I spent a long time trying to explain to my ex mother in-law that
the moon didn't generate light of its own and her repeated use of the phrase "it's all pigs and troughs" didn't quite make sense, (this is rural Kent)

However, the worst case of terrible ignorance I've ever come across occurred in the late 80s. Although I was at primary school at the time, we had already learned about the oppressive apartheid regime in South Africa and I like to think I was aware of it, albeit a tad naively at the time. I overheard this in a supermarket fruit & veg aisle... two middle aged women...

Woman 1: "ere, you don't wanna go buying that South African fruit!"

(I assumed, for a millisecond that this was a conscientious attempt to support the ANC in boycotting South African exports, as most of the UK was at the time)

Woman 2: "yeah, you're right, think of those horrible black hands all over them"

She put down the grapefruit she was holding and continued shopping...

Clearly they both assumed that the UK was sanctioning and boycotting South African imports and exports because we were just as racist, if not more so.

I haven't posted for ages and I hope this is acceptable as a qotw reply, I'm simply quoting something I heard which still makes my jaw drop in abhorrence to this day.
(Nick_Toznost, Thu 25 Mar 2010, 5:28, 4 replies)

hahahaha
wrong on all levels, but I nearly spat on my screen. Excellent.
( disasterprone "Pyjamas caused the Holocaust", Thu 25 Mar 2010, 6:57, closed)

As good as many posts here
keep posting
( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Thu 25 Mar 2010, 8:37, closed)

I'm not doubting your word
but I've heard that same 'black hands' story, word for word, many times over the years. Perhaps people are even more widely racist than we thought.
(Juan Quar is clinging to her front teeth on, Thu 25 Mar 2010, 10:39, closed)

hahahahahahahahahah

( Richard Shitheels, Thu 25 Mar 2010, 10:49, closed)