Racist Old People

WindSock

Michael B wrote: »

Ah there's no real harm meant by them, it's just ignorance but I don't think it's out of badness.

That's pretty much it. They just haven't kept up with the times in what is acceptable language and what isn't. Sure even the most PC liberal etcs today will get to this stage too themselves someday and not give a sht.

epgc3fyqirnbsx

southsiderosie wrote: »

My mom grew up in Chicago where most families were second and third generation descendants of European immigrants. At that time, pretty much everyone had at least one grandparent from the 'old country' that was still alive, and it was best to marry someone else whose family was Irish (although they looked down on you if your family was from Mayo). A 'mixed marriage' was between an Irish and Italian family; even though they were both Catholic, the Irish thought Italians were mafiosos, and the Italians thought the Irish were insane. My great-aunt married an Italian, and my grandma always called him "Eddie the Gangster".

There was one Swedish (i.e. Protestant) family in the neighborhood, and my mom was allowed to play with them as long as she didn't go in their house. And let's not even talk about inter-racial marriage.

WTF was wrong with Mayo!?
Well we've certainly redeemed ourselves if we were looked down on, didn't we give Ireland Pee and Beverly Flynn, Enda Kenny, Charles Hughey and Michael Lynn

KittyeeTrix

Brysen Jolly Racehorse wrote: »

WTF was wrong with Mayo!?
Well we've certainly redeemed ourselves if we were looked down on, didn't we give Ireland Pee and Beverly Flynn, Enda Kenny, Charles Hughey and Michael Lynn

Ah, well then I take back every nasty negative thing I've ever said about Mayo people:D

























and multiply it ten-fold:cool::pac:

southsiderosie

Brysen Jolly Racehorse wrote: »

WTF was wrong with Mayo!?
Well we've certainly redeemed ourselves if we were looked down on, didn't we give Ireland Pee and Beverly Flynn, Enda Kenny, Charles Hughey and Michael Lynn

Not totally sure, but I think they were seen as backwards and wild. And apparently they are bad drivers.

Herb Powell

creggy wrote: »

Racist old people are hiliarious...

It's mad how it was acceptable back in the day

Look at this film trailer. Yes, it's a real film back in the 70s.

1:20 of the video is quality.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTIklFsMjjU

I have the theme song on my iPod

Mickeroo

Ah mayo's great regardless of it's politicians. I can see it still. Soft and craggy boglands, tall majestic hills, where the ocean kisses ireland and the wave caress it's shore the feeling it came over me and stayed forevermore.

*cough*

Rubberlegs

My Dad and my English uncle both come out with some of the most racist comments:(. I can remember a time when it was a rarity to see a black person in Ireland, but considering Dad lived in London from the late 60s to early 80s, you'd think he'd be more tolerant. When ya consider the whole " no blacks, no Irish" carry on n all that. I'm not racist at all, in my line of work I couldn't possibly be, but Jesus do I have to struggle not to laugh at my Dad and the things he comes out with! He was in hospital recently, and was saying in very loud tones " Sure half these doctors are feckin asylum seekers". Talk about wanting to crawl under the nearest bed. And thats mild compared to what he'd usually come out with:o

Abi

I don't think racism is funny, regardless of age. I'm not too concerned about the racist old people. It's not even an attitude that will 'die off' in time. It's alive and well in the begruding Irish.

'Ah sure we're the wrong colour in this country' is one I've heard so many times it's unreal. It's not right tbh. Regardless of what we think, the country has a very backward attitude and are completely ignorant towards cultural differences. 'they come into this country and they get this that and the other' .. 'They have better cars' etc. If the Irish want to judge they have to take a look at their own life-styles and expenditure imo.

What I say next is a generalisation, and I speak purely of my OWN experience. I don't want to get into breaking down each nationality, but one thing I have noticed is that the black people aren't big drinkers. We are as a nation, and I'll be the first to raise my hand and admit it myself. While they have large families they live wholesome christian lives, and are very friendly from my experience. The Polish community are hardy people, but seem to have this stigma attached to them that they're big drinkers. It's unfair to tar them all with the one brush of course, but another thing about them are they are good savers, and send money to their families regularly.

