Racist Comments on bus

bobbyss

On an afternoon coach recently, there were a few people making crude, racist jokes. Quite audible. My blood was boiling. Boiling I can tell you. I did nothing. I didn't inform the driver who would not have heard the remarks/jokes as they were down at the back of the bus.

I felt like going down the aisle and taking a picture (if I was certain I could identify them) and telling them that unless they stop I would send picture to Gardai. Perhaps I should have?

Have you had similar experience? How did you manage it?

what the hell!

Well unless they were directing the jokes at a person on the bus they weren’t doing anything wrong. Idiots but unfortunately it’s not illegal to be an idiot.

Really Interested

what the hell! wrote: »

Well unless they were directing the jokes at a person on the bus they weren’t doing anything wrong. Idiots but unfortunately it’s not illegal to be an idiot.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1989/act/19/section/2/enacted/en/html#sec2

“It shall be an offence....

to use words,


if the written material, words, behaviour, visual images or sounds, as the case may be, are threatening, abusive or insulting and are intended or, having regard to all the circumstances, are likely to stir up hatred“

Gatling

Really Interested wrote: »

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1989/act/19/section/2/enacted/en/html#sec2

“It shall be an offence....

to use words,


if the written material, words, behaviour, visual images or sounds, as the case may be, are threatening, abusive or insulting and are intended or, having regard to all the circumstances, are likely to stir up hatred“

But in all honesty are the Gardai going to chasing after someone for telling a joke or two especially if the people involved weren't directing it at anyone on the bus .

Really Interested

Gatling wrote: »

But in all honesty are the Gardai going to chasing after someone for telling a joke or two especially if the people involved weren't directing it at anyone on the bus .

Well AGS doing their job is another question. But a complaint may lead to a prosecution there have been 5 prosecutions I believe.

splinter65

Really Interested wrote: »

Well AGS doing their job is another question. But a complaint may lead to a prosecution there have been 5 prosecutions I believe.

Were they verbally abusing another passenger or not?
Sorry, I confused you with the OP.

NinetyTwoTeam

You were going to take a picture of them to bring into the gardai and say they made a racist joke? I think you vastly overestimate the extent to which they will give a toss, you'd only be making a fool of yourself.

Pretty much the only time you see the 'threatening or abusive behavior law being successfully prosecuted is when it's someone calling the gardai something.

splinter65

bobbyss wrote: »

On an afternoon coach recently, there were a few people making crude, racist jokes. Quite audible. My blood was boiling. Boiling I can tell you. I did nothing. I didn't inform the driver who would not have heard the remarks/jokes as they were down at the back of the bus.

I felt like going down the aisle and taking a picture (if I was certain I could identify them) and telling them that unless they stop I would send picture to Gardai. Perhaps I should have?

Have you had similar experience? How did you manage it?

We’re they verbally abusing another passenger?

Really Interested

splinter65 wrote: »

Were they verbally abusing another passenger or not?

“if the written material, words, behaviour, visual images or sounds, as the case may be, are threatening, abusive or insulting and are intended or, having regard to all the circumstances, are likely to stir up hatred“”

Once the words are insulting and are likely to stir up hatred then an offence. So once a passenger is of the opinion that the words are insulting and the words stir up hatred then the person may be guilty. Read the act. No need to abuse another person.

Tenigate

It's hardly a legal issue that you have thin skin.

Really Interested

Tenigate wrote: »

It's hardly a legal issue that you have thin skin.

While I disagree with hate crimes in Ireland a person may find themselves to be guilty of a crime for insulting people and hating others.

Sleeper12

Whilst I don't condone their behaviour I can only imagine the judges reaction when told these guys are in front of him for telling jokes in bad taste

If I saw anyone being racist or abusive to a person I'd step up. If anyone tries telling me racist jokes in the put I just politely tell them I don't want to hear it. A few guys telling racist jokes on a bus I'd most likely just ignore.

the_syco

bobbyss wrote: »

I felt like going down the aisle and taking a picture (if I was certain I could identify them) and telling them that unless they stop I would send picture to Gardai. Perhaps I should have?

