Monday, September 26, 2016


BBC accused of racism against Scots after use of the word 'Jock' in business story headline

The BBC has been accused of racism after using the term 'Jock' in a headline for a business story on its website.

The 'offensive' word was used as part of a blog post, titled 'Jock Shock', by its Scottish business editor Douglas Fraser.

And Scots took to Twitter to slam what they believe is a 'racial slur'.

SNP MP Carol Monaghan tweeted the BBC story and wrote: 'The use of "Jock" is as unacceptable as any other racist slur. @BBCScotland is this considered an appropriate headline?'

Another user said: '@bbcscotlandnews "jock"? Stick your racist language and colonial attitudes where the sun doesn't shine.'

Pam G said: '"Jock"? Care to reword that or are Scottish licence payers expected to tolerate derogatory & insulting language?'

But many find the word offensive and UK courts have convicted people for using the term in a derogatory manner.

Other people disagreed that 'Jock' was an offensive term. 

'The use of "jock" has been controversial in the past.

'Police Scotland dropped action against columnist Katie Hopkins after comments she made describing Scottish people as "sweaty little jocks" provoked a flurry of complaints.'

Derek Murray said: 'For generations, Scottish soldiers have been known as "The Jocks" in the British Army. Racist slur it is not.'

A spokesman for BBC Scotland told The Scotsman: 'The news headline that was used with an article on the Scottish economy was a play on words on the term Shock Jock.

'It was produced by our Scottish news team and we do not consider the reference to be offensive.'     

SOURCE

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

The professionally offended are outraged by an imaginary slur.

Bird of Paradise said...

P.C. Nonsense strikes again the word Jock is not offensive exscept in the minds of whining liberals

Anonymous said...

Although it is a fact that a lot of people in England still look down on the Scots, except as useful in the past to expand the British Empire (which they regarded as the English Empire). It is a significant reason why so many Scots voted for a "Scexit" from the UK and so disagreed with the majority English vote for a Brexit from the EU.

stinky said...

Jock is a proper name. What next? No more Fannies? That'd be awful!

Anonymous said...

So if the Scots don't wear anything under the kilt then where does the term jockstrap come from? Just joking. Do the English like being referred to as POHM's which is a common term for the English in Australia? Usually as whinging POHM's or Pommy bastard. It is considered a derogatory term in Australia. POHM - Prisoner of Her Majesty.

Anonymous said...

See Wiki for the origin of jock and jockstrap and they are apparently related and ultimately refer to penis.

Anonymous said...

Sorry Anon 1:14 but POM or POMMIE is usually spelt with no 'H' and does not derive from Prisoner of Her/His Majesty or of Mother England.
see http://www.snopes.com/language/acronyms/pommy.asp

Aussie bird, said...

I'm a pommy bastard. Certainly I was born in England, but I am Australian through and through, except for the footy gene. I missed out on that one.
And I avoided the frontal lobotomy too, but I don't let it show.