to ask why several prominent members seem to have vanished?!?

which could be construed as racist

Any comment could be construed as racist if that's your mindset. But be careful that you don't cheapen the term and make it a meaningless insult. That's doing a disservice to those who really do need support.

So Chewbacca do you agree that accusing someone of Anti-Semitism (as many here have done repeatedly of Jeremy Corbyn) is also meaningless.
You said: Please, for the sake of those who are genuine victims of racism, stop using it just because you can't think of a more appropriate word to use.

Yes I do mostlyharmless. Throwing around accuastions, of any ilk, where inappropriate or unjustified, does the real victims no favours at all. It's simply a lazy way to hurl an insult.

My view too,Chewbacca
And while we're on about this subject, where does the phrase 'people of colour' come from? Seems pointless to me - we're all some colour or other.
If it's not racist to call one group white, why is it racist to call other groups black, brown yellow or red?

It isn't. Black has made a come-back.

Which goes to show what a nonsense the "people of colour" thing was.

Has Corbyn been accused of being anti-Semitic? Or is it simply that he has been accused of not doing enough to rid the Labour Party of anti-Semitism?

A distinction which is blurred in some minds, Baggs, rather like the way that some minds instantly equate any criticism of a non-white person as racist, whatever occasioned it.

Actually I seem to remember there have been comments on GN about Diane Abbot's hair style, which could be construed as racist. I'm perfectly prepared to believe that people believe they are not being racist, however I think they should examine their opinions carefully.
Yes, as Anniebach said, it was Diane herself who brought up the subject of her hair - we can all change our style from time to time - some of us even moan about our hair on some threads too.
I presume she was being polite as some people are said to change their minds as often as they change their knickers. Saying 'hair style' is a bit more polite.

where does the phrase 'people of colour' come from? Seems pointless to me - we're all some colour or other.

Fennel the first time I heard it used was by Diane Abbott herself on that programme that came on after Question Time.
DH said he finds it difficult to keep up with what is pc or not at his age.

Her she is

www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/diane-abbott-my-views-on-the-ira-have-changed-just-like-my-splendid-afro-a3550961.html

What on Earth has happened? Can someone please enlighten me? I haven't looked at this thread for a week or so and today I find that from where I left it about page 4 there are now 21 pages of which I've only read the last couple. Are all the pages like those, political pointless arguing to and fro about racism etc? Please tell me they aren't!

I don't know, I haven't read it all either as I've have been busy with RL.

But I am only on page 6!

Y'know that thing about Diane Abbott changing her hairstyle? Well, what was it changed from and what to? I suppose I could go and google....

Seems she had an Affro hairstyle many years ago. Wotevs. I've no idea why her hairstyle matters or did matter to anyone but I came across a tweet by Candace Owen:
"The left will dead serious have black people debating whether or not Kylie Jenner wearing corn rows in her hair is 'appropriation'.
Can I be among the first black to say that I have never given a remote fuck about how someone else wears their hair?!!
BRAINWASH. NONSENSE."

And wondered if Abbott was accused of cultural appropriation.

Just blethering...

I had an Afro hairstyle in 1978. Can you be guilty of cultural appropriation if you didn’t know what it meant at the time and/or it hadn’t been invented?

Nope.

It,s not cultural appropriation anyway; it's cultural appreciation, copying a style you like. Whether you know its origins is irrelevant, I think.

In 1962 I was briefly on the Isle de Porqueroles, off Hyeres. It was accepted there that you wore what (or as little) as you liked. We wandered along sandy paths through the scented maquis to the sound of cicadas - a second Eden. Walking toward us were a handsome couple with long straight black hair held by bands around the temples woven in patterns like those worn by native Indians. They could have been a brave and his squaw. Should we have accosted them and accused them of cultural appropriation?

PS. After they had passed and we had enthused over the picture they made, we realised that the woven bands were ALL they wore. In the environment, that was very appropriate.

Here is a very longwinded article which explains the difference between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation
Enjoy
“Appreciating another culture looks like cultural exchange. You’d have consent to participate in someone else’s culture, and both sides would mutually benefit and gain understanding of each other.

On the other hand, appropriating another culture includes taking from a marginalized group without permission, and usually without respect for or knowledge about their culture.”
My Afro was definitely appropriation, I think.

But how can one know whether one has permission? In reality I think one is going to have permission from some, non permission from others and total indifference from many.

I don't feel that non-Western cultures who adopt fashions from the West, or food, or dance, music, etc have appropriated anything. They've just enjoyed it and cultures have mixed. I'm for maximum mixing of the best parts of all cultures.

Scottish dance is an example of something that is enjoyed all over the world. Many, many countries have branches of Scottish dancing clubs affiliated to the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society. I was involved with that society for nearly three decades and I never heard anyone complaining about Scottish dancing being appropriated in other cultures, only pleasure that people all over the world got as much fun out of it, and its music, as we did.

I think accusations of cultural appropriation are just sourness.

I will now read that article.

To touch briefly on the thread title....has Jura2 also now vanished into thin air ??

I do agree with you baggs.
I only posted the link to highlight the daftness therein

Rocking my Afro, 1978. DS was 9 months old at the time and cried hysterically when he saw it for the first time

I only posted the link to highlight the daftness therein

Oh, phew! I read it and thought "oh, boy!"

maw, we do seem to have wandered off piste a bit, don't we?