Should able2know ban people for having untoward opinions?

Setanta said:

To which Snood replied:


And Setanta - I'm not saying anything bad about what you said - it just reminded me of a sort of funny, although also enlightening story (as it presents cultural differences in the use of language to describe race):

I was working in a class in which about half the men were black (as I'd decribe them) Jamaicans and the other half of the men were white Brits from various places - Northern Ireland, Wales, England, Scotland.
So I introduced myself and asked everyone how they preferred to be referred to, knowing that in England, most people describe black people as 'colo(u)red' with no offense meant, and Welsh people often DON'T want to be called English, or even British - although British might be alright - you get the picture - it's easy to step on toes without meaning to.

So they asked me what I would call a black person and I said, 'Black,' because where I come from 'Colo(u)red' is considered a derogatory term.

The Jamaican guys then said, 'Yeah, we want to be called black.'
And then the white Irish guy said, 'I'm not calling you 'black'. I've never seen a black person in my life.'
And then Shabba, one of the Jamaican guys said, 'Well then you aint white - I'm calling you the 'pink bloke' from now on...'

And we all just laughed and laughed and called Mark the 'pink bloke' whenever we had to describe him - as in 'You know - the tall pink bloke with all the tattoos.'

But even in America, I was just at my mother's house and one of my former students who is a young black male came to visit and on the phone I told him to bring church clothes with him as we were taking my mother to church.
And he asked, 'What kind of church is it?' So I said, 'Baptist - you were raised Baptist - you'll fit right in..'
And he asked me, 'Any other colored people there?'
I assured him there were and he went and he was fine.
I didn't ask him at the time, but I was thinking, reading this, 'Is colored coming back into common use among the young people - you know like they say the n-word as a way of making it their own?

My point is that in different places with different people different terms are alright.
So, I make it a point to ask. It's no skin off my nose to try not to offend people.

In terms of the subject of the thread - no - I don't think people should be banned for saying what they think, as long as it's clear that it's only what they think.
If they try to smear or impugn another person by accusing them of criminal or immoral activity without grounds or factual information - that'd be the only time I think banning should take place.

Criminal or immoral activity - interesting criterion, considering the data-gathering you cite occurs primarily in a high-security prison and in a Baptist church. Kindly clarify locations involved - the prison is in the UK, the church is in the US, the black / colored persons are ....?

High Seas - What 'data gathering' ?
As usual, I have no idea what you're talking about or referring to.

I meant that if someone on this forum mounts a campaign against another forum participant in which they not only disagree with that person's mode of expression or ideas, but implies or takes it further and accuses that person of immoral or criminal activity WITHOUT actual proof or grounds, I'd view that as defamation of character and libel and behavior worthy of banning.

A person IS legally allowed to air their views, but as far as I'm aware, libel : (a. A false publication, as in writing, print, signs, or pictures, that damages a person's reputation. b. The act of presenting such material to the public-

is not legal and should not be allowed to occur on this forum- in my opinion.

And I do not work at a high security prison - it's a C category prison - out of A, B, C, or D with A being the highest security. It is in the UK. The black people there are most often called 'coloured' without offense being meant or taken. That's why I needed to ascertain that I would not be causing offense by calling them 'black' if they'd rather be called 'coloured'.

The church was in the US. The young African-American male who used the term 'colored' is American. It was a term I hadn't heard young people use before - and I was wondering if it had come into vogue among young black people in the US during the time that I've been in the UK.

Thank you. Some background data points aren't immediately obvious to your casual readers, as you'll have gathered by now

Some years ago, I was in an elevator, when a group of about 8
male blacks entered, looking to be in early 20s. One of them was very irate n enraged,
addressing the others in very aggressive denunciation of another (absent). During a period of about 2 or 3 minutes,
he near shouted & growled that n word, maybe 20 times, in reference to the alleged malefactor. The others did not object.


I have fairly decent color vision; tested OK.
The only color questions I have in mind r qua yellow n red. I 've been to Japan and to China, several times,
but I never saw any yellow people.

I lived in Arizona and California for 5 years and saw many 1000s
of Indians of different tribes, but I NEVER saw any of them being red.
Yet, Indians have been described as being "red" for centuries.

I surmise that this resulted from war paint.

Does anyone have any thawts about those colors ??????





David

Never call a redneck yellow, he's probly packin.

THAT 'S good advice.

What is your Avatar ?





David

...and that's because he's yellow.

(edit)
Okay, that was a little low. I think I have some passive-aggression for all the 'good-ole-boys' I see riding around here with their bad-ass huntin' duds and confederate flag vanity plates...

touché

Some of the first "Indians" seen by the white man had red ochre all over to protect from insect bites. They were indeed red.

When closer associations began with Asia, they needed a way of referring to them so they chose yellow to distinguish from black, white and red.

So, I suspected; (something like that).





Its untruthful; its inconsistent with known fact, like alleging that thay r 8 feet tall.

Many of them r very, very white.





David

Not sure what your point is....black people are not black...more of a brown....white people are not white.....more of a creamy brown.

They also thought there were a people that had no head and their face on their stomach. But they did refer to the white, black, red and yellow man....saying it like that makes it sound like a barbers pole with jaundice.

What's up with "cats"?

Dunno. Kinda weirds me out. You too?

No. I quite like it when I hear someone referred to as a cat. It's cool. It seems complimentary.

Oh.
I thought you meant the Broadway musical.
Never mind.

Can you expand a bit ? I'm with George..that is confusing...

Yeah, being with me can be confusing.
I get that a lot.

Thats the spirit george..keep smiling.

I am POINTing out flagrant, deviant and conspicuous mendacity, and prevarication.
Thay are NOT nor have thay ever been YELLOW.



BALONEY!

I deny that & dispute u both ways.
I 've seen complete black
and very, very white.







This is ON-topic, how ??





David