Is banana a racist word?

[Beebo]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-64365709

The family of a mixed race teen who died after being hit on his bike were given ‘banana’ as a code word to access the hospital ward.

Surely this is just clumsy? Not racist.

Discuss.

We all know monkey chants and waving bananas has a history of racist abuse at football.

 

[Deleted member 28]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-64365709

The family of a mixed race teen who died after being hit on his bike were given ‘banana’ as a code word to access the hospital ward.

Surely this is just clumsy? Not racist.

Discuss.

We all know monkey chants and waving bananas has a history of racist abuse at football.

I doubt the ward set up this code just for this kid surely?

Has no other Black person entered the ward before or has it only just been changed is what needs to be asked I suppose.

 

[Bromptonaut]

I doubt the ward set up this code just for this kid surely?

Has no other Black person entered the ward before or has it only just been changed is what needs to be asked I suppose.

I don't think it was a password for the ward but rather one given individually to the Mother. The report says it was allocated by the Police but why they should be giving out passwords for hospital visits is not made clear.

There may be some context, including the family's previous dealings with the police, that would help explain why racism was perceived by the Mother.

 

[Deleted member 28]

I don't think it was a password for the ward but rather one given individually to the Mother. The report says it was allocated by the Police but why they should be giving out passwords for hospital visits is not made clear.

There may be some context, including the family's previous dealings with the police, that would help explain why racism was perceived by the Mother.

In that case I'm sure it was completely racist and a thorough investigation will be conducted by an independent board costing thousands whereby the outcome will be at least a half dozen officers suspended on full pay for 12mths followed by 2 of them getting dismissed and the poor family receiving an 'undisclosed' sum by way of compensation.

Following this there will be marches and protests arranged and maybe even a 'small skirmish' where more members of our BAME community will find themselves upset and violated and with any luck a few statues somewhere will be pulled over and a number of 'drive by soupings' will occur.

If only the password would have been 'Apple', oh dear what if they had an Android phone...................

 

[BoldonLad]

In that case I'm sure it was completely racist and a thorough investigation will be conducted by an independent board costing thousands whereby the outcome will be at least a half dozen officers suspended on full pay for 12mths followed by 2 of them getting dismissed and the poor family receiving an 'undisclosed' sum by way of compensation.

Following this there will be marches and protests arranged and maybe even a 'small skirmish' where more members of our BAME community will find themselves upset and violated and with any luck a few statues somewhere will be pulled over and a number of 'drive by soupings' will occur.

If only the password would have been 'Apple', oh dear what if the had an Android phone...................

According to the article, the enquiry has already started.

Nothing else for it, I will have to stop eating yellow, plantain type fruit.

 

[multitool]

According to the article, the enquiry has already started.

Nothing else for it, I will have to stop eating yellow, plantain type fruit.

It's health and safety gone mad!!

 

[BoldonLad]

It's health and safety gone mad!!

Can’t have too much H & S

 

[winjim]

It reminds me of the watermelon incident. In the 60s I think watermelons were exotic and hard to come by so when a famous black celebrity (I want to say musician, Louis Armstrong maybe?) came to visit, the British diplomatic service laid on a massive spread of watermelons as a special treat. Poor black guy walks into the room and has a real WTF moment but whoever organised it really thought they were doing something cool and had absolutely no idea of the racist connotations.

 

[Deleted member 28]

It reminds me of the watermelon incident. In the 60s I think watermelons were exotic and hard to come by so when a famous black celebrity (I want to say musician, Louis Armstrong maybe?) came to visit, the British diplomatic service laid on a massive spread of watermelons as a special treat. Poor black guy walks into the room and has a real WTF moment but whoever organised it really thought they were doing something cool and had absolutely no idea of the racist connotations.

Yeah, sounds just the same.

 

[BoldonLad]

I have had some dealings with the Thames Valley Force, none of the officers I met were White. Perhaps I was just lucky?

 

[Unkraut]

Is an orange a fruit of colour?

 

[Deleted member 28]

Is an orange a fruit of colour?

It is, there might be some of an Irish persuasion offended if such a password was given to them.

We have to be careful when creating passwords you know.

 

[Hitchington]

If only the password would have been 'Apple', oh dear what if they had an Android phone...................

If only you could be funny.

 

[Deleted member 28]

If only you could be funny.

Unlike yourself who has all his friends sitting in A&E with their sides ruptured.

 

[Once a Wheeler]

It is all a question of the popular associations borne by the word:

• Reduce Briton to a four-letter abbreviation, and it is often a mark of pride.
• Reduce Pakistani to a four-letter abbreviation, and it is often a racist insult.

The intention is what counts.