Comments on: Royal Racism http://www.kbkcl.co.uk/2009/01/royal-racism/ Mon, 29 Mar 2010 11:55:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Jonny Hourdon http://www.kbkcl.co.uk/2009/01/royal-racism/comment-page-1/#comment-3526 Jonny Hourdon Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:58:55 +0000 http://www.kbkcl.co.uk/?p=695#comment-3526 With all due respect Tabitha Smith, you don’t get it. The word ‘paki’ is still completely unacceptable and hugely offensive to a lot of people. It isn’t overly political correct to say that the third in line to the throne shouldn’t make use such language to anyone ON FILM. And that if he is found to have been so foolish, he should come out publicly and apologise directly to the people he has offended rather than hiding behind a statement written by daddy’s PA. With all due respect Tabitha Smith, you don’t get it. The word ‘paki’ is still completely unacceptable and hugely offensive to a lot of people. It isn’t overly political correct to say that the third in line to the throne shouldn’t make use such language to anyone ON FILM. And that if he is found to have been so foolish, he should come out publicly and apologise directly to the people he has offended rather than hiding behind a statement written by daddy’s PA.

]]> By: Tabitha Smith http://www.kbkcl.co.uk/2009/01/royal-racism/comment-page-1/#comment-3345 Tabitha Smith Sun, 18 Jan 2009 13:24:59 +0000 http://www.kbkcl.co.uk/?p=695#comment-3345 Prince Harry isn't a racist, that I feel the public accept. However, the way in which the media has blown this issue - which was filmed several years ago - out of proportion. Harry himself said that he was referring to a friend - whether in jest of not; but had this friend had an issue with being called such a term, Harry himself would known and therefore not have said it. Such a term, in today's overly politically correct society is seen as demeaning. But within the personal and private situation that Harry found himself in, I don't think this was ever the case. People freely use words or phrases in personal situations, that are perfectly accepted, whereas to a general public group could be seen as offensive - words referring to women, homosexuals as examples. Prince Harry hasn't created a bad image for the armed services. And I feel questioning the subscription to racism a little far fetched. This was an individual event that only hit the media because of the public position Harry is in. The term "nickname" proves that no derogatory sense was intended towards either the individual, nor the people of Pakistan. A full video apology in this case from Prince Harry isn't necessary. Accepting that some people may take offence to his comment, and therefore apologising is all he needed to do. His image won't be tarnished by this event. However the media's persistant angle over this, not only diminishes all the good work that the Prince actually does, but also hides the true problems with racism that our country has to deal with. Prince Harry isn’t a racist, that I feel the public accept. However, the way in which the media has blown this issue – which was filmed several years ago – out of proportion. Harry himself said that he was referring to a friend – whether in jest of not; but had this friend had an issue with being called such a term, Harry himself would known and therefore not have said it.

Such a term, in today’s overly politically correct society is seen as demeaning. But within the personal and private situation that Harry found himself in, I don’t think this was ever the case. People freely use words or phrases in personal situations, that are perfectly accepted, whereas to a general public group could be seen as offensive – words referring to women, homosexuals as examples.

Prince Harry hasn’t created a bad image for the armed services. And I feel questioning the subscription to racism a little far fetched. This was an individual event that only hit the media because of the public position Harry is in. The term “nickname” proves that no derogatory sense was intended towards either the individual, nor the people of Pakistan.

A full video apology in this case from Prince Harry isn’t necessary. Accepting that some people may take offence to his comment, and therefore apologising is all he needed to do. His image won’t be tarnished by this event. However the media’s persistant angle over this, not only diminishes all the good work that the Prince actually does, but also hides the true problems with racism that our country has to deal with.

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