BagOfCrisps 24 Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 LONDON (Reuters) - A man has been convicted of racially aggravated harassment after calling a Welsh woman English. Michael Forsythe was sentenced to 10 weeks in jail, suspended for 12 months, after being found guilty of racially aggravated disorderly behaviour, a court official said. Forsythe received the sentence at Welshpool Magistrates Court on Tuesday and was also ordered to pay 200 pounds in prosecution costs. The former lorry driver, who is originally from Northern Ireland, but lives in Powys, Mid Wales, called Lorna Steele an "English bitch" during an argument after he collided with her parked vehicle in the Welsh market town of Newport in February. Forsythe has attacked the prosecution as a waste of time and money, according to the Daily Mail newspaper. "I find it unbelievable that I've been prosecuted for this," he said. "I've travelled all over Europe as a lorry driver and never had any problems with anybody and now they're officially calling me a racist. "It's political correctness gone mad." Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 It is symptomatic of PC-mad britain I think. How the law is quick to slap racism on any offence. But why are some insults acceptable over others? Why is it more of an offence to call someone something that is to do with their skin colour or ethnicity than it is to call someone fat, or bald or Ginger? Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 Originally Posted By: Tubby Beaver But why are some insults acceptable over others? Why is it more of an offence to call someone something that is to do with their skin colour or ethnicity than it is to call someone fat, or bald or Ginger? AMEN to that! And why does it seem OK for one kid to call a kid slow or useless at sport, and not OK for another kid to call a kid slow or useless at Math? Why is it that parents pacing the sidelines of sporting fields barracking for thier kids are applauded for getting involved in thier kids interests, and the parent who spends the weekend helping thier child practice for a Math's competition is accused of being pushy...? hmmm...I'm a touch sensitive today! Link to post Share on other sites
2pints-mate 0 Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 But you are correct. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted December 4, 2007 Share Posted December 4, 2007 I don't know, if she's a taffy, then being called English would be a terrible insult. Link to post Share on other sites
keba 0 Posted December 4, 2007 Share Posted December 4, 2007 Imagine if he had called her a Scot!!! Public flogging? Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 4, 2007 Share Posted December 4, 2007 whats wrong wi the scots like?? Was she Welsh or English? Link to post Share on other sites
keba 0 Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 There's a great scene in "Trainspotting", TubbyBeaver... Ewen McGregor had a few words to say on that question. Does it matter if she was English or not? An insult's an insult (even if the description is appropriate - she may well have been an English bitch)... it's his intention to insult her ethnically that was the issue, not the insult itself. If she wasn't English, should he have been charged for libel? Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 "I've never had any trouble with anyone" You stop hitting parked cars and shouting "bitch" at their owners, mate. I bet it doesn't go down very well in Europe either. Link to post Share on other sites
2pints-mate 0 Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 Aren't Welsh people English, Tubby Beaver? Link to post Share on other sites
Weegeoff 0 Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 There is an old joke about a coloured gentleman complaining about racists taunts on a building site.The punch line is Mick, Mac, Paddy.Wack,leave the wog alone Link to post Share on other sites
me jane 0 Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 Originally Posted By: 2pints,mate Aren't Welsh people English, Tubby Beaver? Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 Originally Posted By: keba There's a great scene in "Trainspotting", TubbyBeaver... Ewen McGregor had a few words to say on that question. Does it matter if she was English or not? An insult's an insult (even if the description is appropriate - she may well have been an English bitch)... it's his intention to insult her ethnically that was the issue, not the insult itself. If she wasn't English, should he have been charged for libel? It only matters as I was curious as to whether she was English or Welsh. I couldn't get it from the story. It has no bearing on the point of the story, its purely for my curiousity. When they are going for a walk in country?? haha yeah Thats funny...but what do they know anyway, they're Scag Junkies!! 2pints.....erm.....no Link to post Share on other sites
aomorigum 0 Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Are you Welsh me jane? Sour point it seems! Link to post Share on other sites
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