It's kinda ironic how Irish people forget that in the eighties our own families shot in all directions (even my own - England and the U.S.) in order to survive or to send home money to our own. It's a survival instinct the Irish choose to ignore because they feel threatened.

On the 'old people front'... the stuff my grandmother would say about other nationalities and religons would have your eyes out on stalks, and she handed down the same attitude to my mother.

I've given this one a miss.

BumbleB

That's fine abigayle nice to talk about the poles and the Africans ,but what about racism being called a Fenian bastard up in Derry like I was recently I was enraged and I'm not even fully Irish !.I had a coloured friend in work ended up going on a work trip together to Texas with a few others one night ended up in cripp club full of blacks , one of the lads was acting the maggot with one of the girls.The whole scene got really nasty and it was going off my black buddy tried to intervene thinking he was one of them. Well it didn't work. We were lucky to get out of there alive.

dazza_480

Terry wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc4OeRu7cfs

whats wrong with what she said it seems like a sound comment to me

egan2020

As a young child in the early 80s I used to sing the nursery rhyme "eenie meenie miney moe - catch a n!gger by the toe - if he squeals let him go". Taught to me by my grandmother. Just asked my daughter to sing it for me and she says tiger instead.

southsiderosie

Mickeroo wrote: »

Ah mayo's great regardless of it's politicians. I can see it still. Soft and craggy boglands, tall majestic hills, where the ocean kisses ireland and the wave caress it's shore the feeling it came over me and stayed forevermore.

*cough*

forrrreverMOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRReeee...

Big Nasty

egan2020 wrote: »

As a young child in the early 80s I used to sing the nursery rhyme "eenie meenie miney moe - catch a n!gger by the toe - if he squeals let him go". Taught to me by my grandmother. Just asked my daughter to sing it for me and she says tiger instead.

I think you've just captured it! I'm only 35 and I said the same - didn't even know what it meant at the time, it just rhymed!

KittyeeTrix

egan2020 wrote: »

As a young child in the early 80s I used to sing the nursery rhyme "eenie meenie miney moe - catch a n!gger by the toe - if he squeals let him go". Taught to me by my grandmother. Just asked my daughter to sing it for me and she says tiger instead.

I think a lot of us grew up singing that one...........
I was trying to remember it last night to post it in here along with my post about saying "working like a black" but I couldn't remember the new version of it, so ingrained in my head is the old version!!!

Big Nasty

'They're gonna let Racoons in to the school!?!' :eek:

"there's a lot of johnny foreigners around isn't there!!"
:eek::rolleyes:

tommyhaas

Abigayle wrote: »

Regardless of what we think, the country has a very backward attitude and are completely ignorant towards cultural differences.

In fairness, immigration is a relativly new thing in Ireland, particularly in comparisson to the likes of the UK. Its always going to take time for people to adapt to these new cultures, and for the immigrants to adapt to our own cultures

Abigayle wrote: »

It's kinda ironic how Irish people forget that in the eighties our own families shot in all directions (even my own - England and the U.S.) in order to survive or to send home money to our own. It's a survival instinct the Irish choose to ignore because they feel threatened.

Completley agree with you on that, however what I think should be remembered is that by and large, the Irish integrated far better then certain other nationalities seem to here, though obviously this was made easier by speaking the same language. The lack of integration encourages a sort of 'ghetto mentality' which is the cause of alot of the racial issues in the UK recently

Adhamh

My grandfather told me once that back in the day when he was a kid his friend payed a tupenny to see a black guy. I can't remember the story exactly but it involved an Afro-Carribean butler up somewhere around Glasnevin and a rather entrepreneuring local boy.

OPENROAD

tommyhaas wrote: »

Completley agree with you on that, however what I think should be remembered is that by and large, the Irish integrated far better then certain other nationalities seem to here, though obviously this was made easier by speaking the same language. The lack of integration encourages a sort of 'ghetto mentality' which is the cause of alot of the racial issues in the UK recently

Depends what your definition of intergration is?

The UK by and large has done pretty well, would be looking to other EU countries where their have been a lot more problems and where the far right have had much more success.

