Today I've mostly bin...

[MBH]

This could become very political very quickly, so I'll be good and say it reminds me of the story I was told from primary school days - I don't remember the incident, but was told a number of times by my parents when I was older.

I raced home to tell them about the new girl in the class with the most incredible smile. I told them about other things that happened, but kept coming back to this smile that must have had such an effect on me.

Nowhere along the way did I mention that she was of seriously dark African decent [Carefully worded - are you still allowed to say 'Black'?]

[Scurra]

Yes, I know several primary school teachers who have told me the same thing - the really young kids don't use skin colour as a distinguishing feature of other children - it does seem to be something that is "leaned" as a method of identification rather than being natural.

[Looby]

My daughter was just the same!
She came home once telling me about a boy who lived near us who had dark curly hair but I couldn't think of who she meant. A few days later she pointed him out to me in the playground and he was the only non-white in the whole school. She just hadn't seen that as a distinguishing feature.

[Bunnylump]

And trust MBH to be swayed by a girl smiling at him!! Big softie!

[clvrlad]

actually from what ive read kids not discriminating because of colour in infants/juinor school is much more likely than in high school basically they learn the negative stereotypes from us as they get older...

racism isnt nice, but it exists and has had an influence on our culture and the recent "outrage" on come dancing is an example racism isnt going to disappear over night it will effect the next couple of generations at least

infact the come dancing could serve an example as to whats acceptable and whats not "paki" in the context used wasnt as bad as it could have been since he seemed to be using it in the context of someone from pakistan which technically is what it means... he didnt seem to be using it in a derogative way (btw do i get extra points for big words )

[giraffe]

Ah but everyone would have been outraged if he'd said "The fat lady is an excellent dancer" even though paying her a compliment. Some things you just don't say.

[Scurra]

racism isn't going to disappear over night it will effect the next couple of generations at least

In your dreams. Racism has been on of the central driving forces of civilisation for, oh, about six thousand years. A couple of generations isn't going to sort it out.

[clvrlad]

never said it would scurra said at least
if everyone did put our minds to reconstructing society it would need that long minimum to be effective
but then it does require everyone including the tourists :-p

its the old tribal influences in our psychology we both love and hate people we dont know
we love them for the different dna but hate them cause the compete with us for resources
racism is a way to still hate while taking advantage of not inbreeding

[Scurra]

But it's the at least I was disagreeing with! It won't take at least a period of time. It will never happen - for exactly those tribal philosophy reasons. "We" even go out of our way to exile those who cross the tribal boundaries or who dare to suggest that "They" might have a point. After all, that's what Politics is.

[giraffe]

Could somebody please share their interesting day with us.


I've been staring at my spreadsheet. and pulling faces at the computer.

[Scurra]

I've been staring at my spreadsheet. and pulling faces at the computer.

Actually, I've been doing much the same thing. But that's because I'm trying to write some upcoming puzzles, and they are obstinately refusing to work. (You think it's hard to solve these things - you try getting them to do what you want in the first place!)

[LAT]

Could somebody please share their interesting day with us.

I would if I'd had one.

I have been creating a spreadsheet at work. Not at all interesting for anyone else and not particularly so for me.

[Laura]

Well, I've just had an interesting piano lesson. The pupil's dad had just sprayed a wasp nest outside, and they all decided to come in to die! One crawled up my leg, and they were buzzing up the windows, and dying in the rug. It was quite horrible! We had to stop halfway through for her dad to come in and vacuum them all up. I hope I never have another lesson like that again!!!

[eirian]

eeek! Don't think I'd've lasted 5 mins in a room with that many wasps! (It's taken me many years to be able to cope with being in a room with one...)

No interesting day here either, unless checking through boxes of deeds to make sure they are all there really rocks your boat!

But at least I get to come home to Thomas in an evening. Oh, and Sigur, of course!

[kathlyn]

You wouldn't want my day either.. I've had a problem with a tooth all week and last night I decided it was getting worse, it was more than just sensativity, and it needed a dentist. So this morning I got an appointment and spent 40 minutes in the dentists while he decided what was wrong then he proceeded to take out part of the filling to reveal a crack in the tooth. He then refilled it, as the tooth didn't fall apart, and I'll have to go back to have the whole tooth refilled at a later date.
The numbness has worn off now and it's still very sensative so if it doesn't settle down over the w/e I'll be back in the chair sooner rather than later.

[Biscuit]

giraffe wrote:
Could somebody please share their interesting day with us.

well this is terribly un pc but here goes.

My bad friends (badminton club) organised a trip to a show in London "Le cage" that they said was brilliant - said yes - a day out with my friends with dinner thrown in - brilliant

then I googled the play .... wasnt really my cup of tea. Essentially it was a bunch of trans and homos dancing on stage.
but did have a lovely time because of the company of my friends. Hated the end kiss and could not undersatnd how the whole thing got a standing ovation but this probably says more about my prejudices than anything. Seemed a total waste for someone like John Barrymore who is essential pretty good looking to the opposite sex, but understand this is not his motivation.

It did make me think harder about how I judge people thought. well i am trying.

I bet everyone thinks i am a total baddie for this.

Biscuit

[Scurra]

So you didn't enjoy the show. Well, fair enough. Although I have to say that pretty much every West End musical consists of a bunch of trans and homos dancing on stage - the only real difference being that, unlike La Cage, their stories aren't supposed to be about that

[giraffe]

When Kingsley was about 11 she was in a drama group that entered a local drama competition. We weren't aware at the time that it was open age and one of the plays was about a couple of men and their relationship. It was totally unsuitable for the children to watch for many reasons, fortunately they were so bored out of their minds that by the time the men started kissing I dont think many of them were still conscious. The poor drama teacher was so embarrassed and wrote all sorts of letters of complaint to the organisers, that there had been no warning about the content of the plays. the competition was run over a whole weekend, and it would have bee very easy to schedule the children on one afternoon and the adults in another session.

[Biscuit]

It is v difficult to judge the boundaries and it is difficult because from what I have heard from my children a lot of thier arty friends/children are bi and I am not sure where I stand with that because it was much more black and white when I was their age.

this is getting too politcal though

[giraffe]

I really don't have a problem with any of it, but anything that would be given an 18 certificate by the film classification people isn't really suitable for an arts festival where primary school children are taking part. There is a time and a place for everything.