I couldn't believe my ears .....

I am a DM reader and I am not racist! I have in the past challenged an employer for making racist remarks which made him moderate his language (at least in front of me). I have also defended a young girl wearing Muslim dress who was being berated by someone in the street. I was married to a non-British person and have personally experienced racist remarks. I get angry when someone assumes that because someone reads a particular paper they are racist. All newspapers have agendas they promote. I read various newspapers and watch and listen to news on various stations and try to pick out the truth.

loopylou It's difficult when a close friend or relative or a work colleague speaks in such a way, but well done to you (and alchemilla) for challenging this nastiness. I always regret an occasion at work when someone said something blatantly racist but I said nothing. Since that time, I do speak up when people make those sorts of comments but I'm rather ashamed that I didn't then.

The referendum campaign on both sides has been awful and I think it has been very damaging.

Have you phoned your sister to ask why the outburst?

Stopped going to a friend's house when her private school children started mentioning Pakis. Should have told her. Daily Mail her preferred reading. She also riffed on the number of single mums going for flats and benefits until I pointed her to the Gingerbread site.

It sounds to me like talk of Brexit triggered it. But I agree with Cherrytree59 that something else may be causing it if it is out of character.

Also sounds like she may have changed her reading patterns?

I've never heard my sister talk like this although my parents (and particularly my mum) are very kind-hearted but would be regarded as out of order at times.

My sister's language doesn't seem to be triggered by anything- we were chatting, the subject of how to vote for Brexit or not and she went into a tirade about refugees, immigrants, a quarter of all streets in London have to be closed to everyone everyday so Muslims can pray'....I've never heard anything like it. Then the personal insults started at which point I left.

all very sad.

I have a close relative who sounds like an audio version of the DM at its worst. I have an on/off button when it comes to my hearing - no point in challenging this individual who is otherwise a kind person - I know it would just cause a family rift that would help no-one.

Was it out of character for your sister to talk in this manner ?
If so then I think something must have triggered the out burst.
My MIl has for the last two years being saying very much out of character things which I'm afraid can be of a racist or even sexual nature.
I'm afraid it is down to suffering from dementia.
It started slowly with an out burst occasionally and now much more frequently.
However with your sister it may be due to something that occurred prior her visit.
sorry your visit to your parents turned out to be so unpleasant.