Father Of Cadet Insulted By Prince Harry: "Sorry's Not Good Enough"

The father of a Sandhurst recruit called a 'Paki' by Prince Harry has condemned it as a 'disgraceful insult'.

Muhammad Yaqoob Khan Abbasi said yesterday that he was 'hurt and angry'.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[littleBrit]

This represents one of Princess Diana's worst nightmares, that her sons would be hounded by the puerile media gossip that ended so tragically for her.

[Furby]

I though you were going to say, Diana's worst nightmare, that her sons would turn out to be the same kind of cads that haunted her all her life.

[Sapna]

True

[madashellvoter]

Don't you mean Princess Diana's worst nightmare that her son has turned into an intolerant, racist bigot that her ex father-in-law is!

[worldwithoutus]

your right appease everyone except the white guy. dont hurt mohameds son little feelings it seems everyone takes everything to seriousley,get over it

[stanschurman]

She lapped up the attention from the press.

[pangurban]

I think he should resign his princeship!

[southwindow]

can you do that?

[jamo02110]

FYI - He is a Prince. Doesn't have to apologize for anything..

[Sapna]

Oh yeah? He looks like Bu sh ie in training with these kinds of episodes

[midwestgayguy]

Harry is so freakin handsome. Does he ever take a bad picture?

[Sapna]

Dude, are you kidding me? He has the "spoiled brat" looks and not handsome at all mostly because of his ugly behavior

[southwindow]

being hansom has nothing to do with behavior. a spoiled brat could look like anyone. stop being so shallow.

[rzan1]

He is indeed handsome.

[MaracaKabob]

The Brits need to be more careful when they refer to people by a shortened version their country name.

[Takae]

What? Britain is very well aware of that. Why do you think there's a media fuss over this right now? :)

[worldwithoutus]

he better be careful or britians world standing will be damaged or is usa the only country that cares what france thinks

[LarBear]

LMAO....

I served for four years aboard a Destroyer... I recall an exchange when a Gunner's Mate transferred aboard... The Gunner's Mates slept on one side of the Compartment and Torpedoman, Sonarman bunked on the other side... I believe the "New to our ship Guy" was a 3rd Class (E -4)... He asked if that was where the Gunner's Mates bunked...

One of the Gunner's replied yes and asked him if he was married... He replied , "Yes, I am"... "Is she any good in bed," he was asked? The Reply: "Not as good as your Mother was last night"... The whole compartment laughed and he was welcomed aboard as a good guy who could take it and hand it back... It was NOT taken Personally, nor was it meant Personally...

Yes, people who put their Life on the Line for their Nation can have a rough humor, as any who have served are well aware... Sooooooo.... To the Father making it Personal and seeking attention... GET OVER IT!

[Furby]

So what you're saying is that the female personnel who serve as, say, nurses in mobile hospitals can make "stupid man" jokes in front of the patients, or talk about having extra-marital sex while her husband is deployed, or the like, and that would be perfectly acceptable discussion in front of bed-ridden wounded soldiers? Well now that we understand each other, girls, no holds barred.

[HHarvey]

Why yes Furby it would be interesting to hear what the female personnel say to one another as we both know they don't bunk in the same place as the men. Also, as the wife of a firefighter who works with women firefighters the only women who last in the department are those who don't take themselves so seriously.

[RightWingMarine]

It's so sickening to listen to someone complain about how offended they are over what someone said. As if their feelings and self-worth is what everyone is driving for. Don't like the name the Prince called your kid? Get over it given your kids occupation (war-fighter) if that is the worse thing that happens to him then he came out pretty well. But instead of recognizing that not everyone will like you the father demands more apologies to him, the nation, the people... His goal is to try and embarass the Brits, that's all.

[Furby]

The Brits are quite capable of embarrassing themselves without anyone's help :)

[topkatnc]

Much to do about NOTHING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[greendream]

Reminds me of what George Allen of Virginia did. If a video camera is pointed in your general direction...don't say anything racist. Not that anyone should say anything racist anyway but what happened to basic common sense? You are in the spotlight and stuff you do gets written up. Not fair but that's the way it is.

And I get offended every time I see or hear the words "Washington Redskins' but I've learned to deal with it.

[Ty90]

If, according to white people, Pakistani people are of Caucasoid descent, how on earth can a white person be "racist" towards a Pakistani? It doesn't make sense at all.

