is this being racist?

[Johnny blaze]

My friend told me that he

*** had got off the bus early because there were some people on it, that looked like they were from easten europe, and were smelling unpleasently ***

Is this a racist or offensive comment or just a descriptive comment.. Please could you just indicate 'Racist or descriptive.. and any other comments you wish to add.

Many thanks

[feebee]

Descriptive.

Nobody would want to be on a bus with people who stink, no matter what race or colour they are.

[noxlumos]

It's borderline.

If it had been got off the bus bc of smelly people then it would have been purely descriptive but feeling the need to metion their race could be descriptive or could be a hint of racism ( as though smelly Eastern Europeans were in some way worse than smelly British people).

[Lonnie]

having read your question a couple of times, I can't add anymore than noxlumas has, he's got it about right.

[jno]

yes, the fact that he mentioned origin in the same sentence as smell suggests a bit of racism; if there's no link in his mind, why mention eastern Europe at all? (And what do eastern Europeans look like, anyway? I've seen Ukrainians and Croats and Poles and Estonians, and damned if I can tell them apart from each other, or from me.)

[Azimov]

If your friend simply assumed that all of those Eastern Europeans were "offensively fragrant" based on the fact that he had experienced an unpleasant odour coming from one Eastern European, that would be racist!
If he genuinely observed that all those who emitted the same or a similar smell, were of the same race then that would be descriptive!

If the Eastern Europeans in question have a cultural predisposition toward strong smelling foods then I don't think it's racist to voice an objection, as long as it's just on a website like this and not directly to the owner of the scent. That would just be plain rude!
That would be the same as tapping the woman in front and saying "Did you bathe in perfume or do you sweat Estee Lauder?"

This of course begs the question;
Is it racist to object to a cultural or religious practice?
If so, then colour me bigoted because I find the practice of slaughtering animals by cutting their throats and allowing them to bleed to death (Halal and Kosher butchery) extremely distasteful, not to mention morally reprehensible!

Incidentally the definition of "Racism" appears to have changed if the definition listed in Dictionary.com is anything to go by.
I always thought that Racism was "An irrational hatred or dislike..."
If you have a "rational" hatred or dislike of anything or anyone surely that's acceptable, isn't it?
I guess in today's PC world rationality is dispensable.

P.S I have Pakistani and Iranian friends and they are (without exception) pleasantly fragrant and odour free!

[Ward-Minter]

Racist.

[undercovers]

sounds more descriptive to me - a racist inference could be being made but in the form it is written the appearance of the people seems to be more scene setting than racist (though might take another view based on how the line was delivered when speaking).

[raysparx]

If they stink they stink,doesn't matter where they come from,the fact he noticed they were foriegn, well you would have a look to see where the stench was coming from wouldn't you. Stinky foreigner, Stinky Brit,who cares get out in the fresh air, maybe he should carry a can of air freshener next time and give any smelly gits a squirt!!!

[jaberwocky]

who's letting them all in ?

[Azimov]

Thank you Jaberwocky, for demonstrating the difference between racist commentary and descriptive comment!

Hopefully the more enlightened among us will be able to ascertain which heading your post falls under!

By the way, how's that St George's flag duvet cover working out for you?
Stinking up the bedroom yet?

[Ed Clarke]

Descriptive

Political Correctness (PC) would say it is racist, because the race of the smelly persons was mentioned. However, if you said 'there were some women on it who were smelling unpleasant' then there would be no problem, despite the fact that the sex of the person was mentioned. Both cases are discriminative but in PC terms, only the 'eastern europeans' description is.

PC is a lot of rubbish in my opinion, and because of the above explanation I consider the description simply descriptive.

[Ed Clarke]

Oh and by the way, its 'Racialist' rather than 'racist'. The dictionary states that 'racist' is a term used to make a comment on any race, not necessarily offensive. 'Racialist' is the term that should be used to describe a negative comment regarding a race. :P

[Johnny blaze]

Thank you all for your very helpful answers. I am inclined to agree with the fact that the comment was simply descriptive, however the comment was said with other people in the room who beg to differ.

Ed Clarke cheers for your comments, im glad we both agree that its descriptive. RE: Racist / racialist I have to disagree with you and to a certain extent the dictionary difinition (too long and complex to discuss now).

I believe (and according to your dictionary definition) that I did use the correct word (RACIST) when submitting this question (I got a GCSE B in english language, so I clearly know how to run the world, although it has yet to improve my spelling!)

Then again, maybe I should get clarification on what precisely your referring to when you say "its racialist"
.. What is?

You and I already agree that the Eastern european comment was descriptive so it cannot be considered racialist.. unless you've change your mind since your last posting.

Also, because some people will find the Eastern european comment offensive (negitive) and some wont, I think I was right to use the term 'racist' in my original question.. again according to that dictionary of yours.

Eitherway, I am truly grateful for your comments, efforts and returning to post the follow up comment...

I dont like the way your dictionary describes the meaning of racist, not your fault, im going to look into it.

Thanks again to everybody.