Calls for discrimination against ginger-haired people to be made a hate crime

loveisdivine · 29-11-2013 06:05PM

languagenerd wrote: »

I'm in two minds about this. In one way, it's no different to bullying for other reasons (glasses, accent, weight, clothes, whatever) and it's probably not a good idea to make everything a hate-crime. On the other hand, in a lot of ways, the way redheads get treated is not far off racism, and that IS a hate-crime. There really isn't much difference between hating/abusing someone for their dark skin and hating/abusing someone for their red hair and freckles, is there?

And yes, redheads do get treated awfully in this country and in England. As a teenager, I'd be shouted at in the street several times a month ("GINGEEEEER!" "Ginger minger!" etc.) by complete strangers. After that whole South Park thing, people would frequently bring up "gingers have no souls" in front of me, or say "Yeah, but you have no soul, so..." to put down my opinion. Loads of people I knew in school would like Bebo pages entitled things like "Find a cure for ginger-ness", "Gingers are mingers", etc. and make offhanded comments on how they'd never date a ginger or hated ginger hair without caring that redheads could see/hear them. I always shook it off, but I can see how it could send someone already vulnerable over the edge. It's not always outright bullying, but just constant little jibes or, worse, matter-of-fact statements about how gingers are ugly, etc. It could definitely get you thinking negatively about your looks or make you think that no-one will ever find you attractive. It might be a joke to everyone else, but when you hear it so frequently (especially in your awkward teenage years), it does get into your head.

I dunno about making it a hate-crime, but I wouldn't object to stuff like "gingers have no souls"/"gingers are all ugly" being removed from boards. Replace "gingers" with "black people" and you've got a strong racist statement there - so why is one tolerated and culturally acceptable??

I could've written that all myself! I'd often be walking down to the local shop and there would be a group of (younger than me!) kids stood outside who had no problem shouting "ginger!) at me as I walked past.

I just realised nodoby had posted this yet, surely its obligatory for all ginger-related threads?!

http://youtu.be/KVN_0qvuhhw

Grayson · 29-11-2013 06:19PM

Birneybau wrote: »

I don't think there is as much malice in slagging someone that's bald as there is in the raw, bizarre hatred sometimes directed towards someone with ginger hair.

You ever have someone run up behind you and smack you full force in the back of the head? Or have a rugby team try and lick it for good luck?

It's not pleasant but I wouldn't call it a hate crime.

BillyMitchel · 29-11-2013 06:19PM

Gingers. Then what? People with spots, goofy people. The list would be endless, especially in schools. Would never work.

Kids might actually start listening though.

Gingers do get a hard time in fairness. I love ginger women.* very very sexy. Sometimes.

*Awaits PMs

Mint Aero · 29-11-2013 06:20PM

Grayson wrote: »

One person though. I'm not saying hat it isn't a tragedy, just that one case does not indicate a widespread problem.

*sigh* :rolleyes:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/5312394/Schoolboy-bullied-over-ginger-hair-hanged-himself.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2507153/Bullied-ginger-Wolverhampton-schoolboy-Simon-Walters-14-hanged.html

http://www.newser.com/story/176219/teen-commits-suicide-a-day-after-class-on-bullying.html

http://www.mstarz.com/articles/5237/20120926/cade-paulos-13-year-old-student-commits-suicide-batman-two-face-shooting.htm

BillyMitchel · 29-11-2013 06:26PM

Mint Aero wrote: »

*sigh* :rolleyes:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/5312394/Schoolboy-bullied-over-ginger-hair-hanged-himself.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2507153/Bullied-ginger-Wolverhampton-schoolboy-Simon-Walters-14-hanged.html

http://www.newser.com/story/176219/teen-commits-suicide-a-day-after-class-on-bullying.html

http://www.mstarz.com/articles/5237/20120926/cade-paulos-13-year-old-student-commits-suicide-batman-two-face-shooting.htm

4 stories is hardly an epidemic now is it? Fair enough it's horrible. But to bring in a law and call it a hate crime? Cop on.

How about children be brought up more to respect each other and that personal insults aren't nice? Not giving the parents a criminal convection for calling someone ginger.

More bollox from AH I see.

