Use Of The Word 'Paki' To Describe Brown People

[dalsingh101]

Recently there has been controversy as the dancing partner of a celebrity Strictly Come Dancing contestant (Laila Rouass) used the word paki when referring to her(http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article6861678.ece#).

This seems to be a growing trend and some of you may be aware that even royalty have been up to it. (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/theroyalfamily/4223358/Prince-Harry-Paki-controversy-Gordon-Brown-backs-the-Prince.html)

I recall days when this word would cause serious violence which I believe led to it being less acceptable. This seems to be changing again now, and it seems to be becoming increasingly acceptable. What is strange is that the equivalent term for black people (nigger), is not used in this casual way. Imagine a half caste girl being told "she looked like a nigger" on the BBC show. In such a case the offender would clearly be removed. But using the word paki towards a brown skinned person seems to bring about a debate on whether it is offensive or not. The way in which the press use asterix so they don't even fully spell the word nigger i.e. n****r whilst fully spelling out paki is also curious.

What do you think?

Do you mind being called a paki?

How woud you react if a work colleague called you that. Even if they claimed it was a joke?

[Kaljug]

What do you think?

Do you mind being called a paki?

How woud you react if a work colleague called you that. Even if they claimed it was a joke?

I wouldn't have a problem at all ... as long as the filthy malecch didn't mind me chatkaing him.

K.

[dalsingh101]

Laila, you've set us back decades with the way you have accepted this darling!

The word is definitely making a comeback. Can we expect the old "bud bud ding-ding" 'joke' to make a unwelcome return too?

I noticed Northerners use this word like it is fashionable.

Edited October 6, 2009 by dalsingh101

[dalsingh101]

Healthy relationship...........

[dalsingh101]

Wait for it. Any minute now Jattbot and his ilk will be here defending this.....lol

[drawrof]

I don't think is acceptable at all...I see it happen alot here in Canada....It is part of that self-ingrained hate people have for their own kind...whatever 'own' kind means. I see it being used by people to put down others...who are not that different from them, but this word seems to give people a sense of empowerment because they can raise their nose up at others.

Sadly, you'll have a contingent of people out there saying 'Oh it's all in good fun' not realising that they feel they are more accepted and want to just mitigate the hurt and feeling of isolation that the word creates.

[HSD1]

Its completely acceptable as long as I can use honkey, island monkey, pinkface etc or any other word to describe them.

Having said that i dont have a problem when sikhs use it to describe muslims from pakistan, but when a white person uses it that is a completely different thing. Though they will justify with their usual garbage logic.

[SURYADEV]

Wait for it. Any minute now Jattbot and his ilk will be here defending this.....lol

Such an antaryami, Your bhagati is high indeed, dalsingh101.

I will give my opinion, as you so predicted!

What difference is in this term if it is said by a white man in jest or by Pakistani yoouth who also refer to themselves as Paki or Paki-nation.? I have worked with Paki kids in the UK and most routinely call themselves these terms. Even blacks now call themselves nigger.

So what probs do you have with this language if they are willing to accept thiese terms?

[shaheediyan]

Jattboot, a few 'street' kids hardly represent all Afro-Caribbean or Pakistani people, thats the issue.

Your thoughts are extremely stereotypical/generalising, as are those of many others on this forum as of late.

The fact is that the term Paki and Nigger are used on the large part in a derogatory context - that is enough for them to be treated as offensive words, this needs to be made clear to he public at large and people who then use them in the public space i.e. work, be dealt with accordingly.

[dalsingh101]

Thanks for proving my point Jattbot. Are you actually Sikh or some white guy trolling the site btw? Thing with people like you is that you seem to find some excuse to let white racism off the hook. Are you a coconut type? Are you one of those blokes who thinks the sun shines from white backsides?

I've worked with young kids from Pakistani backgrounds and although some do refer to themselves as pakis that doesn't justify other people calling anyone brown a paki.

Is your strategy in life to become one of those token 'pakis' that whitey will wheel out to prove their points and confirm they are not racist, as required?

Have some dignity and self respect jatta. Sambhal your pagri - don't leave it at others feet.

Edited October 7, 2009 by dalsingh101

[dalsingh101]

Also, I think communities who use such derogotary labels between themselves often start doing it to try and remove the negative power of the word.

[SURYADEV]

Also, I think communities who use such derogotary labels between themselves often start doing it to try and remove the negative power of the word.

Thats exactly my point - though not made too clear.

and its these 'street kids' who will teach their future generations their own defenition of these terms; not the meanings given by the media or any other groups of people.

[dsd108]

Anglo people have every racist word in their dictionary. Next they will be calling us Curry munchers. Punjabi sikho Punjabi parho

[shaheediyan]

"Also, I think communities who use such derogotary labels between themselves often start doing it to try and remove the negative power of the word.