KeithAFC

I don't think its only old people either. You find out the true person when your in your own home and what peoples views really are.

southsiderosie

I would definitely agree that it's not just old people; it's just that there is no point is arguing with a 70 year old, since you're unlikely to change their mind about anything.

And to speak to the earlier post, there is no point in getting in a huff about something that a small child says, since they say crazy stuff all of the time.

But there are a disturbing number of adults in Ireland with crazy-ass ideas about immigrants and welfare, etc. Although the one thing that keeps me from getting too worked up about the Irish is that they've shown little inclination towards mass mobilization against immigrants and ethnic minorities via right-wing parties. This is not to excuse ignorance, but at least it's not ignorance and hatred being institutionalized into electoral politics.

tommyhaas

OPENROAD wrote: »

Depends what your definition of intergration is?

The UK by and large has done pretty well, would be looking to other EU countries where their have been a lot more problems and where the far right have had much more success.

The only reason I used the UK as an example is that I know quiet alot of British people, and was quiet suprised at some of their views. Iv read about the far right parties in france/holland etc but dont much about the situation there

OPENROAD

southsiderosie wrote: »

it's just that there is no point is arguing with a 70 year old, since you're unlikely to change their mind about anything.

.

Might be wrong here, but the impression I got from some posts was that while people did not agree with it, they found it acceptable/harmless etc because it was an older person, just wondering if the racism was directed against them, would they still view it as harmless?

OPENROAD

tommyhaas wrote: »

The only reason I used the UK as an example is that I know quiet alot of British people, and was quiet suprised at some of their views. Iv read about the far right parties in france/holland etc but dont much about the situation there

Fair enough, my own experiences would be of people in the UK also, who I have found to be tolerant and the recent UK election thankfully showed that the far right has relatively little support.

Fago!

I was with my grandad was in the pub. 50 Cent - in da club comes on the jukebox. Loud as anything he shouts "WHO THE FUUCK PUT ON THIS NIIGGER MUSIC!?!?!" cut to an entire pub cracking up laughing. Ol' coot!

southsiderosie

Fago! wrote: »

I was with my grandad was in the pub. 50 Cent - in da club comes on the jukebox. Loud as anything he shouts "WHO THE FUUCK PUT ON THIS NIIGGER MUSIC!?!?!" cut to an entire pub cracking up laughing. Ol' coot!

Hm, I had a slightly different experience with the same song. I was in Nicaragua, and 50 Cent was inexplicably popular. I was chatting with this young Nicaraguan guy in a bar, and when "In da Club" came on he turned to me excitedly and exclaimed, "I love ****** music!" When I told him that word was offensive, he got confused and said, "Why - you're not a ******?". Explaining race relations in Spanglish is hard.

southsiderosie

OPENROAD wrote: »

Might be wrong here, but the impression I got from some posts was that while people did not agree with it, they found it acceptable/harmless etc because it was an older person, just wondering if the racism was directed against them, would they still view it as harmless?

Notwithstanding the crazy looks I got from older people the first time I went to rural Ireland ten years ago, I've had more experiences with sexism/paternalism than racism from older people. There are still a fair number of older gentlemen who don't realize the age of pinching the secretary's bottom, etc is over. One doesn't have to like it, but at the same time you know that they aren't really ever going to change, so you may as well be sure that you don't stand in front of them in the elevator.

BluesBerry

southsiderosie wrote: »

Hm, I had a slightly different experience with the same song. I was in Nicaragua, and 50 Cent was inexplicably popular. I was chatting with this young Nicaraguan guy in a bar, and when "In da Club" came on he turned to me excitedly and exclaimed, "I love ****** music!" When I told him that word was offensive, he got confused and said, "Why - you're not a ******?". Explaining race relations in Spanglish is hard.