Unless you were a LOT bigger than them, you'd probably be minus one phone and maybe a few teeth if you did that. Only people who fear the law will follow the law.

splinter65

I’m thinking of all the conversations I overheard on public transport over the years the content of which offended me or was offensive to me in some way or other.
And I’m wondering when did adults actually start considering that the Gardai should arrest people because some ear wigger didn’t like what they overheard.
Crazy crazy stuff.

Manach

Given the wide variety of discussion topics that might cause a person to feel subjectively lead to "hate" then this can practically become unenforcable in a stable society. That said, the UK police are using similar laws to clamp down any discussion (on or offline) which might be considered as such leading to such feelings, with insanities as arresting someone who taught his dog to do a Hitler salute as a "hate" crime is a mark of the times.

Fann Linn

Paddy Englishman, Paddy Irishman and Paddy Scotsman were on a bus......

Samuel T. Cogley

Fann Linn wrote: »

Paddy Englishman, Paddy Irishman and Paddy Scotsman were on a bus......

Why is it Paddy Englishman etc. here, never understood the Paddy bit. I was brought up with the ol' Englishman, Irishman and Scotsman.

For example:

I'll save Nuac the bother <snip> :pac:

wakka12

Pretty ridiculous to try getting people arrested for telling a joke no matter how distasteful, apart from the fact that it'd be very hard to prove they said it or said it in the way you claimed they did. and apart from that, the gardai you report it to very likely won't give the slightest ****

Its not a criminal offence to be racist especially if its not even directed at a specific person. And Id hate to live in a society where something that small was a taken seriously as criminal offence

bobbyss

Gatling wrote: »

But in all honesty are the Gardai going to chasing after someone for telling a joke or two especially if the people involved weren't directing it at anyone on the bus .

Yes I feel you are right.

The coach was full enough. They were telling jokes to each other. In doing that you could argue that they might at the same time be directing the comments at someone else. I did not notice any potential victim in the coach but there very well might have been.

wakka12

If it were to happen again Id say it to the bus driver and maybe somehow they could be banned from using the service again. i think its a waste of garda time to report such a minimal 'crime' , and I don't think punishment should be anymore than being banned from the place where you were making people uncomfortable with offensive language /humour.

How racist were these jokes anyway? Were they very malicious?

Fann Linn

So in this 'Brave New World' 'Friends' is homophobic and racist and a few lads on a bus cannot tell jokes.

The Stasi would have a field day with all of these snowflakes that have emerged from under the covers.

FizzleSticks

This post has been deleted.

splinter65

Fann Linn wrote: »

So in this 'Brave New World' 'Friends' is homophobic and racist and a few lads on a bus cannot tell jokes.

The Stasi would have a field day with all of these snowflakes that have emerged from under the covers.

The left have become the Stasi, the thing they detest most.

0ph0rce0

Imagine a grown man / woman going down to a bus driver saying there's a bunch of kids down the back telling rude jokes.

Rats Out

RobbingBandit

I don't want to live in this world anymore freeze me until they unfreeze Disney now that man did good casual racism.

frostypants

Getting offended by Friends, Only Fools and Horses now is racist according to snowflake articles I've seen today. Jesus f***ing Christ. I honestly do fear for the future when these f***wits are in power. I'm off to download all my old shows and keep them in a hard drive somewhere so I can live in ignorant bliss when it happens!

dudara

Without being on the bus with you and hearing the conversation for ourselves, it’s impossible to comment on how offensive or not offensive they were.

However, if you were uncomfortable and you felt they were making other passengers uncomfortable, you should have spoken to the driver. He’s the sole person with any authority on the bus and he could make the call on whether or not an escalation was required.

Really Interested

FizzleSticks wrote: »

Unless there was someone on the bus they were directing the jokes at then no, you can't get people locked up for being ignorant.

Can you point out where in the legislation that the comments must be directed at a person present?

piplip87

What about when you accidentally flick channels to South Park or family guy ? Should Seth Mc Farlane or Trey Parker be arrested ?

