Houellie,

Those charming rhymes were composed by Europeans and English people who viewed anyone a different colour as inferior. It's a tad disingenuous for you to do the "I wuz four and I had a golliwog routine". Four year-olds didn't themselves perpetuate the mindset - they were merely unwitting participants in the generational attitude and perpetuation.

I remember coming across a few of my great great grandfather's school chums who went off to the Caribbean to start plantations. Alongside their names was an inventory of People "they owned", each with the barest detail, and most of pertaining to their status as the "owned".

It's that sort of mindset that brought us the rhymes and the golliwogs and the photos of Aboriginals in chains as if they were circus animals.

It's something that the privileged races can't fathom - the offence caused - and left over from that type of treatment.

But by definition the US 'Negro-American' rapper fringe who coined 'Jigaboo' as part of their slang that denotes their street-gang membership and separateness even from the prevailing US black culture are not racists.(sic)

It is ridiculous to assert that 'Jigaboo' - US way-out fringe group black rapper on black slang - has any origin, sense or use outside of the very narrow sub-culture of the pretend or real rapper slum crims who invented it.

The 'Jigaboo' story is a sham. The motivation of the story teller (OP) can only be guessed at. It is entirely possible that s/he sought to take the mickey out of some of the PC thought police on site and succeeded. 'GF has a dog called Jigaboo' LOL, too precious, you don't say.

Dear Poirot,

I remember when we sang -
"Aussie, Aussie, born and bred
Long in the legs
Thick in the head." (or something like it -
I can't remember the exact words today).

I remember reading when - Philp Adams used to
sing, "Catholic dogs stink like frogs,"
and "Go back to your own country, you
reffos."

Words do reflect our society. However today
words like, nigga, boong, dago, wog, and
others, are considered "outmoded," and are
no longer acceptable to most people.

Still there will always be those who'll say that
if you can't cop it, and you can't take a joke,
you're humourless and politically correct.
If you complain about it and ask that it stop,
you're guilty of perpetuating the "new racism,"
whatever that is.

otb: But by definition the US 'Negro-American' rapper fringe who coined 'Jigaboo' as part of their slang that denotes their street-gang membership and separateness even from the prevailing US black culture are not racists.(sic)

The word "Jigaboo" was a dance that was done by African Americans in the early 1900's It was extremely leggy, sort of like the Charleston only more exuberant. They then called each other Jigaboo's because they did this dance. It was considered a good thing to be called. It wasn't until the 2nd. World War that it came into General use by White Americans as a universal word for Afro-Americans. It still wasn't really considered to be offensive to Afro Americans until the Korean War.

Afro American Street Gangs picked it up in the 80/90's to describe Afro American Gang Members. It became good again. If I remember it was used in the movie by the Afro American Actor, not "Shaft", his other one. The name of which eludes me.

So where is the problem.

Don't get carried away 'ol son. You, Like some people on here spend their time looking for things, where there is nothing, to be offended about. I really do feel sorry for those people, they'll probably all die of a stress induced heart attack sooner or later.

2 Points Poirot.

1. I am railing against the definition of racism as being something defined by those that are offended. I maintain that the intention of the 'offender' is relevant. If not, as expressed in that professor's article I referenced, 4 year olds should be labelled racist. For what is the difference? Someone who uses the term ape, with purely a feminist-type reference to an overly masculine or unrefined man, can be labelled racist if the recipient of the term is black OR even just takes offence to some ancestral heritage he chooses to identify with, , and this is important - with NO LIMIT to how far back in history they want to go. It also matters not

2. "It's something that the privileged races can't fathom - the offence caused - and left over from that type of treatment."

I reckon people can fathom it, and could be expected to be more sensitive, I just don't believe a lack of sensitivity = racism. Someone could choose their words in an insensitive way, ignoring the sensitivities or connotations or how their words could be interpreted, without actually being racist.

'they were merely unwitting participants in the generational attitude and perpetuation.'

It seems being unwitting is neither here nor there, as it is 'racist' if someone is offended. That is all that is required.

Houellebec: I remember the day it occurred to me I was in fact racist. In my late teens to early twenties, I recalled that for a period in my childhood, I was in fact the proud owner of a 'Golly W0g'.

I had no idea until then that I was a racist. I have carried the guilt ever since, and have tried to cleanse my soul, tried to confront my inner 4 year old about my horrible behavior back then.

Here is another example of people looking for offensive things where there are none. When that debate was on, an old Aboriginal lady was interview. She had with her, her granddaughter & a Golly W0g. She said it was a sad day when her granddaughter couldn't play with her black doll & people should leave things alone.

The Golly W0g thing was initiated by a Do Gooder, Politically Correct White femi-Nazi sicko & unfortunately the rest of the community, not wanting to be perceived as racist, went along with it. There was nothing to be ashamed about having a black, Asian, (Vietnamese/Chinese/Japanese/Indian) doll. I just bet that little Aboriginal girl misses her Golly W0g.