"wow, she's pretty for a black girl"

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

Keef Wrote:

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> Good, and honest points being made here. At the

> end of the day, if someone said I generally don't

> find black girls attractive, that is not racist.

> They may also say I don't fancy brunettes either,

> but I love Asian girls... It's just about what one

> person finds pleasing on the eye I guess.

>

> The original train comment could be called racist,

> because effectively he/they were suggesting that

> as a race, black girls are not pretty, and the

> "for a black girl" bit suggests that a half decent

> white girl would still be a better choice. I do

> agree with Jeremy however that it was more rude

> and sexist than anything else. You just wonder why

> they would think it was acceptable to make that

> kind of comment on a train.

>

> I don't really believe in "types". I used to think

> my type was definitely brunette, and have married

> a blue eyed blond, via various hair and skin

> shades along the way to finding her. I have

> fancied them all for one reason or another.

>

> One could argue that at the end of the day, it's

> just because we smelled right to each other!

Oh yes! Damn those pheromones!!

[muffintop]

I'm sorry, but I don't believe it was an underhanded compliment etc. as some have suggested or even the feeling of being drawn to a certain type of girl blonde/brunette thing, to me, it is a blatant, she's pretty for a black girl in the context of - we know that black girls are damn ugly so its rearly rare to find one who looks halfway decent, and i'm really surprised to see one!

[Brendan]

Yeah. Personal preference is not really the issue here. This guy was just being mean spirited in a racist kind of way. He knew that comment would offend and probably got a kick out of saying it.

There?s a name for people like that, cunts. They make up a frighteningly high percentage of our society and their population seems to get more concentrated the closer you get to the Square Mile.

[Jeremy]

Fair enough muffintop, you were there and obviously in a better position to judge the meaning behind his words. I just found it interesting to put a different perspective on the discussion, as I think quite a few people do have preference based on race... not sure where the line is between preference and racism... but I guess the consensus is that proclaiming it in an offensive manner is probably on the wrong side of that line!

But I do have to point out that stereotyping based on occupation is not at all constructive.

[Brendan]

Not stereotyping, just an observation.

[SeanMacGabhann]

I work in said area and would concur with Brendan. The concentration is higher.

[mockney piers]

I've worked there too and it's defninitely true, though perhaps no worse than on the shop floor of Comet, Croydon.

[pk]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> Fair enough muffintop, you were there and

> obviously in a better position to judge the

> meaning behind his words. I just found it

> interesting to put a different perspective on the

> discussion, as I think quite a few people do have

> preference based on race... not sure where the

> line is between preference and racism...

by definition racism is disapproving:

racism

noun (UK OLD-FASHIONED racialism) DISAPPROVING

the belief that people's qualities are influenced by their race and that the members of other races are not as good as the members of your own, or the resulting unfair treatment of members of other races

[Jeremy]

pk - true, but your definition seems to be referring to non-physical qualities (as obviously physical attributes *are* influenced by race). So not sure how it's particularly relevant.

Brendan/mockney/seanmg - I'm not going to argue with you on this one, but I trust we can all agree on the dangers of generalisation.

[pk]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> pk - true, but your definition seems to be

> referring to non-physical qualities (as obviously

> physical attributes *are* influenced by race). So

> not sure how it's particularly relevant.

>

>

it's not my definition - it's from a dictionary, so as to how using a word to mean what it means is not relevant baffles me

perhaps you could stretch your mind to extend the definition to physical qualities too and retain the key disapproving element?

[SeanMacGabhann]

Ooh was I disagreeing with anyone this time? Didn't think I was.. Oh the City being more populated with etc etc. -

I don't disagree with you at all really Jeremy - and agree totally with the inherent dangers of generalisation. But I do work with a lot of silly billy's

[Jeremy]

pk - if you and others find that definition useful in the context of this discussion, then that's fine... and I apologise for disregarding your contribution.

[Guest]

Given the word order of the original comment, 'for a black girl' qualifies 'pretty', implying that there is a set of attributes belonging to 'pretty' which 'a black girl' - the implication is 'by definition' - cannot attain.

It was probably delivered in idle ignorance and could even (if he was vain and thick) have been intended as a kind of compliment.

But racist it certainly was.

[Brendan]

Ms B Wrote:

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> It was probably delivered in idle ignorance and

> could even (if he was vain and thick) have been

> intended as a kind of compliment.

No one?s that clueless.

I?d say he's an arrogant prat who gets his kicks from being insulting and if he didn?t have the the chance to be racist as he did in this instance he would have looked for some other insulting comment to get his kicks from.

[Guest]

Brendan, I was trying to give a balanced view but I suspect you're right!

Interesting how that kind of comment combines a sort of display of sexual aggression to impress his mate with a simultaneous indication that the object is somehow less than OK (no offence, Muffintop). A latent homoerotic impulse he has not yet been able to admit to, perhaps. You get that with British men. Probably a rugby player.

[Jeremy]

Again, I find myself frustrated that people are choosing to criticise racist behaviour, by bringing in generalisations of their own. Even if you're joking Ms B, you're undermining your own argument...

[Guest]

Even rugby players are out of bounds now? Is there no end to it?

[Jeremy]

Well... "you get that with British men" was more the bit that caught my eye!!

[Moos]

Mmm, lovely rugby players... I'm sorry, did you say something? :-$

[Michael Palaeologus]

"I feel that I am being objectified"

*Goes back to polishing oddly shaped balls*

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

No, no Michael, all hookers are now called sex workers.