Political correctness gone mad on LL last night?

[hellosailor]

Last Night I was sitting having a quiet drink with my other half and flatmate outside a pub on LL and the conversation turned to teenage gang culture and also to what my other half (a teacher at a london school) observed as a trickle down effect amongst his own pupils. It was not a loud or drunk discussion, just a quiet, sober chat, and my other half was talking with some sadness about the rivalry that has led to violence between, for instance, gangs of somali and west indian teenagers and the effect it has in school. We also chatted about how when we were teenagers, it felt like the worst that could happen if your mates got caught up in a fight was that someone would get their head kicked in, and how nowadays the surge in knife crime has really raised the stakes for teenagers, of all races, on the streets.

From out of nowhere, and some time after this discussion had finished, a woman who was leaving the table next to us spat the words 'Racist c*nts' at us as she left. It was so weird that you could almost say it was funny, but I was really rattled by it. Are we living in such a politically correct bubble that even the discussion of issues that concern different races mean we are open to being shouted at for being racist? I kept turning our discussion over in my head to think if there had been any sentence she could have overheard and construed as racist or perjorative but I just can't think that there was. Our conversation was not only about 'black on black' violence, but about white and asian gangs in the area in which my boyfriend teaches, but it felt like by even daring to suggest that, for instance, gang culture is a negative thing, we were branded racists.

[stevebailey]

I'm afraid to say it's the world we now live in......

Also just a heads up for the future, you are also no longer allowed to have your own opinion, you can find this landing you in VERY hot water!

Unfortunately you just need to chalk that one up to some bad mannered b*tch who obviously has so little going on in her own life she has to sit and eavesdrop on your perfectly acceptable and adult conversation.

Also as an aside, a good hard slap never hurt anyone the surprise takes the sting out of!!

[mockney piers]

Sounds more like a case of someone not really listening and hearing what they want to hear. More of a misunderstanding than political correctness gone mad.

I believe it's called 'doing a Gordon' now.

Still, what an arsehole frankly!!

[Huguenot]

I think if you've deeply offended someone, even unintentionally, violently assautling them afterwards could only compund the error.

[stevebailey]

I wouldn't call a surprise slap violent assault, no more than being verbally abused in public by a nut job at any rate :-)

[Loz]

I believe the best solution would have been to have stood up and loudly called her back to explain herself. In your best "teacher to a ten year old" voice, ask her to explain exactly why she was so rude and abusive to you. Let her try and explain. Point out exactly why she was wrong and misheard the conversation and tell her why eavesdropping in other people's conversations is rude behaviour and causes such misunderstandings.

Tell her she is offensive, bid her goodnight and send her on her way.

[Huguenot]

Good heavens, I know you're just having a laff steve, but I don't think you realise how deeply disturbing that view is.

A casual approach to violence is exactly what the OP was concerned about - and here's you proposing it as the perfect solution to a social misunderstanding.

[Brendan]

What a soft lefty. ;-)

[stevebailey]

I'm sorry but if you know I'm just joking, how can you be disturbed?

'twas merely a jovial comment to lighten the dark mood of the original post.

[Huguenot]

Coz I don't reckon you were completely joking ;-)

[HAL9000]

It seems to me that there are some people who interpret any reference to skin colour or ethnicity as an expression of racism (of the ?bad? kind).

Should we adopt a self-imposed colour/race/religion blindness in order to avoid unintentionally offending those who hold such views while making it all but impossible to discuss serious academic subjects in public for fear of being misunderstood?

I think emotive words like racism and racist have acquired too broad a definition: simplistic catch alls for those who see the world only in black and white.

[apenn]

What is racism of the "good" kind?

[DJKillaQueen]

Black on white racism obviously ;-)

Totally agree we've gone PC mad. Everyone knows that gangs are cultural and that culture is often reflected ethnically too, especially in a city of so many first generation migrants. But then you are faced with the argument that it's not the colour of someones skin that makes them violent or antisocial of course....nonetheless, there have been chinese gangs, asian gangs, turkish gangs and so on since the start of time. Bullies will surround themselves with people like them and bully those that are different.

When I see a group of black teenagers mimmicking black american rappers and talking about Peckham Rye as though it's an L.A. ghetto full of guns and drugs, then I ask myself who is imposing the steroetype there? The teenagers themselves on themselves of course. And we should be able to say that.

[mockney piers]

you're right...no white kid would join a gang or mimic American gang culture, no siree.

Though that was very funny admittedly.

[DJKillaQueen]

LOL...

not that I was suggesting white kids don't mimic american rappers either obviously...just that throwing race into the equation, or rather stereotyping...is something those that are stereotyped are sometimes themselves responsible for.

[sian]

Thanks very much Mockney. I need to replace my Bullingdon screen saver taken from the Mirror on election day and this will do nicely. Now anyone feel like photoshopping Nick Clegg in?

[DJKillaQueen]

There ya go :)

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/9/1/3/a/600_15217178.jpeg

[DJKillaQueen]

Deluxe version lol

http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/9/3/1/9/600_15217657.jpeg

[Chick]

You should have berated her for using such offensive sexist language.

[hilili]

Don't know whether to laugh or cry !!!!

[Ladymuck]

Christ! Didn't expect THAT!

Laughing hilili - definitely laughing!

Jesus!

[DJKillaQueen]

Genius hilili........lol

[Ridgley]

Hi Hellosalior

From what you are saying, there is nothing racist about the dicussion you was having, unfortunatley there are some people who bury there heads in the sand gun crime is a problem and it is mostly black youths that are doing this and it about time the black community except this although they have tried diffrent approach to tackle this problem it is faling I not sure what the solution is but we have to be honest and stright about this politcial correctness or not:X

I am myself black woman