Tory MP suspended for racist remark

[Nearly Sane]

PC gone mad, correct action, not severe enough or other?



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40555639

[Rhiannon]

I've no idea any more.

[Shaker]

It's an old, old phrase you otherwise never hear these days ... apart from some rather clueless Tory MPs.

In one of his films the great W. C. Fields euphemised it as "the Ethiopian in the fuel supply."

In context I can't bring myself to believe that the phrase was intended in a malicious, that's to say racist way.

I would chalk this one up to thoughtless old-fashionedness, not racism. Never ascribe to malice that which is better explained by cock-up, as they say.

To me the far more distasteful thing is the collective professional outrage and lynch mentality of the rentagob MPs quoted in the article.

[jeremyp]

I despair.

She said something that is now considered to be racist. She apologised. That should be the end of it.

[Rhiannon]

Yeah but people are smelling a by-election.

[Shaker]

I despair.

She said something that is now considered to be racist. She apologised. That should be the end of it.

Indeed.

It's a phrase which has been overtaken by history, aka societal change, as have many others. It wasn't directed at any individual or even any ethnicity - she could have said fly in the ointment (which means exactly the same thing) and nobody would have said anything at all.

Apart from PETA, possibly.

[trippymonkey]

There's really only ONE race anyway.

The Human Race & the rest is bollox IMO.

Nick

[Nearly Sane]

I pretty much agree with jeremyp. Yet again though it's one of those meaky mouthed apologies where it's apologising for any offence caused not about being an unthinking idiot.

[floo]

I am glad the MP has been suspended, even if the remark was off the cuff and had not been sufficiently thought out. Racism is evil, and seems to be creeping back into society again since Brexit.

[Nearly Sane]

I am glad the MP has been suspended, even if the remark was off the cuff and had not been sufficiently thought out. Racism is evil, and seems to be creeping back into society again since Brexit.

The idea that it had left society seems naive to me. There was no obvious racist intent here so to classify it as such seems to me to cheapen the whole thing.

[floo]

The idea that it had left society seems naive to me. There was no obvious racist intent here so to classify it as such seems to me to cheapen the whole thing.

Where did I say racism has left society? I said that Brexit had brought it to the fore again.

The 'N' word is horrible and should be cracked down upon.

[Nearly Sane]

Where did I say racism has left society? I said that Brexit had brought it to the fore again.

The 'N' word is horrible and should be cracked down upon.

Thank you for your clarification for what you meant when you said iracism 'was creeping back into society'.

Again surely though intent is important, and using an old phrase that you don't even think about just doesn't seem worth taking action here?

BTW should black people be stopped from using the word nigger?

[floo]

Thank you for your clarification for what you meant when you said iracism 'was creeping back into society'.

Again surely though intent is important, and using an old phrase that you don't even think about just doesn't seem worth taking action here?

BTW should black people be stopped from using the word nigger?

It might be an old phrase but it is a nasty one, harking back to the slave trade. Black people don't do themselves any favours by using it, even if it is meant to be ironic.

[BeRational]

It might be an old phrase but it is a nasty one, harking back to the slave trade. Black people don't do themselves any favours by using it, even if it is meant to be ironic.

We also use the odd phrase 'Nitty Gritty' when we mean fine detail, but this has other connotations, I think to do with the slave trade.

[Maeght]

Indeed.

It's a phrase which has been overtaken by history, aka societal change, as have many others. It wasn't directed at any individual or even any ethnicity - she could have said fly in the ointment (which means exactly the same thing) and nobody would have said anything at all.

Apart from PETA, possibly.

I think the phrase she used infers an unforeseen problem whereas fly in the ointment is a minor irritation that spoil s something so not exactly the same means as I understand it. She could have just said what she meant in rsther than using some phrase to imply it. Not racist but just a bit dim!

[floo]

We also use the odd phrase 'Nitty Gritty' when we mean fine detail, but this has other connotations, I think to do with the slave trade.

I had no idea that phrase had racist connotations.

[Aruntraveller]

I had no idea that phrase had racist connotations.

Neither had I Floo until it came up in a pub conversation I was having with friends a few weeks ago.

On the point of the rights and wrongs - some are suggesting it is a minor slip or stupidity. I'm not so sure - her partner and agent also has form on this. He spouted some rubbish about immigrants being responsible for the Education system not being able to cope.

As if budgetary restraints (cuts to the ordinary person in the street) didn't even enter the equation.

I find it hard to believe that there isn't at least a connection in the way this couple think and express themselves.

[Maeght]

I had no idea that phrase had racist connotations.

Probably because there is no evidence thst it does.

[Rhiannon]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1394246/Racist-It-has-nothing-to-do-with-slave-ships.html

[jeremyp]

I am glad the MP has been suspended, even if the remark was off the cuff and had not been sufficiently thought out. Racism is evil, and seems to be creeping back into society again since Brexit.

Do you think the draconian measures taken in this case will have any effect whatsoever against racism?

[jeremyp]

On the point of the rights and wrongs - some are suggesting it is a minor slip or stupidity. I'm not so sure - her partner and agent also has form on this. He spouted some rubbish about immigrants being responsible for the Education system not being able to cope.

Which I would suggest is more serious than accidentally saying "nigger in the woodpile" in that it might persuade some people to try to do something illegal about those pesky immigrants. But did her partner get suspended from the Tory Party?

I find it hard to believe that there isn't at least a connection in the way this couple think and express themselves.

I find it hard to believe an ordinarily very rational poster is prepared to indulge in such mudslinging.

[Robbie]

On the point of the rights and wrongs - some are suggesting it is a minor slip or stupidity. I'm not so sure - her partner and agent also has form on this. He spouted some rubbish about immigrants being responsible for the Education system not being able to cope.

As if budgetary restraints (cuts to the ordinary person in the street) didn't even enter the equation.

I find it hard to believe that there isn't at least a connection in the way this couple think and express themselves.

I'm with you on this Trentvoyager having read more about her and hers.
Who uses the expression, "N***** in the woodpile", nowadays?  I haven't heard it for decades and can't remember when I did hear it or who said it, it's not in most people's vocabulary.

There's something seriously wrong with a person of her age & a politician, saying something like that so casually.

[Aruntraveller]

I find it hard to believe an ordinarily very rational poster is prepared to indulge in such mudslinging

Maybe I'm not feeling very rational at the moment.

Or maybe you are ignoring the possibility that birds of a feather often flock together. (I'm going to try to conduct my posts with these sorts of idioms from now on)

It would be mudslinging if there were no basis for the suspicions - but as you yourself pointed out there is.

[Robbie]

This article hits the nail on the head:-
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/anne-marie-morris-racist-comment-woodpile-parliament-tories-prejudice-n-word-a7835161.html

[SteveH]

We also use the odd phrase 'Nitty Gritty' when we mean fine detail, but this has other connotations, I think to do with the slave trade.

Complete bollocks, based on a folk-etymology, as is the even more ludicrous suggestion, sometimes seen, that "picnic" is racist, based on an even dafter folk-etymology. Real racism should be firmly resisted, and this woman's suspension is fully justified, but nonsense like this just gives the 'Daily Hate-mail' ammunition for another "political correctness gone mad" headline.
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/nitty-gritty.html