The word "Pikey"

[Dukat]

Hey all!

I was wondering, how many of you lot consider the word "Pikey" to be a racist term?

Just interested in seeing how many do really - I'd never thought of it as such, as its my Source alias, never had any trouble at all untill suddenly one of my regular servers banned me for using it, saying its a "racist term" and is "derogatory to the irish and travelling community".

As its my online name, I'm kinda annoyed to learn that some may see it as racism, probably its just a sign of the "politically correct" times we live in, but I'm still interested to see if many people think the same way.

EDIT: gah, was trying to post a poll with this with "do you think this word is racist" as the question and yes/no as the answer, could a mod sort it out for me? np if not

 

[Chilly]

well it certainly is derogatory and I and people I know only ever use it as such.

 

[Raven]

For me its not necessarily used to describe purely Irish travellers or Romanic gypsies but more a social class - thieving freeloaders

 

[Chilly]

fuck it, sorry for the quad post but im on the shittiest wifi link ever and im not spending 10 minutes deleting them all

 

[Dukat]

well it certainly is derogatory and I and people I know only ever use it as such.

Maybe its a mild slang insult, but what I meant is: would you class it on the same level as "properly racist" terms.

 

[throdgrain]

Pikey, or "do as you likey" seems perfectly accpetable to me But on the shooting forum I visit, its banned, even though they all make me look like a left winger !
Go figure

 

[Dukat]

For me its not necessarily used to describe purely Irish travellers or Romanic gypsies but more a social class - thieving freeloaders

Thats kinda what I was after - its more or less the same for me, aimed only vaguely, not a definately and specificly targetted insult that denotes an exact race or religion, which I what I had always thought the word "racist" meant.

I originally took the name from the film snatch, I mean the words used almost solid throughout the entire film, I wouldnt have thought it would've done that if the word had of been a "proper" racist insult.

 

[evzy]

I suppose it could be seen as racist tbh - not something I had even given much thought to. The "Well it was used in Snatch loads" argument doesnt really mean anything though - how many films has the N work been used in, doesnt mean its acceptable in everyday language etc..

Personally I wouldnt be offended by it, but then I am not a Pikey.... and like any of em can play CS:S etc when they live in caravans

 

[throdgrain]

God, they're not a race, they're just a collection of scum on caravans.

 

[Will]

You have no idea how hard it was to add that poll, with the forum timing out constantly.

And pikey can be pretty racist. It depends on the context etc etc. *looks up at throd*

Wub j00 throd. xx

 

[Yaka]

it is an insult,

i dont consider it a racist insult,

and yep if a gipsie clan is parked up in the local park/fottie pitch then i use it as pretty much in all cases the ***** have broken in to my house or car and walk upto me asking if i wana buy my own shit back.


one question tho why are alot of pikeys gingas as well?

 

[throdgrain]

You have no idea how hard it was to add that poll, with the forum timing out constantly.

And pikey can be pretty racist. It depends on the context etc etc. *looks up at throd*

Wub j00 throd. xx

You have to understand mate, sometimes just because it ticks several boxes in the PC book of whats-right-and-wrong, dont mean its not completely correct.
99% of "travellers" or "shitheads" as I prefer to call then, make a living ripping people off and consider anyone not of thier ilk to be outsiders and fair game. You can make what you want of that, its still the truth.

 

[Wij]

You have to understand mate, sometimes just because it ticks several boxes in the PC book of whats-right-and-wrong, dont mean its not completely correct.
99% of "travellers" or "shitheads" as I prefer to call then, make a living ripping people off and consider anyone not of thier ilk to be outsiders and fair game. You can make what you want of that, its still the truth.

The ones where I used to live considered it quite outside the norm to marry anyone who wasn't their sister/daughter and the ones near my uncle nick his animals almost daily. I therefore consider distrust of travellers mandatory.

I aer teh raciest \o/

 

[Mazling]

So the question is: are 100% authentic "pikeys" worse than regular "travelling shitheads" ?

 

[phazey]

Soon to be known as "the P word".........

 

[Deebs]

Hmm

Interesting. I use the word pikey to describe scrotes who have no wealth, dress shabbily, have dirt under their fingernails, will take any shit off someone and try and flog it.

Much like gypo's.

 

[leggy]

"travellers" or "shitheads" as I prefer to call them

Love it.

Oh and it can't be racist if it doesn't apply to an entire race. Travelling in mobile dwellings doesn't count as a race. Unless the caravans are really fast.

It's definitely derogatory but so what?

I'm called a haggis eating jock twat on a regular basis and I never take offence. Honest.

 

[mank!]

haggis eating jock twat

 

[Wij]

English-tax-sapping-buckie-swilling-low-life-expectancy-crap-football-teamed-**** !

Wow - this is fun. You should have told us you didn't mind sooner !

 

[tris-]

one question tho why are alot of pikeys gingas as well?

dont most of them descend from ireland? if films and TV taught me anything its that 95% of irish people are ginger, so that may explain it. a prime example is back to the future 3 where marty mcfly goes to the wild west to meat his great great great great great grandad.

 

[dysfunction]

Interesting. I use the word pikey to describe scrotes who have no wealth, dress shabbily, have dirt under their fingernails, will take any shit off someone and try and flog it.

This is my view of it as well...

Hardly a racist term as it could apply to any scumbag...

 

[Bodhi]

Pikeys aren't a race, they're a class. So no it isn't racist, it's classist. But when the class are penniless thieving wanderer fucktards I wouldn't trust with a Mars bar, the fuckers deserve everything they get.

It's a sad day when I can't call people pikeys for having no money. I'd feel a bit upper class calling them peasants.

 

[Dukat]

Cheers Will for putting the poll up

Love it.

Oh and it can't be racist if it doesn't apply to an entire race. Travelling in mobile dwellings doesn't count as a race. Unless the caravans are really fast.
It's definitely derogatory but so what?

Rofl

This is kinda what I thought though, strange to see a couple of yes's, but I guess its all down to opinion.

To me its an insult, but its more akin to "chav" or whatever than the more uh, 'nasty' racial insults that get people sacked etc. I wouldnt consider the word "chav" racist, and as pikey is on the same level but denotes a different set of people, I wouldnt class it as racist either

Just the fact that I got banned from a server I was a regular on made me wonder at how people thought about the word.

 

[Ch3tan]

leggy and Bodhi, fucking LOL. I'd rep you, but it won't let me.

 

[MYstIC G]

Oh and it can't be racist if it doesn't apply to an entire race. Travelling in mobile dwellings doesn't count as a race. Unless the caravans are really fast.

Like this?

 

[Kryten]

If you're find this thread offensive, you're probably a pikey. Return this computer to it's rightful owner and GET THE FUCK OFF THEIR LAND.

 

[Dukat]

If you're find this thread offensive, you're probably a pikey. Return this computer to it's rightful owner and GET THE FUCK OFF THEIR LAND.

rofl, this made me laugh