I think it was more of a point of
'She'll think I've only said 'chinese Laundry' rather than 'laundry' because she's chinese, and her not being racially similar to me has leapt to the front of my train of thought. I hope she doesn't think I'm a racist'.

My point was that this QOTW has allowed people to semi-anonymously rehash old racist jokes, projected onto their supposed grandparents. In reality we tend to do the opposite and think we are being far more offensive than we actually are, thinking we cause cause offence even when none was meant or even realised. I know someone who upon meeting a mutual friend's japanese girlfriend said 'What are winters like in Japan? It's not normally this cold here, but there's a nip in the air today' Two hours later he suddenly said 'Oh Fuck! I said 'nip' to that japanese girl. She's going to think I'm a right twat'(Turns out she did, but not because of that.)
(FartThroughAWalkieTalkie wished you were dead in ditch on, Mon 31 Oct 2011, 15:03, 2 replies)

I'm ashamed to admit that I will, on occasion, describe cold mornings as being "like Pearl Harbour".
For shame.

Anyway, I take your point. Friend of mine was dating a midget, and I would invariably address her as if she were a small child. I didn't mean to, but her loathing of me was quite justified.
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Mon 31 Oct 2011, 15:53, closed)

Difficult one
...because at what point is for example "Paki shop" - personally for me that's over the line; whereas saying "Going for a Chinky" is (I think) acceptable.

I don't think it's so much the words, as they way they are said. On the other hand, as a white person, what would I know ? The only time I've been racially insulted was being called a nigger by a black kid (and yes, it was meant as an insult, not a Tarrantino-style attempt at bonding).
(TheImmortalJenkins, Mon 31 Oct 2011, 15:59, closed)

both terms are a bad as the other
as they cause offense to those races. Whether you think it is acceptable or not does not actually matter. The effect language has on the recipient does.

Would you feel comfortable going upto a Chinese person and saying "oi Chinky"?

Quote - "On the other hand, as a white person, what would I know ?" Being white is not really an excuse either, believe it or not I actually know one or two white people who are reasonably clever, not many but a few. (sorry I could not resist it...)
( sutit only the crumbliest, flakiest posts, Mon 31 Oct 2011, 20:28, closed)