Words

In spite of myself, I find Channel 4's "Big Brother" both fascinating and addictive. It's like you are a fly on the wall in somebody else's house. There is no script. Watching it, you are adding to your knowledge of humanity. The concept is quite brilliant. Although the contestants are surrounded by technology, there is a sense in which their life in the house goes back years to times when people were pretty much trapped in their homes, without TV or reading material. You had to get along with others and make the most of things.

This last week nineteen year old drama student Emily Parr was officially booted out of the house for usinfg the offensive term "nigger" to Charley who is of mixed race. The word was not used in a heated row or angry outburst but in a playful dance session. Perhaps Emily thought she was somehow being cool or streetwise - using a taboo word in a rather daring but well-intentioned way.

Emily Parr (19)

This is how Channel 4 reported Emily's removal:-

"Contestant Emily Parr was removed from the Big Brother House in the early hours of this morning after using a racially offensive word to a fellow housemate. Emily was with Charley and Nicky in the garden of the Big Brother House at approximately 8.30pm last night when she was heard to say "Are you pushing it out you nigger?" to Charley.

Emily immediately made clear that she had not intended to offend and that the comment had been meant as a joke. In discussing what she had said, Charley and Nicky agreed that they were not personally offended, although both did express shock at the language she had used. In the ensuing discussion, Emily acknowledged that she should have been more careful with her words."

Charley could have said to Emily - or Emily to Charley - "You disgusting and worthless worm! I hope your reproductive organs shrivel up and that your mother gets run over by a bus while we are in this house! You whore! You bitch! You sub-human moron!" None of that would have caused removal but the word "nigger" - then the politically correct racism alarm bells start ringing like crazy and out goes Emily to live with her little mistake for the rest of her life. It will always be there.

The word "nigger" comes from the Latin word "niger" meaning "black" and its history is quite fascinating. It is a word that hasn't always had negative or insulting connotations. Personally I would never use this word mainly because I like to take people as I find them be they black, white, disabled, rich, poor, young, old or whatever. Labelling like this is usually irritating because it seeks to define and pigeonhole people before you really get to know them.

Emily's story makes us realise how much store others can place in the words that we use. Just one misplaced word can change your life... or perhaps two words if we include "I do"!