Benedict Cumberbatch in race storm: 12 Years A Slave star says he was an 'idiot' for calling black p - Polidicks

[quote]British actor Benedict Cumberbatch has apologized after describing black people as 'colored' on US television, saying he is 'an idiot' and is 'devastated to have caused offense'. The 38-year-old Sherlock star used the racial term during a debate on the lack of diversity on British screens on the talk show Tavis Smiley last Wednesday. After the interview, hundreds took to social media to condemn the actor for his choice of terminology, with many branding it 'racist' and 'inappropriate'. Last night, Cumberbatch responded by issuing an apology for his 'incorrect' and 'offensive' use of the phrase. He said: 'I'm devastated to have caused offense by using this outmoded terminology. 'I offer my sincere apologies. I make no excuse for my being an idiot and know the damage is done.'[/quote] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQVU2YZjrZ4[/media] [img]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/01/26/2518208E00000578-2927166-_Outmoded_A_Twitter_user_called_Ashley_questioned_the_actor_s_us-a-70_1422301305644.jpg[/img] [URL="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2927166/I-m-idiot-m-devastated-caused-offense-British-actor-Benedict-Cumberbatch-issues-apology-calling-black-people-colored-television.html"]Daily Mail[/URL]

Oh look another forced "year 2015" shaming

[QUOTE=itisjuly;47020808]Oh look another forced "year 2015" shaming[/QUOTE] People really have nothing better to do these days than whining on social media.

On the one hand, I can't really fault him for using "colored". It's archaic, but I've never seen it considered offensive. I mean, the NAACP uses it in their name - maybe that was grandfathered in, but it's not like he was dropping N-bombs. On the other hand, once someone told him it was offensive, he immediately apologized, and not with a half-assed "I'm sorry you've decided to be offended by this" apology either. So even if it is offensive, he did exactly what he should have.

Bring back the noose for this vile monster.

This is interesting because here in Portugal "colored" is considered the polite way, while a direct translation of "black"(preto) is generally considered offensive. Although some black people don't mind at all and call themselves that. But then abroad it's this sort of thing. Gets a bit confusing at times.

He mistakenly used a term that he didn't understand the implications of, some people got their feathers ruffled, and he apologized. I don't see how this is a "political correctness goddamn tumblr sjws" issue.

"race storm" You aren't supposed to take the title of this section seriously you know.

Wasn't "black" officially offensive just few years ago ? Honestly I don't know what words I would use ?

@ashleystirnt must be so morally upstanding to be able to nitpick with such bravado.

[QUOTE=AntonioR;47020858]Wasn't "black" officially offensive just few years ago ? Honestly I don't know what words I would use ?[/QUOTE] Remember "African American"? That was a good one.

[QUOTE]in the US the term 'people of color' is quite common.[/QUOTE] i never really found "people of colour" all that great either, to be honest it's a small step up from "coloured people" but at the end of the day you're still grouping up everyone who isn't white like as if they're a completely different species

Jesus Christ people cry over small words. It's a fucking term used to describe non-white people in a non-racist way. Deal with it.

[QUOTE=Smallheart;47020868]@ashleystirnt must be so morally upstanding to be able to nitpick with such bravado.[/QUOTE] It's a good point though. It's such an archaic word.

[QUOTE=itisjuly;47020808]Oh look another forced "year 2015" shaming[/QUOTE] I can't believe people still act like this in the year of our lord, 2015.

[QUOTE=AntonioR;47020858]Wasn't "black" officially offensive just few years ago ? Honestly I don't know what words I would use ?[/QUOTE] That's the thing. "Black" was offensive like ten years ago. And a while ago, it would be that no one even cared about using the word "colored." What is actually offensive in this case?

[QUOTE=gman003-main;47020842]On the one hand, I can't really fault him for using "colored". It's archaic, but I've never seen it considered offensive. I mean, the NAACP uses it in their name - maybe that was grandfathered in, but it's not like he was dropping N-bombs. On the other hand, once someone told him it was offensive, he immediately apologized, and not with a half-assed "I'm sorry you've decided to be offended by this" apology either. So even if it is offensive, he did exactly what he should have.[/QUOTE] You mean, firstly, and secondly as well. On "one hand - on the other hand" is as far as I understand usually formulation used when comparing polar thoughts on an issue rather than two thoughts that support one side of the argument ie "he didn't really do anything wrong"

oh fuck right off with this shit

If she's taking issue with "coloured", then I'd like to file a grievance about "white". I am not a "white" person. This is a white person. [img]http://i.imgur.com/Tpjtt7h.gif[/img]

[QUOTE=Raidyr;47020876]It's a good point though. It's such an archaic word.[/QUOTE] I wasn't refuting the point she made, was trying to crack a joke about her twitter name suggesting she's intoxicated frequently. THANKS FOR RUINING MY JOKE.

I don't see the problem. All these terms for all kinds of people constantly change and while people were fine with one word last year, they might bash your head in for it this year. I don't understand people.

To be fair, I use the word coloured. It's not implied to be offensive so why should it be taken in offense?

afaik dailymail is a bannable source now

whats offensive is he said it the wrong european way with the extra u

[QUOTE=gman003-main;47020842]On the one hand, I can't really fault him for using "colored". It's archaic, but I've never seen it considered offensive. I mean, the NAACP uses it in their name - maybe that was grandfathered in, but it's not like he was dropping N-bombs. On the other hand, once someone told him it was offensive, he immediately apologized, and not with a half-assed "I'm sorry you've decided to be offended by this" apology either. So even if it is offensive, he did exactly what he should have.[/QUOTE] Honestly, what he should have done is gone on a tirade about the sorry state of society where we can't even use innocent adjectives to describe people in America. Using the word 'colored' to refer to non-white Americans is not offensive, he shouldn't have to apologize for saying it. It's not a slur. He didn't go around calling them niggers or cotton pickers or anything like that. Those are offensive terms that nobody should ever use to refer to black people. No. All he did was use an innocent adjective, one used by many rights groups fighting for equality of that very portion of society. If he's in the wrong for using that term then let's sue the living shit out of the NAACP! Sigh.

they have the word Negro on black crayola crayons. I shit you not.

[QUOTE=Aphtonites;47020872]i never really found "people of colour" all that great either, to be honest it's a small step up from "coloured people" but at the end of the day you're still grouping up everyone who isn't white like as if they're a completely different species[/QUOTE] I don't really see how that's a step up, it's literally the same thing worded in a slightly different manner. Also while there may be more valid reasons to it, I don't think such denomination should be considered bad just because it's used to distinguish people by their physical features. I mean if you were talking about "blond people" you're not grouping up everyone who are blond as if they're a different species, you're simply referring to that kind of demographic.

I don't really understand the disconnect between coloured and black - I mean they're obviously two different words, but what are the connotations that make coloured sorta racist and black just fine? It's not like it's more accurate, black people aren't really all that black in the literal sense. I'm not black so I won't say one's racist and the other's not, but I don't really understand the difference.

The internet isn't really a place for people with no backbone or with strong feelings about this shit. Seriously, everyone needs to grow up and take a punch or so and not cause a freaking riot on this crap.

[QUOTE=Megadave;47020917]they have the word Negro on black crayola crayons. I shit you not.[/QUOTE] Who, the Spanish?