President of Ohio State University Gordon Gee makes racist slur against Poland

Not a joke he invented so it would difficult to warrant an issued apology.

"When we had these 18 colleges all kind of floating around, they were kind of like PT Boats, they were shooting each other," Gee said. "It was kind of like the Polish army or something. I have no idea what it was."

As nervous laughter arose in the audience of a couple hundred listeners at a Columbus Metropolitan Club monthly forum, Gee said, "Oh, never mind, who did I embarrass now?" A moment later he said: "I'll have to raise money for Poland now."

Gee did not apologize afterward, and stumbled a bit in responding to questions about the propriety of the remark.

"Now if you're going to say I was saying something bad about Poland, I'm not," he said. "I could have used some other term, I guess, then."

From an intellectual standpoint he used the reference correctly to describe a situation as he saw it.

The Polish American Congress

So making fun of blacks is racism. Making fun of gays is homophobia. Making fun of Poland it's a freedom of speech.

Let me exercise mine than: Brits are ... oh, why waste my time caring about some arrogant bastards.

-.- I have no words, just that facial expression.

Making fun of Poland it's a freedom of speech.

Really? No comments, PF?

It's entirely possible that the man in question is stupid enough to believe the myth about the Polish army charging tanks while on horseback

Can we now talk about Polish politicians telling racist jokes about Obama so as to show that there are idiots in all nations?

the ability to get over oneself - a dying skill these days....

So making fun of blacks is racism. Making fun of gays is homophobia. Making fun of Poland it's a freedom of speech.

Can we now talk about Polish politicians telling racist jokes about Obama so as to show that there are idiots in all nations?

a general opinion of a conceited, ignorant, lazy ass, fat Yank that is shared by the rest of civilized societies around the world of Yanks in general is well deserved and of your own making

I know only about one such case. Were there others?

I feel really sorry for all those Polish Americans who had to grow up in such enviroment.

Entertain us, limey.

The free speech the US posters go on about here means he was free to express the situation as he saw fit.

Nice to respond to a thread about comments which might or might not be racist with a comment that most certainly is racist

Freedom of Speech is (in my view) not a right to mock or abuse for the sake of it, and such line of justification must be disabused.

So you would agree that racially abusing British people can not be excused as merely "light-hearted" references to a person's ethnic background, as Western Australia's attorney general claimed? You would agree with the Ethnic Communities Council of WA that 'pommy' is just as racist as 'n!gger'?

With all respect, not really, given his position, context of the speech, the audience, and so on. Freedom of Speech is (in my view) not a right to mock or abuse for the sake of it, and such line of justification must be disabused.

I've referred to OW Holmes' postulation in another thread that Freedom of Speech does not validate someone shouting "Fire" in a crowded theatre, and I think this is apposite here (though obviously no one ran for their lives when old mate ridiculed Poles).

What do you think? Do you agree that there should be some sort of a 'common sense' test applied to this Freedom?

Is British really a 'race'? It's Groundhog Day!

According to your own countrymen, they are and the word 'pommy' is just as racist as 'n!gger'. According to other of your countrymen, the word is perfectly acceptable when used in just and without insults.