jamesst
Member
I've read some amusing things on here but that is probably the best yet.
Haha I second that!!
I've read some amusing things on here but that is probably the best yet.
How did the 'witness' know to record it? It takes seconds to unlock phone, open recording app and press record surely he'd have missed it?
The more you look at this the more you wonder if its a spoof.
No, it was aimed at a group of people which makes it much worse.
Gypsies are considered a race of people under the Equality Act, etc, which makes it even worse than that.
Substitute "gypsy" for n- or p- and the guard would sacked.
The guard probably won't be- Martin Brundle referred to "pikeys" on his F1 commentary and kept his job- but I don't think people realise just how offensive this can be.
But surely, Gypsy is a description of a racial minority, and as such cannot be racist?
My personal experience is that thefts and burglaries do increase when Travellers are in my local area, but I am also not totally convinced that travellers and gypsies are one and the same.
Gypsies are considered a race of people under the Equality Act, etc, which makes it even worse than that.
Substitute "gypsy" for n- or p- and the guard would sacked.
The guard probably won't be- Martin Brundle referred to "pikeys" on his F1 commentary and kept his job- but I don't think people realise just how offensive this can be.
But surely, Gypsy is a description of a racial minority, and as such cannot be racist? Saying it is racist is like saying it is racist to call Jews Jewish or people from Poland Poles? I can understand the terms Gyppo (sp?) or Pikey being taken as offensive, but gypsy? I think not. But I am open to persuasion.
Still I would never expect such an announcement to be made in a public area.
58,000 identify as Gypsy or Irish Travellers at the last census. I doubt every one of have committed a crime.
I know a few personally and they have fairly steady, if low paying and menial jobs. None of them have committed any crimes.
Your prejudice is quite disturbing...
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Your prejudice is quite disturbing...
I am surprised it took four pages for this standard (pathetic) excuse to be rolled out. There should be a version of Godwin's law to cover it. Incidentally, I wonder if the large police presence was there to cope with the subjects of the announcement.....or the audience....to have bit of joke and banter on a train full of football supporters.....
I am surprised it took four pages for this standard (pathetic) excuse to be rolled out. There should be a version of Godwin's law to cover it. Incidentally, I wonder if the large police presence was there to cope with the subjects of the announcement.....or the audience.
Because I laughed at a statement I found amusing? Right ...
Laughing at something that you find amusing is unexceptional. The comment "gypsies, the majority of whom are law-abiding" is a simple statement of fact, though - what makes it laughable or particularly amusing, if not a prejudiced belief that gypsies are criminals?
Perhaps he was just reciting the lyrics to his favorite Cher song.
Gypsies do tend to be associated with criminality, more those other than minority groups.
But walk round many major cities and you see the same thing, people of a gypsy origin begging for money
1. What's your source? Data is not the plural of anecdote.
2. How do you know they were gypsies? Did you ask them?
I cannot see how anybody could have taken this as anything other than a joke.................sadly there seems to be no end of people just looking to be offended these days
How did I know they were gypsies? I think it is a little bit obvious to be quite honest, especially having been to nine countries and two other capital cities in the last 18 months.
Obviously it was not the best thing to say over a PA, but as usual many people are making a meal of it.
I cannot see how anybody could have taken this as anything other than a joke.................sadly there seems to be no end of people just looking to be offended these days
It was clearly meant as joke. It's sad that people don't realise that a) it's not funny and b) humour should not be used an excuse for stereotyping and prejudice.
It's sad that people don't realise humour is entirely subjective. I will admit it isn't the greatest thing the guard could say, but to claim something just outright isn't funny just shows disrespect and arrogance itself towards other people.
I fail to see how using humour to undermine, condemn and ostracise an entire group of people, whethe rit is by race, religion or anything else can be considered funny.
Making a joke such as the guard did is the very thing that shows disrespect and arrogance towards a group, not classing the joke as not funny.
Or perhaps it's only funny if a joke is made at the expense of certain groups, but not others? Is that what you mean by subjective?
Because I laughed at a statement I found amusing? Right ...
I cannot see how anybody could have taken this as anything other than a joke.................sadly there seems to be no end of people just looking to be offended these days
You showed disrespect and arrogance to others by stating something wasn't funny - it is up for people themselves to decide that, don't tell people what to think. I would be intrigued to know just how many gypsies would genuinely be offended by that, and how many would just shrug their shoulders or laugh it off. There are plenty of things I could have been offended by over the course of my lifetime concerning my political, religious or whatever beliefs or background, but I don't, I just either laugh with them and admit it was funny, or if I deem it wasn't just ignore it and carry on. Similarly I had many Asian friends back home who never minded Asian stereotypes because they would do the same. What the guard said was an incredibly stupid thing to do, however it has been blown out of all proportion. Like I said I would genuinely love to know if any gypsies found the comments offensive, and how many of the complainers have just been people getting offended on other peoples' behalves.
If you can't piece together that laughing at that statement is indicative of prejudice (why would you find it funny if you believed it?), then I'm a bit worried.
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Ah yes. It's so sad that people are calling out perpetuations of unpleasant stereotypes...
People said the same thing in the 1920s about women, and I imagine will be in the next 100 years about many other groups too.
It was clearly meant as joke. It's sad that people don't realise that a) it's not funny and b) humour should not be used an excuse for stereotyping and prejudice.
!
Hang on, Zoidberg has said that his amusement was based on experiences in the past. Now correct me if I'm wrong but prejudice is "preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience". So how can he/she be displaying prejudice if he/she was actual experience of that group of people.
When you've experienced a group of people, and have come to some kind of harm/monentary loss (like for example I have) it cannot be prejudice.
I think it amazing that people find this so offensive, whilst it was a poor idea and the announcement suffered from a severe lack of judgement I really do feel more is being made of this than should be. Gypsies do tend to be associated with criminality, more those other than minority groups. I have first hand experience of it, on two trips abroad in recent months, I witnessed a mate of mine having around £100 stolen by people of that origin, he didn't notice but I did and couldn't do anything about it. And this weekend just gone I was myself, fleeced of a significantly lesser amount on another trip, around £20 which was a 1/5 of my spending money. I then got hassled less than 10 minutes later by another group of gypsy origin begging for more money, when I'd just had money stolen, infuriating wasn't the word. I find it absolutely appalling how children are used in this way to steal, as we were both targetted by children with their minders/parents/whatever. It put a blot of both weekend's away.
But nothing I could do it in either case, but I'm not prejudice against them as not all gyspies are associated with criminality. But walk round many major cities and you see the same thing, people of a gypsy origin begging for money and they are usually the ones involved in pick-pocketing. It is not difficult to see why people pick up on these things and then attempt to may a joke out of it. It isn't prejudice to say something that is true, it may be seen as offensive but I don't think it was really that bad. If you go to a country with a significant amount of people of gypsy origin you always get told the same story, about criminality etc.
Anyway back to the original point, I can see why some people found this announcement offensive and whilst it was wrong, there is a mountain being made out a mole-hill. The announcement should not have been made, and can see why it was made as it may have been thought it would amuse the crowd on that train, yet of course it was still wrong. Had I heard it, given my recent experiences I'd have let out a wry smile. Do I really think the guard/whoever it was announcing was displaying prejudice? No. I think it was playing on stereotypes and obviously people have taken offence to it.