NationStates Jolt Archive

Yes, racist babies. You have to be on the lookout for them!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/education/2261307/Toddlers-who-dislike-spicy-food-racist,-say-report.html

That toddler who turns up his nose at a bit of falafel, or won't eat his curry, is a bona fide racist!

Makes me wonder about the kids who won't eat bacon, then....

I sometimes wonder if the people who are in government bureaucracies sit around smoking meth and taking LSD, and think of things like this...

It's a good thing this wasn't passed in the U.S. while I was in kindergarten. I only ate bologna and pasta :p

Yes, racist babies. You have to be on the lookout for them!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/education/2261307/Toddlers-who-dislike-spicy-food-racist,-say-report.html

That toddler who turns up his nose at a bit of falafel, or won't eat his curry, is a bona fide racist!

Makes me wonder about the kids who won't eat bacon, then....

I sometimes wonder if the people who are in government bureaucracies sit around smoking meth and taking LSD, and think of things like this...

What the fuck?!:eek:

How can a child that dislikes spicy food be racist? Racism is a conduct or sentiment learned from exposure to a racist environment. Meaning, kids do not come to this world predisposed to hate a certain ethnicity.

I don't like spicy food, does that makes me a racist?

What the fuck?!:eek:

How can a child that dislikes spicy food be racist? Racism is a conduct or sentiment learned from exposure to a racist environment. Meaning, kids do not come to this world predisposed to hate a certain ethnicity.

I don't like spicy food, does that makes me a racist?

You read it - the UK bureaucracy says you're a racist!

It's a good thing this wasn't passed in the U.S. while I was in kindergarten. I only ate bologna and pasta :p

I wonder what sort of racist won't eat strained peas, and turns their nose up at overboiled brussel sprouts?

What the fuck?!:eek:

How can a child that dislikes spicy food be racist? Racism is a conduct or sentiment learned from exposure to a racist environment. Meaning, kids do not come to this world predisposed to hate a certain ethnicity.

I don't like spicy food, does that makes me a racist?

The filthiest kind of racist, too.

My people immigrated from Spicyfoodlandia to America in the Nineteenth Century to find a better place. But everywhere, we find that the racist institutions of the Non-spicyfood agenda have corrupted America. They ridicule us for having to drink so much water to cool our tongues, call us "wasteful" and say that that water could go to saving American lives. And only recently has the problem been addressed, with so-called "mild" salsas. I spit in mild salsa!

Yes, racist babies. You have to be on the lookout for them!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/education/2261307/Toddlers-who-dislike-spicy-food-racist,-say-report.html

That toddler who turns up his nose at a bit of falafel, or won't eat his curry, is a bona fide racist!

Makes me wonder about the kids who won't eat bacon, then....

I sometimes wonder if the people who are in government bureaucracies sit around smoking meth and taking LSD, and think of things like this...

How dare anyone disparage the government for protecting you from racism! I pray for the day the government has the power to remove your children from the pit of bigotry you are bringing them up in.

Their indoctrination, their "agenda", is superior to yours.

Nurseries are encouraged to report as many incidents as possible to their local council. The guide added: "Some people think that if a large number of racist incidents are reported, this will reflect badly on the institution. In fact, the opposite is the case."


oh yes, the local council is DYING to hear that little sally called one of the other kids a poopyhead and that sammy called curry "yucky"

they have nothing better to do.

and the parents are going to be GRATEFUL to the preschool for reporting every possible incident.

i see nothing but good coming out of this idea.

So, for all of you who won't eat sushi (because it's raw fish), or kimchee (because it's too spicy), or curry (because a hot dose of it is really hot the next day coming out), does that mean you're racists?

I wonder what sort of racist won't eat strained peas, and turns their nose up at overboiled brussel sprouts?

Well, there is a little known movement called the BBSG (Brotherhood of Brussel Sprout Genocide)...

lol! That's ridiculous! I don't like any spicy food at all, never have, nor do I like savoury foods, but I've never been accused of racism!

At nursery age imo children don't even understand the concept of race, much less are able to express a negative or positive opinion thereof.

Reason 1,00,456 why I am glad I don't live in the UK.

Don't get it. I loves my sesame chicken with extra chili peppers... but I hate whitey with a passion. ;)

Reason 1,00,456 why I am glad I don't live in the UK.

Reason 21,000,000,042,295th why I'm glad Wilgrove doesn't live in the UK: the British put their thousands separators in the right spot.

