garden of the Big Brother house with her black housemate, Charley Uchea.

The girls were smoking, laughing and generally bonding as they practised a rap routine. If you were asked for a snapshot of racial harmony in Britain, you could do a lot worse than point to those two beautiful young women from diverse backgrounds helping each other to hit the same note.

Emily, it should be said, was one of the few people in the house who had any time for Charley.

An unemployed lapdancer, Charley has two speeds: Angry and Nuclear. If you were being tactful, you might say Charley is poorly socialised.

She scares the other housemates in the way that volcanic bully, Jade Goody, scared them in the now notorious Celebrity Big Brother.

Still, Emily stuck by Charley. She even put her body between Charley and Chanelle, when it looked as if the Afro-Caribbean girl might actually boil over and strike the petite northerner.

It was just a few hours later, when the black girl and the white girl were singing outside, that an over-excited Emily exclaimed to her new mate: "You pushing it out, you n*****!"

At best, it was a playful joke. At worst, it was a nice middle-class gel's cringemaking attempt to hang with the cool chick in an edgy, urban world.

Well-bred white girls slipping off their loafers to take a walk on the wild side is scarcely news. When Samantha Cameron was an art student at Bristol polytechnic, the Tory leader's wife and baronet's daughter was taught to play pool by the rap star Tricky.

But if white girls slumming it has a history, so does the explosive n-word that Emily used so publicly and so naively. Coming out of a white mouth, that word still has the power to hurt.

Emily's mistake was to think she could act black. And Channel 4 pounced. You could practically hear the producers' cheer. Bingo! They had got their sacrificial lamb.

It was no use Emily protesting that, only seconds earlier, Charley herself had used the n-word. Nor that, among black friends at home, Emily is often called 'wigger' - an affectionate reference to her genuine love of black culture.

Desperate to exonerate itself after the shaming shambles of Shilpagate, here was Channel 4's chance to prove it was a responsible broadcaster after all.

A bleary Emily was summoned to the Diary Room and told she had done something so terrible she was to be spirited away at dead of night in a yellow nightie and no undies.

As far as Big Brother's girly housemates are concerned, not being granted full access to your make-up bag before eviction is in breach of their human rights, but these too were cruelly ignored.

Guilty of under-reacting to the dumb viciousness of Jade Goody and her coven, Channel 4 now over-reacted. "But I'm a kind person," protested Emily, "I didn't mean it like that."

And she really didn't. But she had said the word, and in these politically-correct times that was enough.

Emily should have been sent to the communal bathroom to wash her mouth out with soap and water, not hung out to dry.

Where does this leave racism? I don't mean Emily's embarrassing attempt at black patois. I mean the nasty, ignorant, unmistakable racism we sometimes witness in the real world.

The Commission for Racial Equality doesn't seem to notice the difference. "The n-word is offensive," said spokesman Nick Johnson, responding to Emily's eviction. "This will show everyone that racism must never be tolerated in any way shape or form."

Oh really? On the contrary, I'm afraid that Channel 4's cynical and grossly unfair use of Emily as a scapegoat might have exactly the opposite effect. It undermines the very thing it purports to protect. I overheard a black and an Asian woman talking about Big Brother yesterday.

"It's gone too far," they said. "She was taken out of context. What can you say these days?" What indeed.

When Emily Parr entered the house she said it was time to get some intelligent women on television.

How sad and how deluded to think that intelligence was any match for the moronic sensationalism that Big Brother so glories in.

After expelling her, Channel 4 got the headlines it wanted. It acted ruthlessly to get its good name back and to preserve its cash cow at a time when many were calling for Big Brother to be axed.

And what of Emily Parr's name? That is now mentioned on the website Facebook next to "dirty racist". Two words she simply does not deserve.

In an irony that will not be lost on BB viewers or students of race relations, the broadminded, articulate, peacemaking Emily has been kicked out of the house to general vilification, leaving the aggressive, rude, potentially violent but blessedly black Charley in the role of victim.

If we honestly cannot tell the difference between a word and the intention behind that word then what right has this multicultural society of ours to call itself fair and tolerant?

If anyone is the victim of discrimination here, it's Emily Parr.

Source: Daily Mail

[InTheFade]

What a very biased newspaper that is...

[nodisharmony]

Emily said the (N) word on that day & that is the end of the matter.

"Call her", if you want.

Emily is NOT a racist person & regardless of the (N) word which she said on that day, that is neither-here-nor-there.

If she was accused by acting like a "Black" person. Well, "Black" people are all different, just like "White" people are all different.

I don't understand the stupidity here





nodisharmony

[Mrluvaluva]

But you cannot say she is categorically NOT a racist person, as you don't know her. You can only comment on the incident.

[ttw]

I did not even bother to finish reading that pile of **** - "act black"???

[Billy]

^^^ People do act "black" youknow

[Sticks]

Originally posted by Jaz0
What a very biased newspaper that is...

Because it it not calling for her burning at the stake?

[Fanboy_Luke]

Wow, I agree with a Mail journalist. Suddenly I feel so dirty.

[ttw]

Originally posted by potentialsuperstar
^^^ People do act "black" youknow

No, they don't "act black" to say they "act black" would mean that being a black person only consisted of the stereotypical view of using slang, wearing baggy trousers, listening to hip hop and the like.

My dad is black and doesn't do any of that.

So does that mean my dad is only black in skin colour because he doesn't really "act" as a black person would.?
So what does he "act white" then?

Acting "street" yes

Acting "black" no.

And in any case, Emily was not acting "black"

[MaDdOctoR]

Originally posted by Jaz0
What a very biased newspaper that is...

