Prince Harry a racist?

[Amby 490]

Britain's Prince Harry will be grilled by top army brass on Monday over his use of racist remarks after a self-filmed video was released showing him calling an army colleague a "Paki" and telling another he looked like a "raghead."

Lawmakers, Muslim groups and the Pakistani public criticized Harry on Sunday after a British newspaper published video footage of him using offensive and racist language.

Harry, third in line to the British throne and an army lieutenant, issued an apology on Saturday after the News of The World reported that he had used offensive terms to refer to people from Pakistan and people of Arab descent.

Britain's opposition Conservative Party leader, David Cameron, said Harry's comments undermined work to root out racism from the country's armed forces. "It is obviously a completely unacceptable thing to say," Cameron told the BBC.

The paper reported that Harry made the remarks in 2006 during a visit to Cyprus to carry out training exercises with fellow military cadets. In part of the video apparently filmed by Harry himself, he refers to one colleague as "our little paki friend" — using a derogatory term for people of Pakistani origin.

Iftikhar Raja told the BBC the cadet was his nephew Ahmed Raza Khan, who he said is now a captain in Pakistan's army. He said Khan graduated from the Sandhurst military school in 2006 and received an award from Queen Elizabeth II as the best overseas officer cadet.

"We expect better from our Royal Family on whom we spend millions and millions of pounds for training and schooling," Raja told the BBC.

In a second video clip, Harry calls another cadet — who is wearing a headscarf — a "raghead." The newspaper said that the video was filmed by other cadets and supplied to the newspaper.

Harry's language "is sickening, and he should be thoroughly ashamed of himself," said Mohammed Shafiq, director of the Ramadan Foundation — a British Muslim youth organization.

Labour Party lawmaker Khalid Mahmood, a Muslim, also criticized Harry over the comments. "He needs to understand that this is not acceptable, especially in light of the office that he is going to hold in the army and as a member of the royal family," Mahmood said.

St. James's Palace — the office of Harry and his older brother, Prince William — said on Saturday that Harry was sorry for any offense caused by his use of the word "paki." Spokesman Patrick Harrison said that Harry had used the other offensive term to refer to either the Taliban or Iraqi insurgents.

In Pakistan, many people reacted angrily to the report.

"Anything like this is unacceptable to us, even to anyone around the world. We have all the abilities to call the prince something or anything, and things about his father and mother, but we don't do that because we believe that is wrong," said Mohammad Arslan, a 33-year-old technician in the capital, Islamabad.

Barkat Ali, a 46-year-old driver in Islamabad, said the comments were regrettable, and called on Pakistan's government to seek an explanation from Harry and British leaders.

But Ibrar Ahmed, a schoolteacher in Multan, said most people had more important things to worry about. "Let's be fair about it. Dogs may bark, but people go about their business," Ahmed said.

Harry served with the British Army in Afghanistan for 10 weeks last year, but was withdrawn from the combat zone after his previously secret deployment became public.

Harry's behavior has hit the headlines several times before. He has previously acknowledged drinking underage and smoking marijuana. In January 2005, he apologized after being pictured in a newspaper at a costume party dressed as a Nazi, complete with a swastika armband.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,479164,00.html

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

He certainly doesn't have very good judgement, given his position.

[Ban Hammer 12,836]

awww the royal family lays another goose egg.

[Yoink 7]

IN a fraternal order name calling is very common. He was in Grunt mode barking orders and not thinking in a capacity of "its not so unlikely that I could be King of England one day"

Just because I might be president one day it isnt fair that a camera caught me calling a friend of mine a faggot or a whatever.

This will blow over faster than a hooker in a motel room with an 8 ball

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

IN a fraternal order name calling is very common. He was in Grunt mode barking orders and not thinking in a capacity of "its not so unlikely that I could be King of England one day"

Just because I might be president one day it isnt fair that a camera caught me calling a friend of mine a faggot or a whatever.

This will blow over faster than a hooker in a motel room with an 8 ball

I doubt it to be honest. Harry kind of has a history of doing things that are... "ill-advised" for someone in his position.

Nothing of course that is uncommon in someone of his age, or in the context of a rowdy military unit - but the public perception of him is determined by the media, so whether its fair or not - he does get judged according to different standards, not least because the public purse is paying for his (and his family's) upkeep.

[Yoink 7]

IN a fraternal order name calling is very common. He was in Grunt mode barking orders and not thinking in a capacity of "its not so unlikely that I could be King of England one day"

Just because I might be president one day it isnt fair that a camera caught me calling a friend of mine a faggot or a whatever.

This will blow over faster than a hooker in a motel room with an 8 ball

I doubt it to be honest. Harry kind of has a history of doing things that are... "ill-advised" for someone in his position.

