Thread: The crisis in Syria

Originally Posted by Hanna

If you think you're insulting me by insulting British men, you are wasting your time.

(1) Even if I really believed -- which I don't! -- that 98.07% of British men enjoy having sex with other men, I would hope it should be rather obvious by now that I don't personally consider it insulting to suggest that a person is homosexual -- for the same reason that you wouldn't consider it insulting if I said that 98.07% of British men are secretly Swedish.

(2) In any case, it was a joke -- the point being that to make guesses about a man's religion because his name is "David Goulding" is as ridiculous as making guesses about a man's sexual orientation because he's British.


PS Of course, there ARE names -- or forms of names -- that are particularly associated with one religion or another -- a Christian boy is unlikely to be named "Shlomo", a Jewish boy is unlikely to be named "Christopher", and neither of these boys is likely to be named "Muhammad"! However, neither "David" nor "Goulding" happens to be one of those names that are strongly linked to a particular faith, at least in English.

Originally Posted by Throbert McGee

(1) Even if I really believed -- which I don't! -- that 98.07% of British men enjoy having sex with other men, I would hope it should be rather obvious by now that I don't personally consider it insulting to suggest that a person is homosexual -- for the same reason that you wouldn't consider it insulting if I said that 98.07% of British men are secretly Swedish.

(2) In any case, it was a joke -- the point being that to make guesses about a man's religion because his name is "David Goulding" is as ridiculous as making guesses about a man's sexual orientation because he's British.


PS Of course, there ARE names -- or forms of names -- that are particularly associated with one religion or another -- a Christian boy is unlikely to be named "Shlomo", a Jewish boy is unlikely to be named "Christopher", and neither of these boys is likely to be named "Muhammad"! However, neither "David" nor "Goulding" happens to be one of those names that are strongly linked to a particular faith, at least in English.

My last name is Armstrong. Unfortunately, it doesn't mean I get to be an astronaut or an Olympic skier either )))))

That said, I can't count the times people have asked me if I'm related......

Originally Posted by Deborski

My last name is Armstrong. Unfortunately, it doesn't mean I get to be an astronaut or an Olympic skier either )))))

That said, I can't count the times people have asked me if I'm related......

A great surname! But why did you not mention the jazz singer? He is definitely more famous than the Olympic skier. At least in Russia

I knew two Armstrongs until now: the astronaut and the musician. Now I know four

Originally Posted by Боб Уайтман

A great surname! But why did you not mention the jazz singer? He is definitely more famous than the Olympic skier. At least in Russia

I knew two Armstrongs until now: the astronaut and the musician. Now I know four

I doubt that anybody would ask Deborah about her relation to a black guy

Originally Posted by Боб Уайтман

A great surname! But why did you not mention the jazz singer? He is definitely more famous than the Olympic skier. At least in Russia

I knew two Armstrongs until now: the astronaut and the musician. Now I know four

Well, it would be a great honor if anyone thought I was related to Louis Armstrong, but since I am white, people rarely make that connection )))