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The Third in Line.

Posted: Sat 10 Jan, 2009 23.45
by marksi
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7822574.stm
Prince Harry apologises for using offensive language to describe a member of his army platoon.

The News of the World said it had a video of the army lieutenant calling a colleague a "Paki" while pretending to make a phonecall to the Queen. A statement from St James Palace said he did so three years ago as a nickname about a friend and without any malice.

The prince had to apologise in 2005 for wearing a swastika armband to a party, which offended many Jewish people.

The video reportedly shows Harry while still an officer cadet at Sandhurst military academy.
It was filmed in front of other cadets at an airport departure lounge as they waited for a flight to Cyprus to go on manoeuvres. The newspaper said the prince had called the soldier "our little Paki friend".
Every now and then you think he could be related to the Duke of Edinburgh after all.

Re: The Third in Line.

Posted: Sun 11 Jan, 2009 00.08
by Nini
Charming.

Re: The Third in Line.

Posted: Sun 11 Jan, 2009 00.10
by marksi
I read the story and presumed he didn't know he was being recorded.

I've just seen it and as it turns out he was recording it himself.

Re: The Third in Line.

Posted: Sun 11 Jan, 2009 00.41
by Nini
... Hm, twat comes to mind.

Re: The Third in Line.

Posted: Sun 11 Jan, 2009 13.11
by Stuart*
Nini wrote:... Hm, twat comes to mind.
Ah, but he's said "sorry" 3 years later, so everything is alright and he is forgiven.

I presume the same response will be acceptable next time some other hapless joker is hauled before an employment tribunal or magistrates' court for using the same language?

Re: The Third in Line.

Posted: Sun 11 Jan, 2009 13.36
by Sput
Wouldn't that depend on the other guy complaining?

Re: The Third in Line.

Posted: Sun 11 Jan, 2009 13.49
by TG
I think we've found that very little depends upon the other guy complaining first nowadays.

Usually, people saying "Well I didn't see or hear it but it horrifies me anyway" and then the original victim jumping on the bandwagon and expressing their displeasure, suits!

Stupid thing for the boy to say, nevertheless...

Re: The Third in Line.

Posted: Sun 11 Jan, 2009 14.13
by wells
It always makes me laugh how papers like NOTW cover stories like this, after all the language used by Prince Harry is probably not do dissimilar from what you could expect from the average reader of that paper.

Re: The Third in Line.

Posted: Sun 11 Jan, 2009 14.44
by Stuart*
Sput wrote:Wouldn't that depend on the other guy complaining?
You would think so, wouldn't you?

However, you don't have to be on the receiving end of an alleged insult to be able to make a claim of racial/sexist/homophobic abuse against the perpetrator. Such complaints are made using legislation regarding 'indirect discrimination'.

Re: The Third in Line.

Posted: Mon 12 Jan, 2009 13.28
by Sput
nodnirG kraM wrote:Context?

"And there's our little paki friend" - not racist. "Friend". "our .. friend".
And that's why you're my Paki friend, Grindon.

Re: The Third in Line.

Posted: Mon 12 Jan, 2009 14.49
by Stuart*
It seems that arabs obviously don't mind being referred to as 'ragheads'; most of the furore seems to have steered clear of that comment. I'm eagerly awaiting Milliband slipping it into one of his foreign policy speeches since it's now acceptable.