Thats exactly my point - though not made too clear.

and its these 'street kids' who will teach their future generations their own defenition of these terms; not the meanings given by the media or any other groups of people."

Hopefully, trash/ghetto culture replacing articulate linguistics, will not be something we don't have to look forward to.

People who call each other these derogatory words usually have an average IQ of around 10 in my experience, and they do actually use these words in a derogatory nuance.

What next, every one accepting calling each other M*****F*****, because the street 'Einsteins' think its a term of endearment..

Please.

Edited October 7, 2009 by shaheediyan

[laalsingh]

Word 'Bhujangi' comes to mind.

[dalsingh101]

Thats exactly my point - though not made too clear.

and its these 'street kids' who will teach their future generations their own defenition of these terms; not the meanings given by the media or any other groups of people.

You are failing to recognise tht they are doing this to 'disarm' the words. Why totally igbore the intent and use of the words that they are trying to disempower? It would be better if they never had to.

[dalsingh101]

Word 'Bhujangi' comes to mind.

How does that term relate to race?

[Dharma]

dalsingh101 I share your sentiments.

Every few months some celebrity says "Paki" and then a debate follows about whether it is acceptable and misleading arguments are put forth suggesting that it is just an abbreviation like "Aussie" rather than the racial slur for all South Asians.

The p-word does seem to be somewhat acceptable. If Anton Du Beke had said to a half black woman "you look like a nigger" I'm certain that he'd have been dismissed regardless of any regret or apology he expressed afterwards. I couldn't imagine anyone saying it in the first place.

The p-word is actually more offensive than the n-word in the UK. This is because the fact that there is a lot more hatred among whites in the UK for South Asians than there is for blacks. At the time of the Prince Harry p-word scandal I noticed a black guy making the same observation. He said that the English never hated anyone more than an Asian. He stressed that the racial malice is not just among the working class, and that a good number of his knowledgable middle class friends dislike the desi community. He spoke in terms of race too, so don't assume that it's a Muslim thing. I have also noticed a lot of animus expressed towards the boxer Amir Khan. By comparison black sportsmen like Lennox Lewis are quite popular. Many racists make excuses saying that Khan is cocky and arrogant even though he is quite down to earth compared to other boxers. Asians also seem to be victims of far more racist assaults and murders by whites than blacks are. Taxi drivers are a popular target. The casual use of the p-word and the excuses made for it compared to the taboo nature of the n-word are another indicator.

Edited October 8, 2009 by Dharma

[HSD1]

Well it's really nice that some of us agree that we shouldnt tolerate the use of this word. But where do we go from here? What will you do if someone calls you a paki in the street? Come on the net and moan? Or give them a taste of their own medicine?

Of course we will now have those who say doing anything is against sikhi. We should spread love'n'shit, teach the chavs, bernard mannings and other white primitives about sikhi and live in some kind of hippy-fundamentalist-utopia. Which sounds nothing like the Khalsa Raj I was told about. What I'm trying to say is that a united voice, a united will and a united ferocity will stop any kind of racism against us. All this wishy-washyness each time the word is used or when we face racist acts will achieve nothing. Mind you I am all for thinking of words to counter the use of paki or creating a thread where we destroy their reasons for using the word.

I'll start: the word paki is not the same as using the word aussie. When you speak to someone it is clear if they are australian or not. But when white people see an arab/indian and automatically say paki then it doesnt even follow their own logic. How do they know what pakistanis look like? Do they know any or are they just brainfarting? Pakistanis are mostly punjabis and therefore come in different colours and ethnic groups just like us east punjabis.

[dalsingh101]

All the situation is HSD is that maybe, the new generation will have to learn to fight this stuff like the ones before them did. That is providing they can get off their arses and leave the Playstation/XBOXs for long enough.

If someone calls you paki, at least try and abuse them verbally back. I could suggest a few things but wont.......

[HSD1]

All the situation is HSD is that maybe, the new generation will have to learn to fight this stuff like the ones before them did. That is providing they can get off their arses and leave the Playstation/XBOXs for long enough.

If someone calls you paki, at least try and abuse them verbally back. I could suggest a few things but wont.......

Well bring it on then. Nothing like a bit of adversity and hardship to galvanize us into being better sikhs.

[dalsingh101]

Someone once told me, we are crap until sometime REALLY tries to wipe us out. Otherwise we become fat, waster, lowlife, cowardly, two faced, backstabbing, materialistic fockers. lol

Edited October 8, 2009 by dalsingh101

[HSD1]

I think thats part of it. I also think that we sikhs dont have many ways of countering others without turning up the violence to obscene levels. That's why they run rings around us in peaceful times and slap our hands for overreacting - but when they take off the gloves, we end up crushing them eventually.