I'm not feeling the cause for concern here, like, at all. Just because people happen to be "working class" doesn't give them the right to be racist/xenaphobic idiots. An asian/chinese couple moving into an area is no different to a white couple moving in- if they cause trouble, that's bad (regardless of their race). If they're good, friendly people then they're an asset to their community- no matter what colour their skin happens to be.

This country is a mongrel nation. At one point there was considered to be an "Irish Problem", yet does anyone now genuinely feel that Irish people are destroying British communities? No, our prejudice and suspicion of the 'other' has shifted to a focus on race.

It's all ridiculous.

PAKI.TV SUPPORTS LIGALI.ORG ON THEIR 'NO N WORD' CAMPAIGN

Freedom of Expression is an essential human right, but with that right comes the responsibility to first, do no harm. Britain’s race relations legislation exists to promote and ultimately enforce our responsibility not to harm or discriminate against anyone on the basis of their race. Negative labelling brings pain to many and the N Word is as negative as they come. It is the definitive racial slur when used to denigrate Africans and evokes the most severe memories of racist oppression.

It has existed as far back as 1568. It originates from the French word nègre, and Spanish negro and is defined in the 1990 Oxford Reference Dictionary simply as a Black.

Its constant derogatory usage in popular music, literature, films and media programmes prevents this racial epithet from fading into linguistic obscurity. Indeed some irresponsible people and organisations are pro-actively involved in attempts to make its usage fashionable, marketable, even social and cultural acceptable primarily for financial gain.

In stark comparison, although sexual terms such as f**k, c**t and w**k are officially recognised as offensive swear words. The N Word is not. This means if a broadcaster is making reference to the word f***king, it will often be bleeped and asterisked adhering to the long standing convention that such sexual swear words are not aired before the watershed. Unfortunately there are no such guidelines protecting the African British community from the racial offense caused by usage of the N Word.

This has to change.

The No N Word campaign was launched during African History Month 2004. It calls upon everyone who hates racism and racist language to pledge their support. We believe everybody regardless of ethnicity must stand up and support calls for the media to stop the broadcasting of all racist terminology.

We do not support censorship, freedom of expression is a basic human right which we believe must be protected. We do however believe in the inalienable right for all human beings to be treated equally with dignity and respect. The continuing propagation of the N Word reduces human dignity by its denigration of African identity, heritage and culture. There is no other word in the English language with such a malevolent and odious etymological root.

On behalf of Ligali and the supporters of the No N Word campaign, we will;

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Write to Ofcom to request that they issue regulatory guidelines stipulating that the N Word must not be broadcast in the media.

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Write to radio and television broadcasters requesting that they update their producer guidelines to state clearly that the N Word must not be broadcast across their networks.

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Call on the Press Complaints Commission to include anti-racist guidelines in its code of practice and to specify that the N Word must not be used explicitly in the printed press. Instead the word should be referred to as the ‘N word’ or starred out as ‘n****r’.

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Request that the BPI (British Phonographic Industry) instruct all record labels not to produce products containing the N Word.

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We are calling on ELSPA (the Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association) to instruct all video game developers not to produce products containing the N Word.


Existing media regulation is based on defending what is deemed as generally accepted standards, however evolving public, political and cultural beliefs often mean redefining these boundaries and setting new standards. These standards must be judged by the values enshrined in the very same human rights legislation that grants us freedom of speech. Media regulation should be Human rights based and promote a social responsibility in media organisations to champion the needs of children, the elderly, minority, vulnerable, voiceless and disadvantaged communities by placing their protection at the forefront of all regulatory principles and polices.

It is time to say no to the N Word.

No Negative Reclamation

No Neutral Stance

No Negotiation

No N Word