POLICE follow this van ???

Lum

People with a nut allergy can be allergic to peanuts, and vice versa, yes. That doesn't mean that it's guaranteed, or that the majority are allergic to both.

Fact is if you're allergic to nuts but not peanuts, and then one day someone contaminates your peanuts with tree nuts and doesn't label it, you're going to be suing them, or your next of kin will sue them on your behalf.

[Deleted User]

What has peanuts got to do with Police follow this van? Prefer not to have stupid answers

Lum

Came from someone on page 1 comparing the warning to a "may contain nuts" warning on a pack of peanuts.

squack

Sorry folks I can see the funny side but I am a bit uneasy about the "no bananas in the van overnight" logo.

Although not a hate crime in itself of course, I think it could be construed as an insensitive and veiled racist statement, in that it presumes that those with a penchant for bananas would be thieving types likely to break into the van and steal them at night, were those specific fruit to remain in the vehicle.

Remember the bad old days when certain footballers had bananas thrown at them on the football pitch, and the August 2011 riots are still raw in the minds of many people. Have some respect.

I could imagine that if a black employee refused to drive the van with this slogan on, and was sacked, he would have good cause to sue for constructive dismissal and discrimination.

There is a wide range of other fruit available, maybe "pomegranates" would be too long a word to fit on the van, but bananas are too controversial to use as bait, people need to think through what they are writing before sticking it on a van for all to see and driving around in a multi cultural urban inner city environment.

Not "Plums" though as that fruit also has connotations and could upset yet another sector of our community.

not Melons either. nor Kumquats.

I believe sign written commercial vehicles are covered by the advertising standards authority who in the past have ruled that offensive signage be removed.

Am I over reacting or do I have a valid point.

edwardw

squack wrote: »

Sorry folks I can see the funny side but I am a bit uneasy about the "no bananas in the van overnight" logo.

Although not a hate crime in itself of course, I think it could be construed as an insensitive and veiled racist statement, in that it presumes that those with a penchant for bananas would be thieving types likely to break into the van and steal them at night, were those specific fruit to remain in the vehicle.

Remember the bad old days when certain footballers had bananas thrown at them on the football pitch, and the August 2011 riots are still raw in the minds of many people. Have some respect.

I could imagine that if a black employee refused to drive the van with this slogan on, and was sacked, he would have good cause to sue for constructive dismissal and discrimination.

There is a wide range of other fruit available, maybe "pomegranates" would be too long a word to fit on the van, but bananas are too controversial to use as bait, people need to think through what they are writing before sticking it on a van for all to see and driving around in a multi cultural urban inner city environment.

Not "Plums" though as that fruit also has connotations and could upset yet another sector of our community.

not Melons either. nor Kumquats.

I believe sign written commercial vehicles are covered by the advertising standards authority who in the past have ruled that offensive signage be removed.

Am I over reacting or do I have a valid point.

:O
Your over reacting, pretty sure that was never the intention

MoneyHungry

squack wrote: »

Sorry folks I can see the funny side but I am a bit uneasy about the "no bananas in the van overnight" logo.

Although not a hate crime in itself of course, I think it could be construed as an insensitive and veiled racist statement, in that it presumes that those with a penchant for bananas would be thieving types likely to break into the van and steal them at night, were those specific fruit to remain in the vehicle.

Remember the bad old days when certain footballers had bananas thrown at them on the football pitch, and the August 2011 riots are still raw in the minds of many people. Have some respect.

I could imagine that if a black employee refused to drive the van with this slogan on, and was sacked, he would have good cause to sue for constructive dismissal and discrimination.

There is a wide range of other fruit available, maybe "pomegranates" would be too long a word to fit on the van, but bananas are too controversial to use as bait, people need to think through what they are writing before sticking it on a van for all to see and driving around in a multi cultural urban inner city environment.

Not "Plums" though as that fruit also has connotations and could upset yet another sector of our community.

not Melons either. nor Kumquats.

I believe sign written commercial vehicles are covered by the advertising standards authority who in the past have ruled that offensive signage be removed.

Am I over reacting or do I have a valid point.

I think you need to get out the house! :rotfl:

Lum

So you're saying that there is a correlation between being black and the liking of bananas?

Isn't that itself a bit of a racist stereotype to be basing your argument on?

Tiddlywinks

squack wrote: »

Sorry folks I can see the funny side but I am a bit uneasy about the "no bananas in the van overnight" logo.

Although not a hate crime in itself of course, I think it could be construed as an insensitive and veiled racist statement, in that it presumes that those with a penchant for bananas would be thieving types likely to break into the van and steal them at night, were those specific fruit to remain in the vehicle.

....................

Am I over reacting or do I have a valid point.

YES you are overreacting...

I'd also say that the fact that you even took a racist message from that line says a lot about your inner thoughts and how you see the world... it had never even occurred to me that bananas = automatic racism.

Why do some people actively look for ways to take offence?

squack

Lum wrote: »

So you're saying that there is a correlation between being black and the liking of bananas?

Isn't that itself a bit of a racist stereotype to be basing your argument on?

not at all, there is a cultural precedent here

do you think the racist "fans" throwing bananas at John Barnes were trying to make him slip on the peel?

or an ignorant stereotype associating bananas with monkeys

it is a hate crime like the guy who left a pigs head at the mosque :money:

Lum

Well I always though that the throwing bananas thing is because bananas are associated with Africa, not because a stereotype exists that black people prefer bananas*. Personally I don't think the actions of football hooligans should be allowed to create a precident.

That said, if this really is a thinly veilled racist message, it explains why the Daily Mail saw fit to publish it as news!


*I thought that particular stereotype involved watermelons.