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Wierd conversation at the petrol station


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Section 28 Crime and Disorder Act 1998. An offence will be racially or religiously aggravated if:

 

a) at the time of the offence (or shortly before or after), the offender demonstrates to the victim hostility based on the victim's membership (or presumed membership) of a racial or religious group.

 

So who is the victim? The hypothetical Pakistani version of himself who he said he would kill. Just because you decide to be offended by someone does not make you a victim.

 

Now before you can racially aggravate an offence, there needs to be an offence to begin with. If he was alarmed by the comment, section 5 public order 1986. "Causing harass, alarm or distress" is a criminal offence.

 

Even if the law says it's an offence to cause offence (which is absolutely pathetic to anyone with skin thicker than tissue paper), do you honestly believe the police would follow it up? They don't have the time to mess around with petty little disputes like that.

 

You're wrong, I'm right.

 

Well done you.

 

I said it was "going a bit far" to call the police, just like it would be going a bit far to call the police because you've seen someone smoking cannabis. Nobody was harmed, he was just expressing his opinion.

 

We're supposed to live in a country that respects free speech as long as no one is harmed by it. How is anyone harmed by saying "I would kill myself if I were Pakistani"? He didn't say "all Pakistanis should be killed" he said "if I were Pakistani..." - there's a difference which you obviously can't see through the politically correct haze that clouds so many people's judgements around racially motivated crime.

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I wasn't having a go, it just came across like you were supporting the promotion of racism, I didn't agree with it, I advised you how his actions were illegal.

 

I'm not going to judge you even if you do support the views of a person who we both agree is a criminal and a racist, that[s your choice.

 

As I say, I'm not here to have a go just giving my opinion.

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I know, it's just a little debate.

 

I have a pretty clear idea of what constitutes racism in my mind, which I admit may not be fully compatible with what the law states. It does sound like the Arab fellow had racist inclinations, but what's more important to me, as far as getting the police involved, is who was intentionally harmed by the specifics of what happened there, with respect for the fact that every situation is different.

 

It might sound like I support racism (which I don't, I think it stems from the most irrational parts of the human mind), but equally I don't want to live in a country where people can't say "I don't like ..." or "I think ... are ... ".

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No, sounds like the cashier was Pakistani and he made some sort of Pakistani quip to a man he thought was also Pakistani.

 

But he wasn't Pakistani, he was an Arab. He was frustrated at the fact the cashier presumed he was Pakistani because of the way he looked.

 

Case closed.

 

Spot on mate!!

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In my mind, saying that you'd kill yourself if you were a **** is racist.

 

But that's just me.

 

It must be just you then.

If hed had said all P's should be killed then id agree and it wouldnt have been in the least bit funny.

However your making the mistake so many people make and your getting offended for others.

Others i may add that dont need you to get offended for them.

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It must be just you then.

If hed had said all P's should be killed then id agree and it wouldnt have been in the least bit funny.

However your making the mistake so many people make and your getting offended for others.

Others i may add that dont need you to get offended for them.

 

You don't have to be the subject of racism to be offended by it.

 

You don't need to be a rape victim to be disgusted by rape do you.

 

Or is it fine as long as it isn't happening to you?

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