Our boy Jeremy again

For those who feel free to use the N word in its full glory, on the grounds that a handful of black rappers do, would you ever describe someone as a mong, cretin, spaz, fag, dyke, cripple, queer, or any other charming title, because someone from that group had used the word?

I agree, deedaa.

Was it meant to be a baby? I didn't know that.

Well I'm 68 this year and we always used the N word in it. I've never come across the baby version before. We also knew what the word meant but nobody saw it as a term of abuse it was just a description. I also had a book about 10 little picaninnies which would presumably be very non PC now. I don't think I've been warped for life - I think it takes more than a nursery rhyme to produce a racist.

In fact I think it's quite cruel.

Poor baby.

I've never heard that version before either.

I always thought it was quite sweet that one let the person go if he squealed. It didn't seem like an unkind ditty to me, but then I had no notion of racism. By the 1980's when my own children were small, nigger had been changed to tiger, which seemed like a good idea because by then I did have a notion of racism.

We used it when I was a child to choose between two options. Whatever you pointed to on 'MO!' was what you chose.

I still use the less offensive 'dip dip dip, my blue ship' etc.

But JC does like to be childishly controversial.

Neither have I!

I have never heard your version, Riverwalk

The use of the N word in this rhyme wasn't common when I grew up Ana (I'm 60 this year so pre-PC).

I distinctly remember ..... catch a baby by the toe, when it's done, wipe its bum, eeny, meeny, miney, mo.

If I had to quickly recite the ditty those are the words that would spill out.

Clarkson is an arse.

Immediately assumed the heading referred to Paxman. But this really is a fuss about nothing.

And, on realising where the ditty was headed and mumbling, he asked for a re-take which was done and it was the retake without the word nigger that was aired. The Mirror is just muck-raking.

Having got the momentum of the rhyme going, he deliberately muffled his words as he knew WW3 would break out if he didn't.

That's all......nobody died.

As I understand it, he denied using it but upon listening to a re-run of the recording, he was clearly heard saying it.

I didn't see the programme, just going on what has been reported.

He didn't use it.

I am not condoning JC's use of the term.

(I don't mean in this JC context)

Hmm. Think I agree with Agus. Just because you were black yourself doesn't mean you wouldn't upset other black people by using it.

Even though it is deemed a term of abuse and degradation? I would have thought all the more reason for no one to use it.

There have been many sticks to beat JC with, but I think this time, although (as my mother would have put it) he opened his mouth and let his belly rumble, he did try to remedy the mistake and has convincingly denied any accusation of racism. The BBC can't afford to get rid of him. Top Gear is their most popular export and earns them megabucks.

Agus I would suggest that as it has been a term of abuse and degradation to black people for centuries they are probably now feeling that it it theirs to use as they please.

I do agree that as it is part of rhyme many people of our age learnt years ago it might be more of a habit to use it than intentional abuse. We should certainly think hard before we use that, or any other term with racist or other negative connotations, because they have been used as a terms of abuse.

I don't think anyone repeating this rhyme qualifies them as racist.

I do understand that it is un PC for a white person to use the word nigger but what I don't understand is why it is not offensive when used by a black person

If a word is deemed offensive, should it not be deemed so by all?

I'm more annoyed about the photo of James May driving whilst using his mobile phone. Clarkson may be a complete idiot most of the time, but I don't have him down as a racist.

I'm not a fan of his but I agree this is a fuss over nothing, he realised before he said it and tried to backtrack, it wasn't broadcast and he has apologised

When you remember how commonplace that rhyme was when we were children, (and most of us had no idea what the word meant), it's understandable that it's hard to get it completely out of your head.

I know Clarkson's come out with a lot of rubbish, but this time I think the accusations against him are unfounded. It's a stitch-up.