Thats a thing I cant understand if the N word is so offensive to a black person why is it ok for them to say it and call themselves it

You get young white kids into rap that have no idea the meaning and history that is associated with it and would use it and and then be called a racist etc

If it is that offensive why are these rappers keeping it in their music

I seen an Oprah episode recently and she said she does not listen to rap because of this I think she was interviewing JayZ coud have been someone one else I cant remember

OPENROAD

southsiderosie wrote: »

Notwithstanding the crazy looks I got from older people the first time I went to rural Ireland ten years ago, I've had more experiences with sexism/paternalism than racism from older people. There are still a fair number of older gentlemen who don't realize the age of pinching the secretary's bottom, etc is over. One doesn't have to like it, but at the same time you know that they aren't really ever going to change, so you may as well be sure that you don't stand in front of them in the elevator.

My post wasn't really directed at the old people rather posters who thought it was all pretty harmless, I just feel if the racism was against them as Irish people they would have a different view

OPENROAD

BluesBerry wrote: »

Thats a thing I cant understand if the N word is so offensive to a black person why is it ok for them to say it and call themselves it

You get young white kids into rap that have no idea the meaning and history that is associated with it and would use it and and then be called a racist etc

If it is that offensive why are these rappers keeping it in their music

I seen an Oprah episode recently and she said she does not listen to rap because of this I think she was interviewing JayZ coud have been someone one else I cant remember

I don't know, plenty of Irish people use the Paddy word but would find it offensive if used to describe us by foreigners.

southsiderosie

BluesBerry wrote: »

Thats a thing I cant understand if the N word is so offensive to a black person why is it ok for them to say it and call themselves it

You get young white kids into rap that have no idea the meaning and history that is associated with it and would use it and and then be called a racist etc

If it is that offensive why are these rappers keeping it in their music

I seen an Oprah episode recently and she said she does not listen to rap because of this I think she was interviewing JayZ coud have been someone one else I cant remember

Not all black people think it's ok. I know plenty of black people (myself included) who hate that word.

southsiderosie

OPENROAD wrote: »

My post wasn't really directed at the old people rather posters who thought it was all pretty harmless, I just feel if the racism was against them as Irish people they would have a different view

If an 85 year old fuddy-duddy Englishman made a derogatory comment about Irish people in an offhanded way, would you react the same way as you would if a 35 year old Englishman said it?

BluesBerry

OPENROAD wrote: »

I don't know, plenty of Irish people use the Paddy word but would find it offensive if used to describe us by foreigners.

Yeah but what im trying to say is Take Ireland for example The old saying working like a black and the inney meeny miney moe one

One has been changed to Tiger eventually no one will remember the original
Im sure other countries had sayings Ireland is not unique in this and have probably changed theirs as well to become more PC in a more informed world

So why are the Black rappers keeping this word going Our elderly grew up in a different time Im sure a lot of elderly black people despise this word and what it ment to them and a new generation of rappers thinking its acceptable to use it in their songs

If they stopped using this word if its that insulting it can be banished to the history books we have changed our saying's and nursery rhymes on a very taboo word Yet it is still in the rap music

creggy

creggy wrote: »

Racist old people are hiliarious...

It's mad how it was acceptable back in the day

Look at this film trailer. Yes, it's a real film back in the 70s.

1:20 of the video is quality.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTIklFsMjjU

I love how people always use that film as an example of how racism was acceptable in cinema a few decades ago completely ignoring the fact that the writer/producer/star is Fred Williamson, a black man. In fact the he also made two other films with the word nigger in the title, The Legend of Nigger Charley and The Soul of Nigger Charley. Williamson is known for his work in the blaxploitation genre which routinely had characters referred to as niggers both in a jovial and malicious manner.

Brendog

when my mam was a kid her father (my Grandfather) brought a black work colleague over for dinner....

my mam asked the man why he was black but his palms were white?


My Granddad went BALLISTIC, but his work colleague calmed him down and told my mam ........

"You know how your supposed to clean your hands before dinner? Well I didn't do it one time and my mother dragged me upstairs and scrubbed them white!!!"




My grandfather told me that after she was told this, she wouldn't eat dinner unless she could wash her hands before...

OPENROAD

southsiderosie wrote: »

If an 85 year old fuddy-duddy Englishman made a derogatory comment about Irish people in an offhanded way, would you react the same way as you would if a 35 year old Englishman said it?