Big Brother is alive and well in the UK.

Some people have too much time on their hands. And it seems that they just love getting people who have too little time to enforce the results of their cloud cuckoo land maunderings.

I rather expect the telegraph's got the wrong end of the stick and is making a big deal of what is in all probability a fairly innocuous thing.

Government wants to start educating against racism at an early age - good thing. I suspect the journalist has picked up on an example of what could be, in context, a possible sign of racist attitudes that the parents are passing on. So if a child says, "urgh that curry is dirty" it might have heard something unpleasant from its family and they might want to try to change that childs attitude if they have other clues that that child is picking up on racist values (or lack of). Not demonise little Johnny simple cos "he doesn't like it". These things are often more sensible than papers that thrive on the paranoia of the demon "political correctness gone mad"tm give credit

You read it - the UK bureaucracy says you're a racist!

OMAD! So, according to the Brits, I'm a racist because I dislike jalapeños! I didn't know! I didn't know!
*runs away, sobbing*

In other news the British Government is pathetic in it's attempt to deal with their multicultural problems.

Reason gazillion why I'm glad I don't live in the UK.

I rather expect the telegraph's got the wrong end of the stick and is making a big deal of what is in all probability a fairly innocuous thing.

Government wants to start educating against racism at an early age - good thing. I suspect the journalist has picked up on an example of what could be, in context, a possible sign of racist attitudes that the parents are passing on. So if a child says, "urgh that curry is dirty" it might have heard something unpleasant from its family and they might want to try to change that childs attitude if they have other clues that that child is picking up on racist values (or lack of). Not demonise little Johnny simple cos "he doesn't like it". These things are often more sensible than papers that thrive on the paranoia of the demon "political correctness gone mad"tm give credit

Indeed. The article harps on a lot about the government getting upset by children saying "yuck," but it sounds like the actual point of this was to pay attention to cases of children saying things like, "Ew, I won't play with darkies; they're nasty."

But hey, if we allowed that the article might be just a bit sensationalist, DK and company couldn't have the fun of their Daily Rant About How Muslims Are Destroying The World By Forcing Us All To Be "Politically Correct" (Oh Noes Anything But That), and how would NSG survive without those? :rolleyes:

Indeed. The article harps on a lot about the government getting upset by children saying "yuck," but it sounds like the actual point of this was to pay attention to cases of children saying things like, "Ew, I won't play with darkies; they're nasty."

But hey, if we allowed that the article might be just a bit sensationalist, DK and company couldn't have the fun of their Daily Rant About How Muslims Are Destroying The World By Forcing Us All To Be "Politically Correct" (Oh Noes Anything But That), and how would NSG survive without those? :rolleyes:
If someone doesn't want to play with someone of another race, why would you force them to? It's not like they are harming the person of the other race by not playing with them.

Also, if these small children want to keep to people like themselves at that young age, wouldn't that prove that "racial discrimination*" is natural?

*I mean in the sense of discriminating with whom you wish to associate with, whether by race, relion, look, hair color, ect whatever....

Wow... bureaucracy for the sack of bureaucracy. Yes stopping prejudice behaviour at a young age is good, but what does it have to do with a young child calling different types of food "yucky"? I mean, I hate poutine, does that make me racist/prejudice against Quebecers?

Wow... bureaucracy for the sack of bureaucracy. Yes stopping prejudice behaviour at a young age is good, but what does it have to do with a young child calling different types of food "yucky"? I mean, I hate poutine, does that make me racist/prejudice against Quebecers?

Obviously.

Reason 21,000,000,042,295th why I'm glad Wilgrove doesn't live in the UK: the British put their thousands separators in the right spot.

But at least he didn't mix his cardinal and ordinal numbers

(If you wish to jump on someone for an error, make sure you don't make a bigger one, mate.)

As is usually the case in human affairs, the truth lies somewhere between the polemic on the left, and the polemic on the right.

But hey, if we allowed that the article might be just a bit sensationalist, DK and company couldn't have the fun of their Daily Rant About How Muslims Are Destroying The World By Forcing Us All To Be "Politically Correct" (Oh Noes Anything But That), and how would NSG survive without those?
To be fair, in this thread it's been more about UK-bashing than muslim-bashing. It's become pretty well-established... there are plenty of regular posters on NSG who'll jump at the slightest opportunity to have a dig at the UK or Europe in general, and just as many who'll use any excuse to bash the US. Each side is as puerile as the other.