[PazPraSempre]

Just because they're both of Caucasoid descent doesn't mean that they can't be racist. There has been blatant discrimination against the Irish, the "eye-talians" the Jews and countless others considered White. Besides, few if any whites consider Pakistanis to be "one of them."

[RenegadePoster]

So the same guy who thinks it's funny to dress up like a Nazi also likes to use derogatory language to describe people of middle eastern decent? What a surprise.

This sort of ignorance is disturbing, especially considering this young man is third in line to the throne and should have had the upbringing to know better.

Some people like to claim the young prince was just joking around. Well then, apparently this young man is more ignorant that his well documented drunken times in the gutter indicate. When your in the position this young man is you don't go around saying stupid things and thinking an apology is going to make it all better.

[Downix]

(disclaimer, I am related to the young Prince, distantly, but a direct lineage nonetheless through his mothers side)

I see the Prince's behavior in light of the personal trageties that have befallen him through his life. While his elder brother had more awareness, Henry was, for the most part, sheltered. He very likely does not understand the pain he is causing other people through his actions. Another possibility is "2nd/middle child syndrome" where he is deep-down seeking approval of his parents, or of his non-royal peers. So, to fit in with a boorish crowd, he tries to out-boor them. Add in 4-5 years of this, and it becomes second nature. What the Prince needs, frankly, is what I went through when I was his age, a life altering event that puts it all in perspective.

[laucarlson]

Good point. He's either very stupid or a buffoon. Or both. Society has moved beyond racist humor. It's no longer acceptable, and never really was--just no one who was being ridiculed could prevent it.

[stanschurman]

Both. It's the generations of intermarriage.

[fcsakes]

Get over it - find somebody hungry to feed, homeless to house, poor to clothe. This constant bickering about absolutely nothing is ridiculous.

[odan]

damn, can nobody make a frickin joke anymore without getting nailed to the wall for it.

[roald]

From an ordinary person, it would be a question of whether it was a joke. From someone set to inherit the throne, it is worrisome that he has not been trained well enough to know when to joke (in private and with people who know he is joking) and in public.

[MomfromTexas]

My teenage son is 1/2 Asian, and two of his best friends are a Hispanic (from Mexico) and a kid, whose parents are Irish. You ought to hear the three go at it, hurling racial jokes at one another and laughing hysterically, as they do. As an Anglo, who grew up in the south during segregation and whose parents forbid any kind of racially insulting comment being used in their home, I am both appalled and amazed, when I listen to these teenagers. I have tried to stop it but to no avail. Recently, my son and I had a long conversation about this, during which he told me I was overreacting and didn't understand that things are different today, than they were "back in the day." He said that the kids' understanding of the jokes and using them like they did was their way of laughing at the stupidity of racial stereotypes. As a parent, it still bothers me, but I think there is a great deal of truth in what my son said. And I think this may be the situation in Prince Harry's story, as well. After all, the film ends with someone asking Harry what color his pubic hair is, which obviously is a slight about his red hair (Irish joke, maybe?) and not a question one can imagine someone asking a prince thirty years ago.

[ellawensmom]

I tend to agree with you. Now that I've read what he actually said, it seemed to me to be the type of banter you would see between people who are close enough to be able to make these types of comments to each other without getting offended. It looks like a big blow up over nothing, if you ask me.

[bluevalentine]

Ralph Nader was interviewed by Tim Russert and brought up the weaknesses of being politically correct. His father owned a diner when he was young. RN remembers the racial joke as being the conversation starter for many friends of different ethnicities. I remember that, also, with a neighbor and my father as a child. They were terrific friends. Times changed, and the jokes weren't allowed. The acknowledgement of differences between people became taboo. That becomes a brick wall to communication and the comfort zone of truth in life. How strange, you become the victim by trying to prevent the crime.

[Downix]

The world is changing, the old barbs of class isolation are changing. I think the next generation is reclaiming the words formerly used to injure, to change them to something else. We shall all see what comes of it.

[LadyAurora]

The only reason this has even made it into the news is because it was Harry that said it. If it had been Average Joe Soldier, it wouldn't be that big of a deal.

I'm sure that if small video cameras had been around when his grandfather or father were his age, I'm sure there would have plenty of footage of either or both of them making derogatory or racist comments.

Harry has apologized and I think that is enough. The guy who's father is upset should chill out. Demanding that Harry apologize to the Pakistani government and army is just ridiculous.