Is this racist?

Recently at the annual ball down at the Reform Club, I remarked that something or other was 'about as much use as a Paki at a piss-up' which went down a storm except with one wet lettuce who branded me a racist.
Naturally, I damned his eyes and said he was 'tighter than a Scotsman at a funeral', which for some reason he didn't seem to mind so much. It seems you can laugh at certain folk but not at others, which is a barmy notion in my book.*

I don't consider myself racist. On the contrary, I hate every bastard.

On a brighter note, me and a couple of mates cornered Laughing Boy at the end of the night and made him eat one of Fat Barry's socks, which I reckon ought to learn him.

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*- 'Barmy Notions' by Flashman £16.99 in all good bookstores.

why don't you ask a Pakistani if he would find it racist?

Sounds like a sound plan to me.

It would be very much so if you lived in Bradford England, which is wall to wall Asians. In fact, you would be in the minority and have the crap kicked out of ya!

Not racist at all old boy but I think your overuse of the word 'sambo' did grate a little with some of the foreign dignitaries.

I made a racist remark once without knowing it at the time (thankfully, only my family heard). I was about 4 years old and we were at a Chinese restaurant, and there was a really big Buddha statue which I was enthralled with. So, I shouted out, "Look! He has big boobies!"

Also, when I was in Kindergarten, a boy told me he didn't like Jewish people, and I came home in tears. He's my friend now, but I still hold a grudge.

Pardon me but since when did noticing 'big boobies' become racist?

If that were the case call me Bernard Manning!

Also did your little friend have a small 'tasche and copy of Mein Kampf under their arm?

I dunno. The boobies thing is definately not racist. I suppose only you can tell whether or not you're racist. I tend to fall on the side that nothing is above mockery, even the all-mighty race-line.
And yes, there are double-standards when dealing with race; Just watch some black comedian's sets or listen to rap.

o.k.... speaking as a Pakistani i would find the term "Paki" offensive, much in the same way that a black person would find nigger offensive.

BUT i would consider things carefully before calling anyone racist. What I'm trying to say is one joke does not make a person racist... but you have to be sensitive about these things.

Oh and by the way... a Pakistani would be very useful at a piss-up... to drive the rest of you guys home!

I stand corrected Agneepath, and I meant no offence to you or your kin.

However, I've always found Indian folk a lot friendlier than you lot, y'know. What do you do instead of supping booze?
I can't get my head around it. Go on, have a drink! It will do you the power of good and make the opposite sex much more attractive.

Wait for Flashy though, I'll come and have one with you.

no worries... i took no offence. The world would be a nicer place if people had the ability to laugh at themselves. The drink thing is a barrier between our "cultures" and will remain a barrier.

i avoid pubs - simply because i don't like pub culture - but i often go out with my English friends to resturants where drinks are served - i usually stick to Coke (or mango juice)

besides I'm sure we have more similarities than differences (we both have great taste in Music!)

I wonder how and when 'Paki' became offensive. If you think about it, calling a Pakistani a Paki is no different to an American calling me a Brit - it's just an abreviation of the nationality. Somewhere along the line someone has injected venom into the word and made it racist.

historically speaking the term "Paki" is no where near as offensive as "nigger" but it is associated with extreme right wing / racist groups such as the National Front.

i do agree to an extent an earlier point about double standards in racial issues..

but i dont think telling a racist joke about the Scots is the same as a racist joke. why? Scots do not suffer the same amount of discriniation as other minorities in this country.

But i despise many P.C. issues esp. when it concerns National Identity / Union Jack / St. George etc We should be proud of being British / english and i do believe as a country we need to reclaim our flag from the racists like National Front / BNP

Well I dont think its racist cos people from pakistan are pakkis, but if you called an indian a pakki, thats generalising the race as a pakki, plus indians hate pakis, so that would probably wind them up, but I could get sacked in work for calling someone a pakki.

I agree with the above but one comment it was great to see so many St George's flags on cars throughout Euro 2004 (shame Beckham and his cronies cocked it up). I remember Morrisey was fond of waving the Union Flag at concerts in the early 90's and got absolutely pasted for it waving a symbol of the far-right and all that. It seems after the Golden Jubilee, winning the Rugby World cup we can claim back the flags from the bastards who claim to be British.

As for calling someone a Paki as apposed to calling someone a Brit when they are both just abbreviations 'Paki' is an unaccepted derogatory remark used for decades and seems to apply to anyone from asian descent, you can't differenciate between Indian, Bangledeshi and Pakistani people by sight (at least I can't) so its used to describe them all.

I still think people shouldn't be frightened of words but its al about self-censorship and noticing what company you are in. Spoken like a true civil servant;)