Quote Originally Posted by Alex Bragi
Well, lucy, to be absolutely honest, living down here in my layback little corner of Australia,I really do find it difficult to relate to what it was like for you.
Ah, i sense i've upset you, Alex, and believe me when i say that was the last thing i intended to do, you of all people. i wasn't criticising you. It just interested me how much things differ from one part of the world to the next.


Why are 'coloured' and 'black' such dirty words?
Neither are 'dirty' words, and black is fine as far as i know, it's coloured that seems to be a problem. i actually asked the question as to what was wrong with it of a number of black, asian and chinise acquintances, and they said that they considered it offensive to be swept up into some 'coloured' bracket. The question was perhaps best answered by a friend at my old place of work who was black, very black and when i asked him the coloured question, he smiled broadly and said, simply "Well, I'm not red, yellow, pink or blue...I'm black".

But, hey, *I* don't make the rules, i just follow 'em, and all i know that when my Gran says "I quite like that coloured gentleman who reads the news", everyone winces.

Apologies if this is off topic, but i felt i should answer your question, or at least make an attempt to.

sl