I think plenty would actually,they see it as harmless if it is against a black person and sure they didn't see many black people growing up etc.... I honestly believe though if someone was ranting about us it would be a different story and the persons age would make no difference.

Mickeroo

BluesBerry wrote: »

If they stopped using this word if its that insulting it can be banished to the history books we have changed our saying's and nursery rhymes on a very taboo word Yet it is still in the rap music

I think i've heard it said that it's a type of empowerment, taking it back as it were, making the word their own so white people can't use it.Turning a negative into a positive.

It's not just modern rap music though,the word's been used this way since the 70's as the trailer to that Boss ****** movie shows.

This talk has reminded me of this song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVN_0qvuhhw

Daroxtar

Abigayle wrote: »

I don't think racism is funny, regardless of age. I'm not too concerned about the racist old people. It's not even an attitude that will 'die off' in time. It's alive and well in the begruding Irish.

Oh, oh, oh the fúcking crippling irony.

Mickeroo

OPENROAD wrote: »

I think plenty would actually,they see it as harmless if it is against a black person and sure they didn't see many black people growing up etc.... I honestly believe though if someone was ranting about us it would be a different story and the persons age would make no difference.

I'm 27 and i didn't see many black people growing up either.

I don't really have a problem with racially insensitive remarks, even if they're directed at me. I think people are too uptight about some things these days and lose sight of the fact that theres a difference between someone saying something a bit stupid/insensitive/naive or whatever and flat out irrational, unfounded hatred. Hatred of me, my race or my nation for no good reason is what I would have a problem with, thats real racism.

Reading this thread has reminded me of an incident in college, we were discussing whether D.W. Griffiths was racist due to the manner in which coloured people were depicted in Birth of a Nation. Pretty much everyone was agreeing that he was and when I pointed out that we couldn't judge him on modern meanigns of the word and how up until 30 or 40 years ago the Black Minstrels were popular. Cue a torrent of abuse and people telling me how uneducated I was. I mentioned the film Boss Nigger and asked was it racist, the second the n word had left my lips the entire room went silent and I got some pretty nasty looks, people started telling me that it was a disgusting piece of trash and when I asked who had seen the film let alone heard of it before I mentioned it, not a single person piped up.

When I informed them that the film was written, produced and starred a black man they refused to believe me. So I showed them proof and suddenly they're talking absolute ****e about how obviously the film was made so as to bring awareness to the disgusting use of the word by white people.

OPENROAD

Mickeroo wrote: »

I'm 27 and i didn't see many black people growing up either.

I don't really have a problem with racially insensitive remarks, even if they're directed at me. I think people are too uptight about some things these days and lose sight of the fact that theres a difference between someone saying something a bit stupid/insensitive/naive or whatever and flat out irrational, unfounded hatred. Hatred of me, my race or my nation for no good reason is what I would have a problem with, thats real racism.

While I would agree to a point, I still firmly believe that if the remarks were directed towards us it would be a different story.

HavingCrack

Out of interest if elder people in Ireland still say this sorta stuff here I presume the same happens in the UK. Has anyone ever experienced elder English, Welsh or Scottish being casually racist towards Irish people ?

K-9

BluesBerry wrote: »

Yeah but what im trying to say is Take Ireland for example The old saying working like a black and the inney meeny miney moe one

One has been changed to Tiger eventually no one will remember the original
Im sure other countries had sayings Ireland is not unique in this and have probably changed theirs as well to become more PC in a more informed world

So why are the Black rappers keeping this word going Our elderly grew up in a different time Im sure a lot of elderly black people despise this word and what it ment to them and a new generation of rappers thinking its acceptable to use it in their songs

If they stopped using this word if its that insulting it can be banished to the history books we have changed our saying's and nursery rhymes on a very taboo word Yet it is still in the rap music

I don't know. Maybe it is like the "blood is thicker than water" cliche?

Manys the Irish person who will criticise our sections of society for drunkenness etc. and say it is a huge problem in Irish society, which it is.

But if an American said we all were drunks, we'd be raging and rightly so.

3hn2givr7mx1sc

HavingCrack wrote: »

Out of interest if elder people in Ireland still say this sorta stuff here I presume the same happens in the UK. Has anyone ever experienced elder English, Welsh or Scottish being casually racist towards Irish people ?