RandomName2 · 29-11-2013 06:28PM

Grayson wrote: »

One person though. I'm not saying hat it isn't a tragedy, just that one case does not indicate a widespread problem.

I get slagged off about being bald. When i was in school it was my accent. I got slagged off because of my teeth (I had buck teeth) too. I was even bullied for a while.

If I had killed myself because of the bullying it does not mean that getting slagged off because of something that made me different was a hate crime. Just like someone calling me baldy now isn't a hate crime.

The issue here isn't the bullying about being a ginger, it's the bullying itself. If the girl wasn't ginger then they might have just picked on something else.

Comments about physical features representative of many races (eyes, hair, lips, nose, etc) are considered hate crimes, so why not those related to the minority which have ginger/red hair?

I'm not sure if "hate" crimes should exist at all - but if they do, they should at least be an equal opportunities employer.

Mint Aero · 29-11-2013 06:32PM

BillyMitchel wrote: »

4 stories is hardly an epidemic now is it? Fair enough it's horrible. But to bring in a law and call it a hate crime? Cop on.

How about children be brought up more to respect each other and that personal insults aren't nice? Not giving the parents a criminal convection for calling someone ginger.

More bollox from AH I see.

How about you cop on Billy. 4 stories? That was page one of my Google search. I haven't all day :rolleyes:

Remember kick a ginger Facebook day? :rolleyes:

If you really think inciting hatred of Redheads isn't a growing a problem then perhaps dye your hair orange for a week and see how ya get on :rolleyes:

Grayson · 29-11-2013 06:32PM

Mint Aero wrote: »

*sigh* :rolleyes:

Whatever about gingers, I think it's perfectly fine to hate people who post like that.

Well done, you googled.

4 cases does not make a hate crime either.

Especially considering the third one has nothing to do with a kid being ginger. They don't even know if the kid was bullied. Did you even bother reading the stuff you posted?

The 4th one is about a kid killing himself because he was bullied. He dad had told him stories about being bullied when he was a kid because he had redhair and glasses. Are glasses a hate crime now? And of course the kid who was bullied and killed themselves wasn't actually bullied because they were ginger.

Mint Aero · 29-11-2013 06:37PM

Grayson wrote: »

Whatever about gingers, I think it's perfectly fine to hate people who post like that.

Well done, you googled.

4 cases does not make a hate crime either.

Utter nonsense :rolleyes:

Grayson · 29-11-2013 06:37PM

RandomName2 wrote: »

Comments about physical features representative of many races (eyes, hair, lips, nose, etc) are considered hate crimes, so why not those related to the minority which have ginger/red hair?

I'm not sure if "hate" crimes should exist at all - but if they do, they should at least be an equal opportunities employer.

I think the word opportunity is an apt one. I think that ginger kids who are bullied are targets of opportunities. I think the kid with the bad teeth, or the limp, or the thick glasses or whatever is just as likely to be bullied. It's just whoever happens to get in the bullies crosshair.

And I think it makes an interesting newspaper story which is why we hear about it.

BillyMitchel · 29-11-2013 06:37PM

Why the fock do you keep rolling your eyes, go see an eye specialist.

Mint aero, more like golden crisp

Get off Facebook, it's not the gospel to life. Kids with all sorts of little issues get picked on.

Mint Aero · 29-11-2013 06:42PM

constance tench wrote: »

And this...Kick a Ginger Day.:(

http://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/outrage-as-kick-a-ginger-kid-day-leads-to-attacks-on-schoolchildren-29671212.html

I know sure but don't expect AH to see what's wrong with that :rolleyes:

BillyMitchel wrote: »

Why the fock do you keep rolling your eyes, go see an eye specialist.

Mint aero, more like golden crisp

Get off Facebook, it's not the gospel to life. Kids with all sorts of little issues get picked on.

Leave Golden Crisp out of it :P

I don't see your point of view tbh Billy, I don't expect you to see mine either. I think it should be made a hate crime.

BillyMitchel · 29-11-2013 06:47PM

Mint Aero wrote: »

I know sure but don't expect AH to see what's wrong with that :rolleyes:

Leave Golden Crisp out of it :P

I don't see your point of view tbh Billy, I don't expect you to see mine either. I think it should be made a hate crime.

I had white hair that eventually turned dirty blondish growing up and called hay head for 20 years can I sue for emontional damages and get the people charged with hate crimes? You think that be fair?

I'm bald now but that's not the point!

Yellow121 · 29-11-2013 06:49PM

Redheads are more Irish than the rest of us. I only have some red hair when I grow a beard. It's no surprise that redheads have major trouble in England as they have major race related problems.
Make no mistake about it, them having a go at redheads is race related. If bullying someone over their skin colour is a crime then surely bullying someone over their hair colour should be also. Especially when it's race related.

Mint Aero · 29-11-2013 06:50PM

BillyMitchel wrote: »

I had white hair that eventually turned dirty blondish growing up and called hay head for 20 years can I sue for emontional damages and get the people charged with hate crimes? You think that be fair?

I'm bald now but that's not the point!

It's not the same Billy

There isn't widespread hate campaigns against people with white hair except when it comes to FG against OAP's

constance tench · 29-11-2013 06:51PM

Mint Aero wrote: »

I know sure but don't expect AH to see what's wrong with that :rolleyes:

.

ops..just deleted that as it was mentioned in the OP's link:rolleyes::)

BillyMitchel · 29-11-2013 06:51PM

Mint Aero wrote: »

It's not the same Billy There isn't widespread hate campaigns against people with white hair except when it comes to FG against OAP's

Well I feel every bit as emotionally damaged as the ginger kid. So why isn't it the same?!

Mint Aero · 29-11-2013 06:56PM

BillyMitchel wrote: »

Well I feel every bit as emotionally damaged as the ginger kid. So why isn't it the same?!

Well when there's a kick a white/baldy head day come back to me with your woes Billy and I might support your type in a quest for equality etc

BillyMitchel · 29-11-2013 07:01PM

Mint Aero wrote: »

Well when there's a kick a white/baldy head day come back to me with your woes Billy and I might support your type in a quest for equality etc

Went to school with gingers and they had it bad but not bullying. The ones that did get bullied a lot though were kids with real bad acne. My school was horrible for slagging though it went to far everyday for 5 years.

Lone Stone · 29-11-2013 07:04PM

I use to get the **** kicked out of, covered in spit, books stolen , never ending ging jibes. Pre south park gingers jokes. Some retards do act in a way towards red heads that should count as a hate crime so yea do it. Never had much probs after school that i couldnt deal with.

Mint Aero · 29-11-2013 07:05PM

BillyMitchel wrote: »

Went to school with gingers and they had it bad but not bullying. The ones that did get bullied a lot though were kids with real bad acne. My school was horrible for slagging though it went to far everyday for 5 years.

Gingers never got it in my school then, the foreign kids got it bad. Shows the kind of sh*thole I went to.

Jimoslimos · 29-11-2013 07:14PM

Whatever about the English and Americans mocking people with red hair, us Irish doing it as well makes me cringe. Jokes on us guys FFS!

Hellrazer · 29-11-2013 08:03PM

The problem with this bullying crap and I have personal experience here is that it doesn't stop when the school closes.

In my day you got slagged over your ginger hair aswell but once school closed that was it until the next day.You at least had some break from it.

Now the slagging continues on facebook etc until its 11 or 12 at night and these poor kids get no break from it.

Honestly I think if I had been bullied/slagged for 10-15 hours a day I would have probably considered suicide.

Its not the red hair slagging that caused this girl to kill herself.It was that it was so constant that it never stopped unless she was sleeping.

Ive been through the same with one of my kids..Ive had her in counselling,Ive called the school who have done **** all about it.

My next step is to wait outside the school for this little bollix and show him how a bully should be dealt with. Ill do time for this fooker as my daughter was on suicide watch for weeks.
She had to change classes just to get away from all this ****. One of her close friends killed herself a year ago last week over similar incidents.Same school and the only thing the school could do was have an emergency meeting about it.Nothings changed.Its still going on and this lad Im talking about (BTW he only picks on girls) is still bullying kids in classes a couple of years behind him.

/rant over/

Mint Aero · 29-11-2013 08:09PM

Hellrazer wrote: »

My next step is to wait outside the school for this little bollix and show him how a bully should be dealt with. Ill do time for this fooker as my daughter was on suicide watch for weeks.

That's the job. Put the fear of God into the little sh*tbag.