This article doesn't report any kind of official government stance, but simply relates some of the content produced by an agency that receives some of its annual funding from the government. The closest it gets to suggesting that there is anything 'racist' in a (pre-school) child not liking spicy food -- other than its title -- is the comment that they might"react negatively to a culinary tradition other than their own by saying 'yuk'". What's that? A small child expressing distaste at something they're not used to? Say it ain't so!

If that's the most newsworthy comment they can find in a 366-page guide book I just can't see myself getting worked up over it. Must have been a much slower news day than I realised.

This makes perfect sense to me.

considering how awful disgusting birtish food is...its obvious they need to be educated to eat foreing food from a very young age.

So, I trust we can expect the UK federal government and its regional assemblies of various nomenclatures to descend upon Chinese restaurants. After all, the Chinese are obviously being racist by implying that "European food" only consists of chips and gravy, or steak and peas. I can't ever remember seeing foie gras, beef burguinon, ratatouille or baklavas listed under the "European food" section of the menu at any Chinese takeaway or restaurant.

Feed some European dishes to their offspring, if they refuse it then you have all the evidence you need.

This makes perfect sense to me.

considering how awful disgusting birtish food is...its obvious they need to be educated to eat foreing food from a very young age.

This person has been so badly affected by British sausages and Yorkshire pudding that he has lost the will to spell.

I think a fund should be instituted immediately to assist with the airlift of decent food from France and Italy into the UK. Donations to Gordon Brown in a brown envelope.

Yes, racist babies. You have to be on the lookout for them!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/education/2261307/Toddlers-who-dislike-spicy-food-racist,-say-report.html

That toddler who turns up his nose at a bit of falafel, or won't eat his curry, is a bona fide racist!


The article clearly said no such thing...


... but don't let that stop you, I suppose.

ridiculous

This makes perfect sense to me.

considering how awful disgusting birtish food is...its obvious they need to be educated to eat foreing food from a very young age.

This coming from a member of a nation that just gave birth to a thread celebrating the cherished culinary movement known as hot dogs.

What the fuck?!:eek:

How can a child that dislikes spicy food be racist? Racism is a conduct or sentiment learned from exposure to a racist environment. Meaning, kids do not come to this world predisposed to hate a certain ethnicity.

I don't like spicy food, does that makes me a racist?

Of course. After all, Spaniards and Mexicans are the same thing, right? How dare you not like serranos and habaneros in your food!Yes, of course I realize how stupid that is.

And of course as a non-racist you of course like KFC, dolmas, curries, mata paneer, fra diavolo sauce....

This coming from a member of a nation that just gave birth to a thread celebrating the cherished culinary movement known as hot dogs.

You have no idea were I come from. Thats quite obvious. :rolleyes:

I'm pretty sure that's not what the article is saying: rather, it seems it's trying to teach children to not insult other people over cultural differences, like the food a culture group may eat, or the color of one's skin.

Reason 1,00,456 why I am glad I don't live in the UK.
Psst. Wilgrove. You counted the gun control issue twice.;)

I'm pretty sure that's not what the article is saying: rather, it seems it's trying to teach children to not insult other people over cultural differences, like the food a culture group may eat, or the color of one's skin.

Toddlers who dislike spicy food 'racist'
By Rosa Prince, Political Correspondent
Last Updated: 10:15AM BST 07/07/2008
Toddlers who turn their noses up at spicy food from overseas could be branded racists by a Government-sponsored agency.

The National Children's Bureau, which receives £12 million a year, mainly from Government funded organisations, has issued guidance to play leaders and nursery teachers advising them to be alert for racist incidents among youngsters in their care.

This could include a child of as young as three who says "yuk" in response to being served unfamiliar foreign food.

That is what it says in part.

Try to smell a plate of haggis with out insulting someone... thats tolerance. :gundge:

You have no idea were I come from. Thats quite obvious. :rolleyes:

Don't assume that Sirmomo will let reality get in the way of his posts. It's not to his convienence.

Try to smell a plate of haggis with out insulting someone... thats tolerance. :gundge:

I actually like haggis, thankyouverymuch...

The article clearly said no such thing...


... but don't let that stop you, I suppose.
It actually did.
The National Children's Bureau, which receives £12 million a year, mainly from Government funded organisations, has issued guidance to play leaders and nursery teachers advising them to be alert for racist incidents among youngsters in their care.

This could include a child of as young as three who says "yuk" in response to being served unfamiliar foreign food.