My advice is grow up. Stop looking for reasons to be offended

Autochange

Snowflake comes to mind.

splinter65

Really Interested wrote: »

Can you point out where in the legislation that the comments must be directed at a person present?

If you are having a conversation with someone in a public place are you prepared for a stranger to approach you and ask you to stop because they consider your views to be offensive?

Fann Linn

Really Interested wrote: »

Well AGS doing their job is another question. But a complaint may lead to a prosecution there have been 5 prosecutions I believe.

Since 1989.

Robsweezie

dudara wrote:

However, if you were uncomfortable and you felt they were making other passengers uncomfortable, you should have spoken to the driver. He’s the sole person with any authority on the bus and he could make the call on whether or not an escalation was required.

Did you just assume the bus drivers gender??!!!

Jerichoholic

That's the real world, not the internet bubble where everything is offensive, just accept it.

Really Interested

splinter65 wrote: »

If you are having a conversation with someone in a public place are you prepared for a stranger to approach you and ask you to stop because they consider your views to be offensive?

I have simply linked to the legislation, I have simply set out the ingredients of the offence. I personally find hate crime legislation to be at best iffy.
It is not enough the the words be abusive or insulting but must also be “and are intended or, having regard to all the circumstances, are likely to stir up hatred.”

Really Interested

Fann Linn wrote: »

Since 1989.

https://www.google.ie/amp/s/www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts-service-reveals-five-convictions-for-hate-crime-since-1989-1.3124352%3fmode=amp

nuac

Mod
I remember when buses and coaches had conductors who could deal with disputes between passengers.

Drivers have difficult jobs which require their full concentration. IMHO the driver should be allowed drive unless the remarks are likely to cause a major breach of the peace

Will let the thread run for now, as we are still close to the Season of Peace and Goodwill to All

jacksie66

This post has been deleted.

Jerichoholic

Exactly, the OP didn't do a thing about it apart from go straight to the internet to show how offended they were, and therefore getting a virtual pat on the back for not being racist themselves.

This generation is absolutely brainwashed.

Needs Must

Jerichoholic wrote:

This generation is absolutely brainwashed.

Couldn't agree more, you would wonder how some people manage to get through the day.

Jerichoholic

Needs Must wrote: »

Couldn't agree more, you would wonder how some people manage to get through the day.

I would pay money to be in the Garda station if OP walked in.

"People on the bus were saying racist things to each other. I took a photo of them."
"They were attacking another person verbally? Were they inciting violence?"
"No, they were have a private conversation and making jokes."

And anyways, considering that OP thinks people should get arrested for crude jokes, I'm sure his threshold for racism is a lot lower than most.

Cazale

If it was genuinely offensive I would have gone down and told them to be quiet.

AlekSmart

bobbyss wrote: »

On an afternoon coach recently, there were a few people making crude, racist jokes. Quite audible. My blood was boiling. Boiling I can tell you. I did nothing. I didn't inform the driver who would not have heard the remarks/jokes as they were down at the back of the bus.

I felt like going down the aisle and taking a picture (if I was certain I could identify them) and telling them that unless they stop I would send picture to Gardai. Perhaps I should have?

Have you had similar experience? How did you manage it?

Where was the location of this "incident" ?

How long did it persist for ?

Was it targeted at another individual or group on the vehicle ?

Does the Coach Company concerned have a set of terms & conditions of travel attached to their tickets (website) ?

Do remember that if YOU make an accusation against other individuals,then YOU will at some stage be required to back that up,either by written statement and/or giving direct evidence in a Court,many months later than the "incident" itself occurred.

As an aside,I work with foreign lads who's stockpile of :eek: Paddy Irishman :eek: jokes are regularly trotted out in canteens and other parts of their Irish workplace and directed at specific colleagues........It's all OK though,cos almost none of their Irish targets can understand their languages(s) and usually laugh along with the group.....:D :eek:

The World however,continues to spin totally unaffected by it all.....:rolleyes: