The name calling which marks this case out.

[Vertigo Swirl]

Let’s cut through all the emotive nonsense and concentrate solely on the phrase ‘praying Arab’.

Why do you find ‘praying Arab’ offensive ? Is it perhaps because you consider being referred to as an arab offensive in itself ? What if we substitute arab for catholic or jew ?  Would you find that offensive too ? Isn’t the phrase simply a way of conjuring up an image everyone will be familiar with?

I would find “praying like a Jew” to be quite racist personally.  But anyway, do you think the description evokes sympathy or ridicule?  It seems to have been used by some to ridicule the McCanns ever since, why do you think that is?

[faithlilly]

there are plenty of police officers “only doing their job” that could rightly be described using that term.  What makes members of the PJ exempt from criticism?  Kate was expressing her thoughts and feelings honestly in her book, if she thought they were f....ing tossers  at the time then she is simply faithfully recording events and thoughts as they happened.  Perhaps she shouldn’t have been so honest and therefore saved you from being so offended?

The point is no matter what the context calling someone a ‘f**cking tosser’ is offensive to every right minded person. To take offence at the phrase. praying Arab, which simply describes an image everyone is familiar with, while defending a phrase that most people would deplore is hypocrisy of the most unvarnished kind.

[faithlilly]

I would find “praying like a Jew” to be quite racist personally.  But anyway, do you think the description evokes sympathy or ridicule?  It seems to have been used by some to ridicule the McCanns ever since, why do you think that is?

As I have said context is everything.

As to your first question, to me it evokes neither. It is merely an image  that everyone will recognise. And your second question, I have no idea. Perhaps you’d be better asking someone who has used it in that way.

[G-Unit]

taking the mick- my phone chose to change the word to kick.

So what evidence do you have that Silvia Batista's intention was to 'take the mick' out of Arabs?

[Vertigo Swirl]

The point is no matter what the context calling someone a ‘f**cking tosser’ is offensive to every right minded person. To take offence at the phrase. praying Arab, which simply describes an image everyone is familiar, with while defending a phrase that most people would deplore is hypocrisy of the most unvarnished kind.

so in your opinion there is never any excuse to call someone an FT even if they have gravely upset you or done you wrong, but it’s ok to use racial imagery to describe the actions of distraught parents?

[Vertigo Swirl]

So what evidence do you have that Silvia Batista's intention was to 'take the mick' out of Arabs?

i have no evidence she intended to mock Arabs but in effect she is comparing a ritualistic commune with one’s god to the actions of hysterical parents distraught at the discovery of their missing child.  It’s insensitive at the very least imo

[faithlilly]

so in your opinion there is never any excuse to call someone an FT even if they have gravely upset you or done you wrong, but it’s ok to use racial imagery to describe the actions of distraught parents?

Yet again you are taking my words and making them say what you want them to say.

Everyone has the right to use whichever phrase they wish however it is hypocrisy to criticise your interpretation of the phrase praying arab while simultaneously defending the use of a phrase that most of civilicised society would find appalling.

[Angelo222]

The point is no matter what the context calling someone a ‘f**cking tosser’ is offensive to every right minded person. To take offence at the phrase. praying Arab, which simply describes an image everyone is familiar with, while defending a phrase that most people would deplore is hypocrisy of the most unvarnished kind.

The f..king tosser slight could well be applied to KM herself given what occurred.

[G-Unit]

so in your opinion there is never any excuse to call someone an FT even if they have gravely upset you or done you wrong, but it’s ok to use racial imagery to describe the actions of distraught parents?

It depends on the intention, surely? You have no evidence that Silvia Batista intended any offence when she said what she said. In my opinion we know exactly what Kate McCann's intentions were; to convince her audience of her innocence and of the ineptitude of the Portuguese police.

This man did not deserve my respect. ‘F*****g t****r . .[madeleine]

[Mr Gray]

The f....ing tosser slight could well be applied to KM herself given what occurred.

Again I think it's, quite reasonable for kate to use this term in the circumstances

[Lace]

Let’s cut through all the emotive nonsense and concentrate solely on the phrase ‘praying Arab’.

Why do you find ‘praying Arab’ offensive ? Is it perhaps because you consider being referred to as an arab offensive in itself ? What if we substitute arab for catholic or jew ?  Would you find that offensive too ? Isn’t the phrase simply a way of conjuring up an image everyone will be familiar with?

It is the fact that Amaral found it 'odd'  and chose to add it to his documentary,  showing the McCann's lying on the bed wailing,   I find it mocking,  insensitive and degrading.

[Erngath]

It is the fact that Amaral found it 'odd'  and chose to add it to his documentary,  showing the McCann's lying on the bed wailing,   I find it mocking,  insensitive and degrading.

Exactly.
He took that despairing scene of two distraught, prayerful parents and turned it into a grotesque caricature.
In my opinion of course.

[Vertigo Swirl]

Yet again you are taking my words and making them say what you want them to say.

Everyone has the right to use whichever phrase they wish however it is hypocrisy to criticise your interpretation of the phrase praying arab while simultaneously defending the use of a phrase that most of civilicised society would find appalling.

I don’t think it’s hypocritical at all.  One phrase is undoubtedly rude (but understandable in the circumstances imo), the other phrase was ill-advised and inappropriate in the circumstances imo.  But both parties are entitled to say whatever they want.

[Lace]

It depends on the intention, surely? You have no evidence that Silvia Batista intended any offence when she said what she said. In my opinion we know exactly what Kate McCann's intentions were; to convince her audience of her innocence and of the ineptitude of the Portuguese police.

This man did not deserve my respect. ‘F*****g t****r . .[madeleine]

Silvia Bastista,  probably didn't intend any offence,  it was Amaral who made a big thing of it,  putting it in his documentary and if to say 'look at these strange people'.

I think Kate wanted to show how she was bullied,  Ricardo was telling Kate that blood had been found by the dogs and that the DNA matched Madeleine's,  and asking her to explain it.  In fact all that was a lie wasn't it?  Kate was no doubt shocked by the revelation,  wondering whether Madeleine was dead,  and also shocked that they thought she was responsible.   I am sure in the circumstances chanting what she did under her breath as she said to get her through the ordeal as it somehow give her strength and helped her to take charge,  was quite in my opinion acceptable.

[Mr Gray]

What about the fact that it is deemed acceptable  in this forum to refer to the McCanns as shit parents.... Is that really acceptable