The guidance by the NCB is designed to draw attention to potentially-racist attitudes in youngsters from a young age.

It alerts playgroup leaders that even babies can not be ignored in the drive to root out prejudice as they can "recognise different people in their lives".

The 366-page guide for staff in charge of pre-school children, called Young Children and Racial Justice, warns: "Racist incidents among children in early years settings tend to be around name-calling, casual thoughtless comments and peer group relationships."

It advises nursery teachers to be on the alert for childish abuse such as: "blackie", "Pakis", "those people" or "they smell".

The guide goes on to warn that children might also "react negatively to a culinary tradition other than their own by saying 'yuk'".

Curry in the form of chicken tikka massala is the Britain's national dish - there are more curry houses than there are fish and chip shops. So you could hardly call curry foreign food (that would be more McDonalds to which I do say yuk). So I suspect what the NCB is clumsily saying is that the children must have been brought up to hate anything associated with ethnic minorities by their parents to have this reaction. It is still a stupid thing to say but the Torygraph tends to have a pretty xenophobic readership - think The Blessed Chris.

So, for all of you who won't eat (...) kimchee

I won't eat you, I promise.

I won't eat you, I promise.
Lame.

Lame.

I'll wait for someone that doesn't tend to agree with HW on everything to make a judgment, kthxbai.

I;'ve always refused to eat spinach and broccoli sicne I was young. Please counsel me to get over my obvious anti-martian bigotry. >_>

It actually did.

You missed the term "bona fide racist" in the OP, right?

I am just in awe, really.

You missed the term "bona fide racist" in the OP, right?

Geez, Gravlen, are you suggesting that "Even something as innocuous as a child saying, 'yuck' at the sight of foreign food might possibly be an example of a racist incident in some cases, and may be worth looking into" isn't exactly the same thing as "Any child who dislikes even one foreign food should immediately be declared a racist"? There you go with that nasty "rationality" and "common sense" of yours again...

Well, government officials have to look like they're working too, right? So they come up with useless shit to make it look like they actually did something :rolleyes:

Of course. After all, Spaniards and Mexicans are the same thing, right? How dare you not like serranos and habaneros in your food!Yes, of course I realize how stupid that is.

And of course as a non-racist you of course like KFC, dolmas, curries, mata paneer, fra diavolo sauce....

I like curries and mata paneer. If by KFC you mean Kenntucky Fried Chicken why yes, I like it. I like it even if it gives me the runs.:p

I like curries and mata paneer. If by KFC you mean Kenntucky Fried Chicken why yes, I like it. I like it even if it gives me the runs.:p
O_o

O_o

Wut? <_<

What if its true that someone else smells? What if they say the are a paki? i knew kids at school who calleds themselves wogs. Is the toddler still a rascist

You read it - the UK bureaucracy says you're a racist!
No it doesn't. The NCB, who are a woolly 'think tank' do.

I sometimes wonder how educated people in this reasonably enlightened age can remain so bigoted, then I see willfully misrepresented information compounded by people who think they've some point to make and I realise that racism is simply an entrenched view that lies beneath rational thought for some people.

That view must be ingrained at an early age, a sense of racial superiority given validity each time someone tut-tuts at news stories involving race, comments about 'foreign food' and, in many cases, far worse.

One would think that an educated mind would take pride in overcoming primitive thoughts but, alas, it so often seems the opposite.

PC gone overboard.

If I want to say that British roasted eel sucks, they shall not stop me from saying so. And since I am in the U.S. they certainly can do nothing.

I sometimes wonder how educated people in this reasonably enlightened age can remain so bigoted, then I see willfully misrepresented information compounded by people who think they've some point to make and I realise that racism is simply an entrenched view that lies beneath rational thought for some people.

That view must be ingrained at an early age, a sense of racial superiority given validity each time someone tut-tuts at news stories involving race, comments about 'foreign food' and, in many cases, far worse.

One would think that an educated mind would take pride in overcoming primitive thoughts but, alas, it so often seems the opposite.
Sarcasm? I can't tell.

The first time I saw a black person, and I mean a properly black person with little or no white in them, I pointed and shouted to get the attention of my mother.

Racist? Well I suppose so, but not intentionally.

The first time I saw a black person, and I mean a properly black person with little or no white in them, I pointed and shouted to get the attention of my mother.

Racist? Well I suppose so, but not intentionally.

Indeed - the difference depends on whether you mother grabbed your hand, shouted 'Darkies, run!!!' and sped off down the street to warn the local gang or whether she told you it was rude to point and shout at people.

