It’s othering.
When is othering ever not serious?
When the othering doesn’t result in hunger, limbs being blown off by bombs, raping and pillaging, mental illness, padeophilia etc.
What do you mean, don’t have to? You just have. You have decided that ‘Gammon’ is a racist term of abuse, even though in the context of it’s use here it’s clearly not. It’s no different than ‘snowflake’, or dare I say it ‘Quisling’, which you throw around at anyone who differs from your point of view regarding Brexit. Vidkun Quisling was white, so clearly it can’t be used to describe a “Smug cunt Remainer” who happens to be Black. So surely this is racist abuse towards white people. In your world!
The opposition did that.
Is something racist if the person who used it wasn’t using it in a racist way. Is racism defined on the person who did it, or the person offended by it?
Well you can add BAME to the list of words you cannot use any more - its officially offensive
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When I use the word “ gammon” I am thinking of the type of person who are seen as xenophobic, racist and very right wing. The sort of people who, I assume, are the total opposite of you. I don’t know why you feel the need to defend these type of people given that they are very quick to attach labels to anyone to the left of their views. I also don’t know why you feel that you should make it about Brexit. It is only about Brexit in so far as it covers the kind of opinion I have mentioned above. For those Brexiteers who hold xenophobic, racists opinions, I offer no apology in calling them a “gammon”. I could think of much stronger words to use.
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We are rapidly running out of any words that we can use without offending someone somewhere. I thought I was as safe as houses using “gammon” here, but apparently not!
The irony of someone who complained about being called “Vicky Pollard”, bemoaning the fact that they can’t use phrases that others find offensive.
Keep up, old bean.
Quislings, snowflakes etc have no connotations with a single race. Post-war, the term Quisling has been applied to loads of people that aren’t Norwegian. History is on my side on this one, thanks.
Gammon exclusively refers to white people.
According to the fragrant Ms Arcuri it was “physical and intellectual attraction”. Let’s get real here, Johnson doesn’t offer anything intellectual, she wanted influence and money and used her sexual charms to snag a man who had both. A tale as old as time! The fact that he has a reputation as a man who would shag a frog if it stopped jumping must have made it as easy as taking candy from a baby for her.
Of course, none of this matters to his fan club, if anything it will probably only increase his popularity. Never mind that he lied to the inquiry, denied the affair and thus no questions to answer. The investigation hampered by deleted evidence, destruction of e-mails and phone records from his time as Mayor. Bunged her 125 grand of taxpayers money, took her on first class ‘business trips’ around the world in his official mayoral role. Will the 125 grand be paid back? Now it is clear that he lied to the official inquiry, resulting in him being cleared of any personal involvement, does this mean, given the new information, the investigation will be re-opened? Course it won’t.
When Trump’s similar behaviour was revealed, middle aged Republicans, especially women flocked to him and his ratings soared. Same with Johnson, the Tory Party faithful knew all about his lying and his immoral past, but foisted him on the rest of us regardless. His fan base actually admire him for it, as do millions of voters in the wider public. Never mind that he couldn’t care less for the fact that he was married, that his wife was having treatment for cancer while he was shagging his latest conquest, on the sofa in the family home sometimes apparently. “Good for you mate” say the Sun, Mail and Express faithful, especially his new fans, the poor saps in the so called ‘Red Wall’, who sadly believe that he is ‘one of them’. Taxpayer bung of 125 grand to facilitate his legovers? “Fill yer boots mate”. Some find his misogyny and racism part of his charm, even more are enthralled by his laziness and dishonesty and will applaud him for getting away with it. Probably says even more about them than it does him!
Johnson hasn’t changed at all since the persona he adopted at Eton. His appearance, the bullshit, lies and boasting and cheating,a total disregard of the feelings of others, all of it. In his eyes he is still that prefect at Eton, preserved in aspic.
And we are his fags!
That might have been what she wanted but really? With Johnson? 
This is getting ridiculous, but hey-ho, what has being Norwegian got to do with it? You know as well as I do that using the word Quisling as an insult in the Brexit debate is just that, an insult. Just as Gammon is coming from the other side. Do you honestly believe that when the jibe ‘Gammon’ is used, it is because the user hates white people? As I said, ridiculous. Neither is racist, you might as well say calling someone Big Ears, or Pointy Nose is racist. I suspect you are only screaming ‘racist’ because it touches a nerve and see it as a good, politically correct way of shutting it down.
Yeah, but it’s an insult based on someone’s inexplicable preference to have their affairs governed by foreigners even if it means abrogating democratic principles.
Quisling is a very snug-fitting cap for latter day Remainers, especially the politicians who went to Brussels to try and subvert a UK democratic vote.
I’m not personally insulted by the term “gammon”, but I’ve no doubt that it is used in a racist context, even among white folk.
@Sadoldgit reckons it’s fine because they’re all xenophobes and racists.
But let’s not pretend this is anything extraordinary or new. A lot of Labour has had the same sneering attitude to the white working class for years.
I repeat. The term is exclusively used to describe white people. Have you ever seen the term used for a non-caucasian?
If not, then it’s an appelation that can only be applied to one race. If it’s only being applied to once race, you’re implicitly generalising and the moment you’re doing that, you’re discriminating.
Soggy is big and ugly enough to defend himself, but there you go again! Soggy says it’s fine because they’re “ALL xenophobes and racists”. He didn’t say anything of the sort. He said, “the type of person who are seen as xenophobic and racist”. “For those Brexiters who hold xenophobic, racist opinions”, ( and there are more than a few), “I offer no apology in calling them a gammon”. In other words, not all Brexiters are Gammons, although I think you can safely say that all Gammons are Brexiters.
You say you have no doubt that the word is used in a racist context? People knowingly use the term because they hate white skinned people? Really? I’m sorry, but I have no doubts that it just doesn’t cross their minds. It’s nonsense. It’s just a word, like Quisling, which is used in political argument because it hits the target and winds up the opponent. Makes them get red in the face and come over all Gammony! 
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I’m just going to start using “spammy fucking cunts”.
Anyone think that is racist?
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Someone will. 3 2 1 - - - - -!
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It is almost certainly spamist.
Fairly interesting take on the subject from Tanya Gold.