I didn't read any biased at all.....what the hell are you on about?

[MaDdOctoR]

Originally posted by Mrluvaluva
But you cannot say she is categorically NOT a racist person, as you don't know her. You can only comment on the incident.

and no one can categorically say she IS a racist.....like so many people are.

and most people are commenting on the ACTUAL events....not just the use of the word.......like so many people are doing

[Fanboy_Luke]

Originally posted by ttw

Acting "street" yes

Acting "black" no.

And in any case, Emily was not acting "black"

"Embrace black culture" may have been a better phrase. I know it sounds a little OTT but "act black" really doesn't sit very well.

[the_chosen_one]

A much wiser opinion than most others I've hear in recent days. Though, I'm sure it will get slammed by the haters seeing as it doesn't call for her public execution.

Originally posted by nodisharmony
Emily is NOT a racist person

I don't understand the stupidity here

You can't reason with stupidity.

[InTheFade]

Originally posted by Sticks

Because it it not calling for her burning at the stake?

OK, try and deny that it's biased then......................................

[InTheFade]

Originally posted by MaDdOctoR

I didn't read any biased at all.....what the hell are you on about?

LOL, how rude are you???

[InTheFade]

Definition of Bias:
A preference or an inclination, especially one that inhibits impartial judgment.

Now try and tell me that newspaper doesn't 'prefer' 'poor Emily' over Charley whose two speeds are 'angry' and 'nuclear' and who is 'poorly socialised', 'if you're being tactful'...

[ttw]

Originally posted by Jaz0
Definition of Bias:
A preference or an inclination, especially one that inhibits impartial judgment.

Now try and tell me that newspaper doesn't 'prefer' 'poor Emily' over Charley whose two speeds are 'angry' and 'nuclear' and who is 'poorly socialised', 'if you're being tactful'...

[BigBrotherFan..*]

its not being biased at all its just tlling the truth!! none should call her a Racist if you dont even know her its wrong shes still a person ! she said one bad word which she ddint mean and people go mad! i dont think she sed it offensivly and eevn some black people think she didnt say it offensivly either!

[nodisharmony]

Originally posted by the_chosen_one
A much wiser opinion than most others I've hear in recent days. Though, I'm sure it will get slammed by the haters seeing as it doesn't call for her public execution.

You can't reason with stupidity.

It is very true, the_chosen_one







nodisharmony

[DiscoGnome]

Wow, A Daily Mail article which speaks out AGAINST racism.

[GiRTh]

I don't believe some of the ignorance being shown in this thread. Some say Emily is not racist and some say she is. That is not the point. The point is that because she used that word we now have the right to ask her is she is racist. I personally, don't think she is racist but the use of that word puts the issue in doubt.

[nodisharmony]

Originally posted by GiRTh
I don't believe some of the ignorance being shown in this thread. Some say Emily is not racist and some say she is. That is not the point. The point is that because she used that word we now have the right to ask her is she is racist. I personally, don't think she is racist but the use of that word puts the issue in doubt.

Some say that Emily is a racist, because some believe that is the case

Some say that Emily is Not a racist, because some believe that is the case.

Emily said the (N) word & Endemol instructed the Diary Room to explain her wrongdoing & throw her out.

Emily has explained herself fully & we can see the evidence on Youtube, for those who have forgotten.

That is it really......Unless you believe these Newspaper articles, adding some more propaganda.

Sometimes people can believe all sorts of propaganda, anywhere





nodisharmony

[GiRTh]

Originally posted by nodisharmony

Some say that Emily is a racist, because some believe that is the case

Some say that Emily is Not a racist, because some believe that is the case.

Emily said the (N) word & Endemol instructed the Diary Room to explain her wrongdoing & throw her out.

Emily has explained herself fully & we can see the evidence on Youtube, for those who have forgotten.

That is it really......Unless you believe these Newspaper articles, adding some more propaganda.

Sometimes people can believe all sorts of propaganda, anywhere





nodisharmony

What are you on about and why are you rolling your eyes? Emily's use of a word that dictionary.com refers to as the most offensive word in English means that we can now ask her if she is a racist. Do you not see that?

[Dan_]

Originally posted by BigBrotherFan..*
its not being biased at all its just tlling the truth!! none should call her a Racist if you dont even know her its wrong shes still a person ! she said one bad word which she ddint mean and people go mad! i dont think she sed it offensivly and eevn some black people think she didnt say it offensivly either!

This was not the first time she said it though,first time in the Big Brother house-yes but she claims to say it several times whilst back at home.Is it telling the truth about her 'acting black' as well then?.

The article seems to portray Emily as some innocent victim.

[nodisharmony]

Originally posted by GiRTh


What are you on about and why are you rolling your eyes? Emily's use of a word that dictionary.com refers to as the most offensive word in English means that we can now ask her if she is a racist. Do you not see that?

I am talking about Emily's situation & comparing the word "Propaganda" to other past situations.

The (N) word was displayed for all of us to see, when BB showed us the full-un-cut footage, containing the (N) word, "did you see that?"

Throw away the dictionary GiRTh

If it was as offensive as they say? Then how could Endemol & Channel 4 allow it to be shown?

That speaks volumes GiRTh, volumes

I understand it's offensive, I understand it's a racist word, I am very aware of that.

However, even though Emily was thrown out of the house, which is very fair, as the rules were broken & Endemol cannot allow her to stay in, as it would cost them money. Emily did say the word, in a certain way, which has been said, that she behaved "Black"

She has said that she hears it in Rap music, which we all know & as you have seen the footage, totally uncut, it certainly looked that way, hense the complaints for Emily's situation.




nodisharmony