Lawmakers, Muslims criticize Prince Harry over racist comments

My guess is that these comments are more reflective of racism and prejudice among British officers--if not the military as a whole--than they are of an attitude among the royals. The 24-year-old prince will try to fit into an organization much larger than himself. Should he have said these things? No. But the net result may yet be positive if it serves to root out a more deeply-seated prejudice.

Much ado about nothing. Harry is the royal family's little rascal, ... and?

He's just like his Dad who made some racist comments (among many) a few years ago.

Well, calling someone a "r_ghead" is tooo much! The fool, I guess he needs to read more Ghandi. Anyway, said fool has only painted a BIGGER target on the back of his uniform for his next trip to Afghanistan, where bush's personal army has bungled everything and STILL can't find Osama Bin Laden(pbuh).

If they think that's the worst language one can hear in the British Army they are living on another planet. People should save their righteous outrage for stuff that actually counts.

Sick little guy. I agree with a couple of Sez's points that it's more likely reflective of talk in the military as a whole. Still utterly inexcusable, and he needs further reprimanding. I think a demotion might be a start.

didn't know Paki was derogatory. Even heard them call themselves that here in Tokyo.

Apparently the term r*aghead is offensive.

Apparently? Almost any word can be offensive if used with the intent to disparage, belittle, stereotype or otherwise diminish. I'm not sure how anyone could not have noticed that this particular term is almost always used as a derogatorily.

The first statement might have gotten past any outrage, but this statement is out of line.

In a second video clip, Harry calls another cadet—who is wearing a headscarf—a “rag.....”

Another size 12 event. < :-)

didn't know Paki was derogatory. Even heard them call themselves that here in Tokyo.

I always felt it was derogatory. But then again, I can't see how it would be any different from calling someone an Aussie, which for some reason is acceptable. I guess its not the word itself, but the context in which it is used.

I have a good British-Pakistani friend in London and everyone calls him Paki; he always takes it in a good light around his mates. I don't feel comfortable using it, so I always use his first name. But he refers to me as 'the white bloke' or 'whitey' to his parents and friends in the UK.

Still, there was a rule some years back in the States which said that it was OK for someone in a minority group to stereotype a member of their own group or a member of the majority group, but not conversely for a majority member to stereotype or racially label someone in the minority.

Strewth, the lad was only larking about like.

You should have heard the words we used in Britain in them old days!! It's all stick and stones and that. People in Britain is too much politivally correct nowadays. I remeber we used to have a half Irish half Pakistani bloke down the pub, Paki Paddy we called him ,a dn he didn't bat a bleeding eyelid.

Leave Harry alone, at least he is serving his country and his mummy.

What is sick here is not the little guy as someone deemed it necessary to say. It's the exaggerated sensational reporting on meaningless trifles that occurred long ago. Give the man a break and focus on reforming the national attitude of a country and in the process examine your own record. Please.

Phil the Greek: Like grandaddy like grandson AlfGarnet: No he didn't bat a bleeding eyelid. No sir, he just went to Yemen and became a you know what... say no more, wink wink, nudge nudge.

Jack: "I always felt it was derogatory. But then again, I can't see how it would be any different from calling someone an Aussie, which for some reason is acceptable. I guess its not the word itself, but the context in which it is used."

I don't know the etymology of 'Aussie', but it's not in the least used as offensive. 'Paki', on the other hand, is. Not all of these 'nicknames' or what have you start off as racial or just plain epithets, but they sometimes do, and as you say, it's usually based on context. I could list dozens and their histories, and when they became offensive, but I don't really want to turn this into a lesson on etymology, particularly since it's getting off topic.

In Britain, it seems, there is indeed a tendency to use what are often racist or otherwise derogatory terms often in an affectionate way amongst friends and acquaintances, but in Harry's case, at least with the "ragh---" stuff, he was WAY off.

"Dogs may bark, but people go about their business"

I like that.

He's just like his Dad who made some racist comments (among many) a few years ago.

No. I'd say, like grandfather, like grandson. Agree with unsrejects. His grandfather has a really vile mouth and never beat about bush when it came to making racist remarks, even when abroad.

I have a good British-Pakistani friend in London and everyone calls him Paki; he always takes it in a good light around his mates. I don't feel comfortable using it, so I always use his first name. But he refers to me as 'the white bloke' or 'whitey' to his parents and friends in the UK.

I dare you to go to some place like Southall or indeed anywhere in the cities and say the word 'paki' to a South Asian. If they're old, they may look at you in disgust. And if they're young, they may punch you in the face.

Strewth, you don't get many Pakistanis in Britain using violence against teh general population. They know their station, oh yes, so does Harry.

As a member of teh Royal Family who chose to risk his life for his country, he has a right to having a lark with his pals. Nobody got hurt innit!

What is the big hoo ha abaht. Just PC rubbish gone mad i reckon!

Is it any surprise given Prince Harry's country of origin. Prince Harry's compatriots here like to talk how backwards and unaware the US is, leading one to believe that either the apple doesn't fall far from the tree or the English art of hypocricy is alive and well.

Are we so insane and thin-skinned these days that this is even news? And you'd think many of you on here were Saints as certainly you've never said ANYTHING that could be considered derogatory to a certain race or people. Being American, and generally hated and criticized/ridiculed for nothing other than my nationality (and nothing to do with my saintly personality of course), I can say it's all utter rubbish. I used to listen to Louis Farrakhan on the radio for laughs - he called us all 'white devils' every sunday - but it was never in the news nor did anyone care.

He's talking to his mates - who cares? Every serviceman likely uses the same terms. Right? Not really but it's certainly not news-worthy nor anything to get your knickers in a bunch. The current trend towards over-sensitivity to any remark is increasingly annoying. Grow a pair and thicken your skins a bit. Let's worry about whether we're or not we're in soup lines this time next year rather than a Prince calling someone a Paki.

I can see the politicians saying that Harry shouldn't have said those things. But Muslims say all sorts of nasty things about non-Muslims, especially EU citizens. When the Muslims start criticizing their own then they have the right to criticize Harry as well.

As far as the comments about the royals owning the US there are conspiracy theories based on old royal charters and bank contracts from before the US revolutionary war that some say are still being paid. I have no more information on this but I have heard it once before.

Thicker skins would be welcome all around. People are so hypersensitive these days you wonder how they can function at all.

every bit as tactful as his grandad

"at least he is serving his country"

'at's right! So many others who are tearing him down have never served.