How come whities aren't too bothered by racist tags such as whitebread or crackers while the "N" word still holds such a legendry infamous status? How come black people are the only ones allowed to use this word without getting an icepick through the head? It is in the end of the day just a word but one I won't use because some people do take offence to it. If people took offence to the word lighthouse I'd have to get used to not using that too in an effort not to offend people. But the idea that one vocal emition can be deemed more offensive than another makes little sense to my dog. Call him an ignorant bastard and he'll still lick your face.
I have more of a problem using the name Jesus out of context. I'm used to people saying it because almost everyone does it almost constantly. It's something we high and mightys have to get used to, like passive smoking. But if it's Gods law shouldnt we at least try to uphold it. And shouldnt athiests uphold it firstly because it makes no sense for an athiest to keep saying Jesus all the time and because they should make an attempt not to offend people who dislike people using that particular vocal emition out of context. So which is worse then the N word the J word or the word LIGHTHOUSE?

Rhondab said:

save yourself a search.

I wonder if Prince offends hippies?

"All the hippies sing together"

"All the purple hippies bang your hands on the one"

I wonder if purple people get offended by Prince?

By the way the reason gay people shouldn't play in goal is because they have limp wrists. Sorry for posting too many non Prince posts here. I'll be good, this time I promise. Love is more important than sex. Now I understand.

kisscamille said:

y'know, i used to totally not mind when prince did this kinda of playful joshing around about white people.
BUT then he put out 'the rainbow children' which takes a very angry and derogatory tone on the issue of race, and then he put out 'the moors' which basically reduces european civilization to 'barbarians' .. ..
so nowadays i think he's really changed his attitude. he's not playing anymore, he's seriously pissed off about racial issues and he's making his points harder and harder and nowadays his lyrics are actually hurtful at times.
[This message was edited Wed Jun 30 6:37:58 2004 by XxAxX]

sonicfreak said:

Yeah but u didn't do all that shit in the past so it shouldnt hurt ya. That's why I feel sorry for the germans sometimes cos of all the shit they have to live with and the current generation had no involvement in that. I wonder have they shown that episode of Fawlty Towers there yet?

(That was supposed to be directed to kisscamille!)
[This message was edited Wed Jun 30 6:44:04 2004 by omnithanos]

omnithanos said:

You're generalising again. Some of us are offended by racist tags.

AsylumUtopia said:

Just call me the Generaliser, I mean most whitebread mofo's not all.

Rhondab said:

OK, fair enough, bad example to use. But it was omnithanos's example, not mine. If all black people do have fuzzy hair then that's fine, if it's a statement of fact then there's no problem.

But "white people can't dance" is not a statement of fact, it is a racially motivated stereotype, which I find offensive. I am white (well, actually I'm mainly pink, but never mind) and I find the idea that someone might think I cannot dance based solely upon the fact that I am white to be really, really offensive.

omnithanos said:

What the fuck is a whitebread mofo ?
I've never heard that one before. I don't think that's particularly racist either, comparing someone to a bread product is not nearly as hurtful as saying they are in some way deficient or inferior because of their skin colour.

AsylumUtopia said:

I know where u're coming from there Asylum even if I've been saying the opposite. Like saying black people are lazy. I'm sure that would really offend (though I'd be hard pressed to agrue if that was directed towards Irish people). But I think Raine said it best regarding Prince, its only offensive if someone is being spiteful, otherwise people can become a little too sensitive about stuff. One of my favourite ever ads was the one about the black guy who couldn't dance, I supposed that was based on the positive stereotype that black people CAN dance. I thought Shallow Hal was funny but I've a friend who found it highly offensive towards large people. Oh well everyone has their own opinion, I hope we can still all get along.

AsylumUtopia said:

Is that what the N word implies. I've never actually heard a definition of the meaning of the word. Can't we turn it around and produce badges saying "proud to be a N"?

omnithanos said:

Agreed, Raine said it best. And I do think that the 'white people can't dance' stereotype is generally used more out of affection, or poking fun (which is what you were originally saying) than out of spite. I would only find it offensive if I thought the person saying it meant it, or worse still, actually believed it. I don't think I've seen the ad you're talking about, but I know what you mean about Shallow Hal. And yes, I'm sure we can all get along here, we're all just expressing our opinions, and hopefully enjoying this discussion (or at least getting something positive out of it).

"all the white people clap your hands on the four now"

That was school for me back in '83. Prince was teaching me how to be funky!!

Thats all.

It was funny to me back then and it is still funny to me now.

PEACE

I, for one, could care less if anyone uses racial references. What does bother me is that black entertainers can go around making all kinds of jokes about white people, but if a white comedian does the same thing, it's a problem. That is not right.

It's just like in high school, when the black students fought to get a black student union. But when the white students wanted a white student union, they were not allowed to because it was racist. That's not right either.

No more double standards!!!

janet said:

There is a huge difference between a minority group setting up a group for themselves and a majority group setting up one. Blacks are in the minority in the United States. Whites are in the majority. What that means is that the U.S. is geared toward addressing the needs and concerns of its majority population. Every aspect of American society is modeled on Europe, which means that white people are predisposed to go well in American society. When you have a minority who is trying to do well, he/she faces many more obstacles than a majority person faces.

Whatever

DavidEye said:

Yeah, he does say Negroes.

I'm white and I never really picked up on it, but I can dance, so maybe the people that get offened, can't dance...



" Sex isn't all I think about... It's just all I think about u!"

janet said:

You got it Janet! Unfortunately there are loads of double standards in this world. They're not right, but they do definitely exist. Could you imagine if someone like Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson made a movie called "Black Chicks" what an uproar that would be. It would be labelled racists, insensitive, blah, blah blah. It would be a scandal!!

He thinks enough of us to assume we can clap our hands on the four without getting confused.

Also that white girls can dance at all.

I was offended when he says "devil devil...you got to go" just kidding

white as rice here

offended by what another says ... not usually

i see all as my brothers and sisters

dont give a crap what skin color they are !!

dont think prince cares either bout color

peace out !

Mach

kisscamille said:

LOL... What was the backlash from Soul Man (other than that it was a bad movie)? I don't remember...

BTW - White Chicks looks very funny!

actually black chicks might be a funny movie too lol

If Prince really thought white people didnt have rhythm,
He wouldn't have had white women in his videos
(remember Cream and Rasberry Beret and Gett off?)
Hes just kidding around and I think most people get the joke

From the First Ave show in 83, during "D.M.S.R." when P says "all the white people", Lisa is pretending to TRY to clap on time. Then she says "Oh my God". I do think P meant it as a little dig towards whites, being that he was booed off stage opening 4 the Stones just a year earlier.

"I don't give a fuck if you boo, just as long as you boo in key."

Jimi Hendrix

DavidEye said:

Prince wrote "The Bird"

You have to know, too, that Prince isn't the only one who jokes like this. I can remember when MeShell N'DegeOcello first came out with "Plantation Lullabies"...I (white) went with three of my friends (also white) to see her play at the Double Door in Chicago (small bar/club) and our showing up might have doubled the white population that night (from 4 to 8). We were digging her set and of course we stood out in the back of the crowd, and at one point, MeShell yells into her microphone, "All you white motherfuckers in the back, wave your hands." And we were waving and screaming, "WHOOOOO! We're the white motherfuckers!!!!!"

It was hilarious and shame on our other white friends for not getting into MeShell, who is funky, a great bass player, and cool live.

Do I get offended? No.

Keith/Kacey