Just a few jokes, can't remember them 'cos I was drunk. We were drinking in an English-owned bar in the Canary Islands which is frequented by mainly English and Irish, equally I'd say, we were singing and just having the craic. One auld Englsih fella asked me and me Da would it be alright if he told a Paddy joke - harmless enough joke. Nothing other than that, tbh.

Killer Wench

fluffyorganic1 wrote: »

Was at a swimming pool with my youngest son a few years ago..He was aged 4 at the time. There was a huge black guy in the pool and my son who was standing beside him tapped him on his arm. He then asked the man if he was made of chocolate!!!:eek:

I nearly fell on the floor with shock and the black man was really not impressed. I scooped up my young lad and got outta the pool as fast as I could all the while trying not to let the black guy see me laughing......

it was just so funny cos my son asked it so earnestly and innocently:)

I am not sure how it is in Ireland but in the US, many within the Black community consider ourselves to be Chocolate. An example, we call Washington DC, Chocolate City because of the large Black population there. I would have thought your son's comment was cute.

KittyeeTrix

Killer Wench wrote: »

I am not sure how it is in Ireland but in the US, many within the Black community consider ourselves to be Chocolate. An example, we call Washington DC, Chocolate City because of the large Black population there. I would have thought your son's comment was cute.

Thanks love.........
When he said it I was mortified by what he had said but only from an adult point of view but what made me carry him away giggling was the way he said it sooooo wide eyed and innocently if ya get me!!!:)

Killer Wench

BluesBerry wrote: »

Thats a thing I cant understand if the N word is so offensive to a black person why is it ok for them to say it and call themselves it

You get young white kids into rap that have no idea the meaning and history that is associated with it and would use it and and then be called a racist etc

If it is that offensive why are these rappers keeping it in their music

I seen an Oprah episode recently and she said she does not listen to rap because of this I think she was interviewing JayZ coud have been someone one else I cant remember

It is much like how members of the LGBTQ community have taken the term "fa*" and how Native Americans call each other "skins". If you can take the term and eliminate the negative connotation, then the word ceases to hold power over you. Personally, I don't agree with that argument because I grew up in the rural, midwest where there were active White supremacist groups in the area so I was called "n*gger" with malice.

I also had an Irish American Catholic step-grandfather who had Alzheimer's disease. When he was a young man, he was active in a White supremacist group and he lived in a sun-up/sun-down town. In his old age, he mellowed and he eventually married my Black grandmother. As the disease progressed, his mind would return to the time when he was a young man interacting with Black folk. I have memories of walking up to the porch and hearing him yell out, "Oh boy, it's raining N*ggers and Tarbabies"; I'd yell back, "Hey grandpa". There were also times when he'd try to straighten up his clothes and flirt with us girls, but that is a whole 'nother of traumatic can.

Killer Wench

fluffyorganic1 wrote: »

Thanks love.........
When he said it I was mortified by what he had said but only from an adult point of view but what made me carry him away giggling was the way he said it sooooo wide eyed and innocently if ya get me!!!:)

Now, if someone said that to me, and then proceeded to attempt to lick me, it would be another thing entirely.

:cool:

KittyeeTrix

Killer Wench wrote: »

Now, if someone said that to me, and then proceeded to attempt to lick me, it would be another thing entirely.

:cool:

I can imagine why:D:D

That moment in the pool is one of those moments I will remember all of my life about my youngest son Billy..the pure innocence of his comment and how he sincerely he meant it as he asked the black guy was he made of chocolate........It was only funny cos of how he said it and really meant it at the time bless him!!!!!

~Obviously now about 5 years later he has grown up a little and knows that just because you are black doesn't mean you are made of chocolate!!:)

fluffyorganic1

fluffyorganic1 wrote: »

Thanks love.........
When he said it I was mortified by what he had said but only from an adult point of view but what made me carry him away giggling was the way he said it sooooo wide eyed and innocently if ya get me!!!:)

Apparently I came out with something similar as a kid "mammy that man's not irish!!" she was laughing so much yer man was laughing as well