Frank Lee Midere · 29-11-2013 08:13PM

RandomName2 wrote: »

Comments about physical features representative of many races (eyes, hair, lips, nose, etc) are considered hate crimes, so why not those related to the minority which have ginger/red hair?

I'm not sure if "hate" crimes should exist at all - but if they do, they should at least be an equal opportunities employer.

This. Either you believe in hate crime legislation or not. If so , and I am not sure, then red heads need as much protection as black skin.

constance tench · 29-11-2013 08:27PM

Hellrazer wrote: »

The problem with this bullying crap and I have personal experience here is that it doesn't stop when the school closes.

In my day you got slagged over your ginger hair aswell but once school closed that was it until the next day.You at least had some break from it.

Now the slagging continues on facebook etc until its 11 or 12 at night and these poor kids get no break from it.

Honestly I think if I had been bullied/slagged for 10-15 hours a day I would have probably considered suicide.

Its not the red hair slagging that caused this girl to kill herself.It was that it was so constant that it never stopped unless she was sleeping.

Ive been through the same with one of my kids..Ive had her in counselling,Ive called the school who have done **** all about it.

My next step is to wait outside the school for this little bollix and show him how a bully should be dealt with. Ill do time for this fooker as my daughter was on suicide watch for weeks.
She had to change classes just to get away from all this ****. One of her close friends killed herself a year ago last week over similar incidents.Same school and the only thing the school could do was have an emergency meeting about it.Nothings changed.Its still going on and this lad Im talking about (BTW he only picks on girls) is still bullying kids in classes a couple of years behind him.

/rant over/

My heart goes out to you.

Apologies if you have already done this...Remind the school that they are 'in loco parentis' [in place of the parent]. Remind them that they have an anti bullying policy and if they don't implement it you will make a formal complaint to An Garda Siochana... should put the ****s up them.

Eeden · 29-11-2013 08:27PM

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Whatever about the English and Americans mocking people with red hair, us Irish doing it as well makes me cringe. Jokes on us guys FFS!

I grew up in the US and never got anything but compliments about my hair colour. Moved to Ireland as a teenager, and never got any slagging here either. Lots of redheads in my family. My kids are all redheads, and my daughters are often told by strangers in the street how gorgeous their hair is. It could be because we're generally on the darker side of red, though. I love red hair, male or female.

hatrickpatrick · 29-11-2013 08:28PM

Hellrazer wrote: »

Now the slagging continues on facebook etc until its 11 or 12 at night and these poor kids get no break from it.

I despise bullying as much as anyone but this kind of remark baffles me - people talk as if Facebook is a compulsory thing, like school. Bullying in school and bullying on Facebook aren't comparable because unlike school, if I had been abused on Facebook I could have simply stopped using it.

It's a bit like ask.fm - most people who use it have a bit of fun with it and that's the end of it. If you know you're a target for nasty comments and you know that it hurts you on a deep level, choosing to use such a website is like being physically weak and choosing to join a boxing club. Blaming the websites and the internet is absolutely absurd - nowhere is there a law that says "Everyone is required to use social networking sites and open themselves up to potential nastiness if they don't want to."

Frank Lee Midere · 29-11-2013 08:36PM

I think Southpark got away with "kick a ginger" because in the US there is no hatred of red heads. In the UK, mostly England, there is - a fact not unrelated to the fact that the English have fewer red heads than the Celtic periphery.

Yellow121 · 29-11-2013 08:37PM

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

I despise bullying as much as anyone but this kind of remark baffles me - people talk as if Facebook is a compulsory thing, like school. Bullying in school and bullying on Facebook aren't comparable because unlike school, if I had been abused on Facebook I could have simply stopped using it.

It's a bit like ask.fm - most people who use it have a bit of fun with it and that's the end of it. If you know you're a target for nasty comments and you know that it hurts you on a deep level, choosing to use such a website is like being physically weak and choosing to join a boxing club. Blaming the websites and the internet is absolutely absurd - nowhere is there a law that says "Everyone is required to use social networking sites and open themselves up to potential nastiness if they don't want to."

Social pressures adds to it, you can't tell a kid just don't go on facebook because they see it as a norm, if you're not on it you're a weirdo. It's easy to say when you're older just avoid something but when you're young you don't think like that.