That's all that's happening here, it's in the reaction not the action.

Sarcasm? I can't tell.

Can't say I'm surprised, I wouldn't expect you to.

It's the Telegraph....

It can't be trusted... Especially when it comes to this stuff...

Can't say I'm surprised, I wouldn't expect you to.
:rolleyes:

:rolleyes:

It was a cheap shot :)

It wasn't sarcasm.

I grew up in the whitest part of the midwestern US. The only non-white people I ever saw were on the TV when they interviewed sports players during the news. I suppose I was racist when I was little because non-whites were different, and different was automatically bad. Big deal. I was a kid then. Now I'm no longer a kid, and I know that it's actions that count over appearances. Now I hate all of humanity equally. ;)

I grew up in the whitest part of the midwestern US. The only non-white people I ever saw were on the TV when they interviewed sports players during the news. I suppose I was racist when I was little because non-whites were different, and different was automatically bad. Big deal. I was a kid then. Now I'm no longer a kid, and I know that it's actions that count over appearances. Now I hate all of humanity equally. ;)
*Hates Lord Tothe* ;)

*Hates Lord Tothe* ;)

*brandishes pitchfork and torch, spews obsceneties and racial epithets*

It actually did.

No it didn't. It is much more nuanced than the cut and dry interpretation of HW.

The guide is clearly saying that carers should be aware that such incidents maybe indication of proto-racist sympathies. Not that the child is automatically a bona fide racist because they don't like curry.

The idea maybe stupid, but trusting the rhetoric of a reactionary article and HW is not much better.

Indeed - the difference depends on whether you mother grabbed your hand, shouted 'Darkies, run!!!' and sped off down the street to warn the local gang or whether she told you it was rude to point and shout at people.

That's all that's happening here, it's in the reaction not the action.

Children do tend to soak up views uncritically, no matter how contrary they are to their (limited) experience.

If you allow me to give some anecdotal evidence.

My neighbour has a little girl how recently started nursery. She's a bright and sociable child so enjoyed it. However one day when she was with a group of children she said "mummy, I can't play with that boy, he's black." The mother, being respectable middle class, white and liberal, was (rightly) shocked. However she pointed out that "But sweetie, your cousins are black and you play with them." She seemed to accept this and no more was made of it. I find it a funny story for a number of reasons.

The child was of course, not being "racist" in any true sense. But just parroting what (presumable) another child from nursery said. It wasn't something she "believed," she was just told it, and being a child just accepted it.

I read the article in this light. Staff are being advised to be mindful of attitudes such as this and to intervene before they develope. Nipping them in the bud, as it were.

This hysteria that accompanies any group saying "I say chaps, how about we be nice to those foreign fellows and tell our children to treat them as nothing other than human" is getting rather tiring I must say.

NIce to see that taxpayers money are being put to good use.

Really do these wankers who work for the government, and really that is the only people who work in government departments are really being used effectively I know where the government can make savings making those glorified dole bludgers just dole bludgers.

I cannot believe that this has actually being proposed and that people are putting serious time, effort and money into this, maybe the child just doesn't like spice and would prefer to have fish and chips.

NIce to see that taxpayers money are being put to good use.

I'm not sure the NCB recieves enough taxpayer money for that arguement to work.

That aside, they are simply publishing this book.

I'll agree that there are many cases where tax money is horribly mismanaged, I can even run of the ones that really get my goat if you want. However, you would be really hard pressed to make a private charity that receives a little public money who are publishing a book one of those cases

Really do these wankers who work for the government, and really that is the only people who work in government departments are really being used effectively I know where the government can make savings making those glorified dole bludgers just dole bludgers.

It is a charity.

I'm not sure what else can be said.

I cannot believe that this has actually being proposed and that people are putting serious time, effort and money into this, maybe the child just doesn't like spice and would prefer to have fish and chips.

Maybe that is the case, I'm sure staff are asked to bear that in mind. It is just as well the report makes no such claim.

This really isn't heralding in a dystopian future where our white anglo-saxon children are going to be force fed spices and lentils morning, noon and night.

Curry in the form of chicken tikka massala is the Britain's national dish - there are more curry houses than there are fish and chip shops. So you could hardly call curry foreign food (that would be more McDonalds to which I do say yuk).

Well actually tikka massala was invented in Britain. As for calling McDonalds yuk you are a racist prig, but as it is the Americans you are racist against I suppose that is all right because it is in vogue at the moment.

The article also said calling someone smells is racist, I want to know how there was a guy at school who smelled bad he was of the same race as me, saying that he smelled must have made me a racist.

So I suspect what the NCB is clumsily saying is that the children must have been brought up to hate anything associated with ethnic minorities by their parents to have this reaction. It is still a stupid thing to say but the Torygraph tends to have a pretty xenophobic readership

:rolleyes:

I'm not sure the NCB recieves enough taxpayer money for that arguement to work.

That aside, they are simply publishing this book.

I'll agree that there are many cases where tax money is horribly mismanaged, I can even run of the ones that really get my goat if you want. However, you would be really hard pressed to make a private charity that receives a little public money who are publishing a book one of those cases

I never siad it was an argument, it was a statement and I am sure we can find good use for 12 million pounds. So they didn't wrtie it then they just published it? Then who wrote the book?

It is a charity.

I'm not sure what else can be said.

So the NCB is just a charity and not linked to the government? Fair enough.

Maybe that is the case, I'm sure staff are asked to bear that in mind. It is just as well the report makes no such claim.

This really isn't heralding in a dystopian future where our white anglo-saxon children are going to be force fed spices and lentils morning, noon and night.

Did I say they would be? Well actually the report does make the claim that child careers are asked to stamp on this racist atitude if their child says yuck to foriegn food.

I never siad it was an argument, it was a statement and I am sure we can find good use for 12 million pounds. So they didn't wrtie it then they just published it? Then who wrote the book?

Oh, I don't doubt we can. However £12 mill pales in comparison to the £12BILL+ eaten up by a single IT project (Connecting for Health) £7bill+ for a glorified sports day (2012 Olympics) and more. I'd hazard a guess the £12 million would be dwarved by the waste in a few government departements.

I may have jumped the gun on what you were saying. For that I apologise. But from my perspective it looked as if you were going to try and make it a government waste issue.

Jane Lane wrote the book. Ms Lane seems to come from a racial equality background who has more recently moved into the child care arena with a view to show how racism and bigotry can be fostered in the young with disasterous results 9. With that in mind, it becomes obvious where she comes from.

So the NCB is just a charity and not linked to the government? Fair enough.

To the best of my knowledge, yes. Though it can get a bit convoluted I think.

Did I say they would be? Well actually the report does make the claim that child careers are asked to stamp on this racist atitude if their child says yuck to foriegn food.

As I said before. The claim is more nuanced then that, with plenty of conditionals. Children turning their nose up to "foreign" food maybe doing so due to racist reinforcement at home rather then because of a genuine dislike for it. It does of course work the other way around which hopefully the report also says. However, I'm not sure if anyone here will buy and read it.

Simply, all the report is saying is that staff should be aware of proto-racist attitudes amongst the very young and teach them out of it. Presumably the food thing was simply one on a list that may have gone:
[list] Ostracising ethnic minorities
Refusing to eat foreign food because it is foreign
Usuing racially loaded language.

I agree that these are important signs that should not nessacerily[sic] be allowed to go unchallenged. Though it should be done sensibly. Children learn through imitation to a certain extent. Especially when it comes to language and behaviour. It makes sense to watch their language and behaviour.

Presumably the Telegraph saw whatever theoretical list there was and, because they have been going increasingly downmarket and more hysterical in recent years, removed the food one from its context and made it sound like an absolute.

I would say it is sloppy journalism, but the journalist or editor clearly knew what they were doing.

EDIT: It is interesting to compare to an article on the same subject in the Mail

[url]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1032650/Children-young-reported-racism-Government-funded-group-claims.html (http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2007/dec/04/comment.race=link[/url)

Though they are both pretty bad , it is interesting that the Daily Mail article is in fact fairer. Even if the agenda is just as obvious.

It would also be interesting to see if we could piece together the original press release though the similarities in the articles.

"Racist" is such a vogue term right now.

Oh, I don't doubt we can. However £12 mill pales in comparison to the £12BILL+ eaten up by a single IT project (Connecting for Health) £7bill+ for a glorified sports day (2012 Olympics) and more. I'd hazard a guess the £12 million would be dwarved by the waste in a few government departements.

I may have jumped the gun on what you were saying. For that I apologise. But from my perspective it looked as if you were going to try and make it a government waste issue.

Jane Lane wrote the book. Ms Lane seems to come from a racial equality background who has more recently moved into the child care arena with a view to show how racism and bigotry can be fostered in the young with disasterous results 9. With that in mind, it becomes obvious where she comes from.

So did Jane Lang do it off her own back or was she hired by the NCB to write up this report.

As I said before. The claim is more nuanced then that, with plenty of conditionals. Children turning their nose up to "foreign" food maybe doing so due to racist reinforcement at home rather then because of a genuine dislike for it. It does of course work the other way around which hopefully the report also says. However, I'm not sure if anyone here will buy and read it.

Simply, all the report is saying is that staff should be aware of proto-racist attitudes amongst the very young and teach them out of it. Presumably the food thing was simply one on a list that may have gone:
[list] Ostracising ethnic minorities
Refusing to eat foreign food because it is foreign
Usuing racially loaded language.

I agree that these are important signs that should not nessacerily[sic] be allowed to go unchallenged. Though it should be done sensibly. Children learn through imitation to a certain extent. Especially when it comes to language and behaviour. It makes sense to watch their language and behaviour.

Presumably the Telegraph saw whatever theoretical list there was and, because they have been going increasingly downmarket and more hysterical in recent years, removed the food one from its context and made it sound like an absolute.

I would say it is sloppy journalism, but the journalist or editor clearly knew what they were doing.

Considering it is just an advisory group and not the governments stance, and it seems as if the NCB is coming out with these notions rather than saying this is how something is to be it is easier to dismiss and hope that the government doesn't make it policy.

EDIT: It is interesting to compare to an article on the same subject in the Mail

[url]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1032650/Children-young-reported-racism-Government-funded-group-claims.html (http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2007/dec/04/comment.race=link[/url)

Though they are both pretty bad , it is interesting that the Daily Mail article is in fact fairer. Even if the agenda is just as obvious.

It would also be interesting to see if we could piece together the original press release though the similarities in the articles.

Well most people when releasing a press statement make it available on the net so we can read it. While the Daily mail did seem fairer I wonder if it is true the statement in the article "The guidance said that anyone who disagrees is racist themselves" is true, but as they didn't put it in quotation marks (an important distinction to remember) it may not be what they have said exactly maybe more of a case of implied or even just made up.

Policy groups write reports with wacky ideas in all the time. Very few make it into a green paper let alone a white paper, so the chances of this ever becoming part of government policy are close to zero. Still you would have thought that it would be clear to anyone writing the report that any sensible person is going to see this is daft.

Toddlers who dislike spicy food 'racist'


Toddlers who turn their noses up at spicy food from overseas could be branded racists by a Government-sponsored agency.

The National Children's Bureau, which receives £12 million a year, mainly from Government funded organisations, has issued guidance to play leaders and nursery teachers advising them to be alert for racist incidents among youngsters in their care.
This could include a child of as young as three who says "yuk" in response to being served unfamiliar foreign food.
The guidance by the NCB is designed to draw attention to potentially-racist attitudes in youngsters from a young age.

It alerts playgroup leaders that even babies can not be ignored in the drive to root out prejudice as they can "recognise different people in their lives".
The 366-page guide for staff in charge of pre-school children, called Young Children and Racial Justice, warns: "Racist incidents among children in early years settings tend to be around name-calling, casual thoughtless comments and peer group relationships."
It advises nursery teachers to be on the alert for childish abuse such as: "blackie", "Pakis", "those people" or "they smell".
The guide goes on to warn that children might also "react negatively to a culinary tradition other than their own by saying 'yuk'".
Staff are told: "No racist incident should be ignored. When there is a clear racist incident, it is necessary to be specific in condemning the action."
Warning that failing to pick children up on their racist attitudes could instil prejudice, the NCB adds that if children "reveal negative attitudes, the lack of censure may indicate to the child that there is nothing unacceptable about such attitudes".
Nurseries are encouraged to report as many incidents as possible to their local council. The guide added: "Some people think that if a large number of racist incidents are reported, this will reflect badly on the institution. In fact, the opposite is the case."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/education/2261307/Toddlers-who-dislike-spicy-food-racist,-say-report.html

...This is so retarded its hard to believe :( Clear brain washing of our youth, i really cannot believe that the government now claims that if you don't like foreign foods your a racist and that the government will now brainwash our children into doing what they want....

I think someone must have made a change to the Matrix, cos I just got a major deja vu reading this topic :p

Been done.

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=560181

I think someone must have made a change to the Matrix, cos I just got a major deja vu reading this topic :p

Excellent, clearly this is a sign that I am corrupting the matrix?
... Its not like
anyone needs it any way >:(

Been done.

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=560181

Ooh my bad...

The National Children's Bureau is now on my list of retarded organisations.

The National Children's Bureau is now on my list of retarded organisations.

A long with the UK 'gov in general?

Ooh a merger, I'm so special :cool:

You read it - the UK bureaucracy says you're a racist!
Oh look, Hotwife simplifying an issue to make it appear more divisive than it is.

How novel.

One small think-tank, partly funded by the government, says that a child rejecting spicy food could be a sign that they have been indoctrinated with racist ideas.

But let's not tell the truth here.

Much better to say that the UK government is calling all children who dislike spicy food 'racist'.

Stop generalising.
Stop polarising.
Stop distorting.
Stop lying.
Start debating.

The National Children's Bureau is now on my list of retarded organisations.

Ditto.

Don't assume that Sirmomo will let reality get in the way of his posts.

Evidently not an offence that could be said to be confined to him alone. Nowhere in the article does it say that NCB report considers rejecting the food racism. That conclusion is reached by the Telegraph, which it then justifies by selective quoting.....

It advises nursery teachers to be on the alert for childish abuse such as: "blackie", "Pakis", "those people" or "they smell".

The guide goes on to warn that children might also "react negatively to a culinary tradition other than their own by saying 'yuk'".

Staff are told: "No racist incident should be ignored. When there is a clear racist incident, it is necessary to be specific in condemning the action."

The third paragraph, though after the "yuk" remark, is not related to it, nor does the quote refer back to it. However its placed in such a manner as to give that implication. Its fairly typical of the Telegraph.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/education/2261307/Toddlers-who-dislike-spicy-food-racist,-say-report.html

...This is so retarded its hard to believe :( Clear brain washing of our youth, i really cannot believe that the government now claims that if you don't like foreign foods your a racist and that the government will now brainwash our children into doing what they want....

Wait, what brainwashing? Even if the allegations in the highly dubious article were true, there's not support for "brainwashing." Or space aliens for that matter.

I prefer extreme political correctness to crude bigotry any day, if anything being a bit more rigorous with social standards keeps everyone in line and intolerant malcontents out of the mainstream.

Ditto.

I'd suggest rereading the article.....

I find curry too spicy, arrest me!

From ze Beeb.....

The 336-page guide said staff should investigate the reasons behind apparent racial prejudice.

Name-calling

It said: "A child may react negatively to a culinary tradition other than their own by saying, 'Yuck!"'.

That may indicate a lack of familiarity with that particular food, or "more seriously a reaction to a food associated with people from a particular ethnic or cultural community".
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7493654.stm

So no one is saying that rejection of the food is automatically a racist thing...
'yuk'
'whats wrong?'
'I don't like the taste of this'
....case closed. Should they say its 'because its "Paki" food' or some such, then there you go...

Given the amount of vindaloo the Brits eat, I dount if its going to come up....

I'd suggest rereading the article.....

I read the article, sweetie.;)

Has the Telegraph become surprisingly tabloid overnight? :confused:

I used to consider them a credible source, but recently there's been several misrepresented stories like this one...

Geez, Gravlen, are you suggesting that "Even something as innocuous as a child saying, 'yuck' at the sight of foreign food might possibly be an example of a racist incident in some cases, and may be worth looking into" isn't exactly the same thing as "Any child who dislikes even one foreign food should immediately be declared a racist"? There you go with that nasty "rationality" and "common sense" of yours again...

I've been following the programs and I've been doing the exercises, but I just can't seem to shake it...

What the fuck?!:eek:

How can a child that dislikes spicy food be racist? Racism is a conduct or sentiment learned from exposure to a racist environment. Meaning, kids do not come to this world predisposed to hate a certain ethnicity.

I don't like spicy food, does that makes me a racist?

This makes no sense. I am a racist and I love spicy food. There is no corellation.

And now for today's word of the day: "Niggardly"

–adjective
1. reluctant to give or spend; stingy; miserly.
2. meanly or ungenerously small or scanty: a niggardly tip to a waiter.

–adverb
3. in the manner of a niggard.

This makes no sense. I am a racist and I love spicy food. There is no corellation.

I mean, I´m not too fond of spicy food (except curry, I really like it) and I don´t think I´m racist. This article makes no sense, true. Liking spicy food or not dictating if one is a racist or not is just plain stupid.

For once, I'm happy too say USA!USA!USA!USA!