posted
The point is that a President should know better. If I called you daft, even though it is not common usage in the US you would still feel insulted.
-------------------- "and none of your usual boobery." M. Burns
Registered: Oct 2001
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posted
Uh, I kind of got to go with Rob on this one. Who cares if its an insult in Britain? Then again, why is Bush calling them 'Pakis' when they're 'Pakistanis'? Does he not like saying 'tanis'?
posted
"Paki" is considered a fairly insulting racial slur in Canada, too. I'm a little surprised it isn't used in the US, actually.
-------------------- "I was surprised by the matter-of-factness of Kafka's narration, and the subtle humor present as a result." (Sizer 2005)
Registered: Mar 1999
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capped
I WAS IN THE FUTURE, IT WAS TOO LATE TO RSVP
Member # 709
posted
probably because most Americans hadn't ever heard of Pakistan until oh.. about the last quarter of last year. And those that had probably couldn't be bothered to single out the said natives from their larger racial slurs that embody that entire region (or hemisphere).
God Bless America -------------------- "Isn't that whole area kind of.. you know.. iffy? -- Maude Flanders
Registered: Sep 2001
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posted
Fo2, it's a slur. You may think it isn't, you may apply all manner of liberarian logic to it, but that doesn't change the fact that it is indeed one. Pakistani's (indeed, it's generally applied to all people of South Asian descent) consider it one, not just crazed hordes of liberal politically-correct feminazis. The Pakistani embassy said they accepted that Bush made an honest mistake. Which he did. I don't think anyone is insinuating that Bush is a racist prick. But it's nonetheless worrying that the most important man in global foreign affairs continues to make no effort to familiarize himself with the people he deals with on a daily basis. The next time he goofs, the people he pisses off mightn't be so ready to brush it off.
-------------------- "I was surprised by the matter-of-factness of Kafka's narration, and the subtle humor present as a result." (Sizer 2005)
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Grocka: That's just Dumb. Nigeria is pronounced Ny 'jheer'i'a. So the short, if it was used, which it isn't, would be pronounced Ny'jheer'ee. Although "Nigerians" is more correct, it would be easy to slip and call them "Nigerans"... of course, THEN someone would just have to point out that "Nigerans" are the inhabitants of Niger, a country NEAR Nigeria. (Really creative, these country-naming folks)
The other word is pronounced totally differently, DOESN'T apply to citizens of any particular country, and would be far less likely to be used by mistake in any case.
Tom: "Liberarian???!!" That's a SLUR! You'll be hearing from my lawyers!
Tom, the PURPOSE of the article WAS to imply just such a thing. How can we tell? Because, as I said before, it's totally unnewsworthy otherwise.
So Bush shortens words when he talks. I know lots of people who do that. BFHD. It just so happens that some people in a country Bush isn't from consider the shortened version to be a 'slur.' Frankly, I'm not impressed.
-------------------- "The best defense is not a good offense. The best defense is a terrifyingly accurate and devastatingly powerful offense, with multiply-overlapping kill zones and time-on-target artillery strikes." -- Laurence, Archangel of the Sword
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Ok, Tom tried to explain this to you and I will try one more time in a way in which you might be able to relate it to your country. Abroad, people from your country are know as yankees. If this is said to someone from Buffalo, it is probably not a slur. If you said this to a person from say, Alabama they might consider it a slur. The point is that they did not mean to insult which I also believe Bush did not. But if he is to run a foreign affairs department then he should be aware of the terms, both derogatory and proper that foreigners should be refered to. It is no excuse that it is not a slur in your country, he should be aware of these things. Hence the hoofinmouth award. And lastly if it meant nothing them why did the Whitehouse sorta apologize for it?
-------------------- "and none of your usual boobery." M. Burns
Registered: Oct 2001
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posted
Ah, it's good to see the Second-Grader-In-Chief is in fine form.
quote:The point is that a President should know better.
Yes indeed he should.
But this is what you get with Mr. Bush. You get a person in the White House who's lack of understanding brings about stupid, unknowledgeable statements. And then people get to make excuses for him.
[ January 08, 2002: Message edited by: Jay the Obscure ]
-------------------- Great is the guilt of an unnecessary war. ~ohn Adams
Once again the Bush Administration is worse than I had imagined, even though I thought I had already taken account of the fact that the Bush administration is invariably worse than I can imagine. ~Brad DeLong
You're just babbling incoherently. ~C. Montgomery Burns
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Man, "Pakies" is a common racial term toward "brown" people. Which included Pakistan, Afganstan, India, and various Southern Asian and Middle East nations.
I'm highly suspicious of Geoge's comment on how he doesn't really know the term.
Even if he is telling the truth, a leader of his magnitude should know better. If he's baseing his defense on the ground that he's using it as a verbal contraption (spelling?), then it'll still makes him look bad, cuz a real speaker should address in formal English, in which contraption are not allowed
[ January 08, 2002: Message edited by: BlueElectron ]
-------------------- "George Washington said, 'I cannot tell a lie.' Richard Nixon said, 'I cannot tell the truth.' Bill Clinton said, 'I cannot tell the difference.'"
-- comedian TOM SMOTHERS, from his latest stage act with brother DICK SMOTHERS.
Registered: Jan 2000
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Saltah'na
Chinese Canadian, or 75% Commie Bastard.
Member # 33
posted
quote:Originally posted by Jay the Obscure: But this is what you get with Mr. Bush. You get a person in the White House who's lack of understanding brings aobut stupid, unknowledgeable statements. And then people get to make excuses for him.
Frankly, I don't give a rat's ass about whatever verbal screwups Bush may make. Two reasons: 1) sometimes it comes with the character, and 2) if his words do not clarify an offending fact.
In other words, if there was evidence that Bush was being racist long before he made the comment, then this concern and criticism is justified. But to my knowledge, he isn't.
I simply see this as a verbal blunder more than a racist remark. Unfortunately, it is the views of the offended party that matter more in the limelight.
[ January 08, 2002: Message edited by: Tahna Los ]
Registered: Mar 1999
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How is it okey for him to make a racist comment, and be okey with it?
What happen if he said "Niggers" instead? How would you react then? How would the people in the States react then?
-------------------- "George Washington said, 'I cannot tell a lie.' Richard Nixon said, 'I cannot tell the truth.' Bill Clinton said, 'I cannot tell the difference.'"
-- comedian TOM SMOTHERS, from his latest stage act with brother DICK SMOTHERS.
Registered: Jan 2000
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