Nothing of course that is uncommon in someone of his age, or in the context of a rowdy military unit - but the public perception of him is determined by the media, so whether its fair or not - he does get judged according to different standards, not least because the public purse is paying for his (and his family's) upkeep.

If his bro becomes King and Harry becomes top-gun in their military it wont really matter if the public has a negative perception. William is the face and Harry presses the buttons.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

IN a fraternal order name calling is very common. He was in Grunt mode barking orders and not thinking in a capacity of "its not so unlikely that I could be King of England one day"

Just because I might be president one day it isnt fair that a camera caught me calling a friend of mine a faggot or a whatever.

This will blow over faster than a hooker in a motel room with an 8 ball

I doubt it to be honest. Harry kind of has a history of doing things that are... "ill-advised" for someone in his position.

Nothing of course that is uncommon in someone of his age, or in the context of a rowdy military unit - but the public perception of him is determined by the media, so whether its fair or not - he does get judged according to different standards, not least because the public purse is paying for his (and his family's) upkeep.

If his bro becomes King and Harry becomes top-gun in their military it wont really matter if the public has a negative perception. William is the face and Harry presses the buttons.

It won't happen.

[Yoink 7]

IN a fraternal order name calling is very common. He was in Grunt mode barking orders and not thinking in a capacity of "its not so unlikely that I could be King of England one day"

Just because I might be president one day it isnt fair that a camera caught me calling a friend of mine a faggot or a whatever.

This will blow over faster than a hooker in a motel room with an 8 ball

I doubt it to be honest. Harry kind of has a history of doing things that are... "ill-advised" for someone in his position.

Nothing of course that is uncommon in someone of his age, or in the context of a rowdy military unit - but the public perception of him is determined by the media, so whether its fair or not - he does get judged according to different standards, not least because the public purse is paying for his (and his family's) upkeep.

If his bro becomes King and Harry becomes top-gun in their military it wont really matter if the public has a negative perception. William is the face and Harry presses the buttons.

It won't happen.

and that really doesnt affect me either way. Though if the US and UK maintain very close relations in terms of military strategy I might want someone who is a little edgy and has to answer to his older brother and king. It makes military decisions a little more important because you can't just dismiss some random general for failing to accomplish military objectives when he is second in line to be king

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

You do know that Britain is a monarchy in name only, right?

The head of State doesn't have any actual power...

[thetreble 19]

IN a fraternal order name calling is very common. He was in Grunt mode barking orders and not thinking in a capacity of "its not so unlikely that I could be King of England one day"

Just because I might be president one day it isnt fair that a camera caught me calling a friend of mine a faggot or a whatever.

This will blow over faster than a hooker in a motel room with an 8 ball

I doubt it to be honest. Harry kind of has a history of doing things that are... "ill-advised" for someone in his position.

Nothing of course that is uncommon in someone of his age, or in the context of a rowdy military unit - but the public perception of him is determined by the media, so whether its fair or not - he does get judged according to different standards, not least because the public purse is paying for his (and his family's) upkeep.

Agreed. It's hard to understand if you don't already understand the royal family and their supposed conduct. I've said things around my friends that I shouldn't have, but if I knew I was being scrutinized under a microscope you better believe I would have long shut my mouth, brigade or no brigade.

You do know that Britain is a monarchy in name only, right?

The head of State doesn't have any actual power...

Just like the queen is the head of state in Canada and has no power. Constitutional Monarchy...I don't think he gets it.

[Yoink 7]

yes aware... but I dont think prime ministers and parliments want to commit political suicide telling Kings and Princes what to do

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I'm not against the monarchy, but I do think that some of them need to be kicked off the gravy train. Those that do nothing to represent the country (like Prince Edward) and unethical jerks like Prince Charles.

yes aware... but I dont think prime ministers and parliments want to commit political suicide telling Kings and Princes what to do

You don't think that happens?

It does - it just happens behind closed doors, rather than publicly (though Maggie Thatcher got pretty close to that)

[DeadPoolX 9]

Just like the queen is the head of state in Canada and has no power. Constitutional Monarchy...I don't think he gets it.

I know the Queen (and the royal family) are more for show than anything else, but having the monarchy as my head-of-state still rubs me the wrong way. Maybe it's because I'm American and, in general, the U.S. tends to frown upon monarchies. Whatever the reason is, I don't think anyone should technically be the leader of one's country -- whether it's a formality or not -- simply because they were born into it.

[broma25 2]

He is walking in his Grandfathers footsteps......Prince Phillip has been known to drop a blunder or two..lol

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Prince Philip is worse (as was the Queen Mum by all accounts), but they're of a different time.

His "spend any more time here and you'll go slitty eyed" comments in China and (to aborigines) "do you still chuck spears at each other" were pretty appalling.