Re: 'Taliban'

Slightly Foxed

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Sorry to be an old f@@@t, but I find references to the 'barefoot taliban' a little offensive, particularly with reference to the recent shooting of a 14 year old girl who was only campaigning for education for girls.

Using the word 'taliban' in the context you do trivialises them. How about using the term 'Gestapo' instead. Does that feel better?
 
I hate the 'Taliban' reference too.

It would be nice to think that in a 100 years shoeing would only be used for horses in purely medicinal way, and that the thought of buying a horse in shoes meant they were cheap as not as good as a proper barefoot horse
 
I thought about that earlier. I don't know where the phrase came from, I think someone who wasn't particularly pro-barefoot started it. It was of course some time ago.
Rather than suggesting something in a rather sarcastic way (as I think you might have been when you suggested Gestapo), can you think of a more positive alternative?
 
I have never really understood why people use the term when talking about barefoot posts. Why can't they just call it something like 'barefoot advice'.

It's quite a disrespectful term considering recent events.
 
I have always hated it. It's not the barefooters that coined it. I wanted it changing to The Barefoot Bananas but it never took off in quite the same way...

No idea why...
 
It was intended as a disrespectful term if I remember correctly (I might not!). Not disrespectful to a 14 year old girl who was tragically attacked of course. Disrespectful towards the barefoot enthusiasts.
 
Taliban does mean students or seeker of knowledge, however it is an Arabic word, but this is H&H and involvement of wars and cultural differences shouldn't even be considered which I do not think those who use the term are referring to.
 
It was a name 'we' were called on occasion and we adopted it eventually. There will always be someone offended by anything at the end of the day. If you don't like it, don't read the posts ;)
 
Well said. I have thought this myself before, but figured that those that found it amusing enough to use in the first place were unlikely to be 'brainwashed' into a change of heart by my cries of "bizarre" and "off the scale inappropriate". Thank you for piping up first and yes, come on people, it's an alternative thought on hoofcare by fellow horse lovers, not dangerous and murderous fundamentalist indoctrination.
 
I like it. I thought someone said it and the barefooters adopted it to kind of take the mick out of themselves. Its pretty stuck now, I reckon.
 
Well said. I have thought this myself before, but figured that those that found it amusing enough to use in the first place were unlikely to be 'brainwashed' into a change of heart by my cries of "bizarre" and "off the scale inappropriate". Thank you for piping up first and yes, come on people, it's an alternative thought on hoofcare by fellow horse lovers, not dangerous and murderous fundamentalist indoctrination.

It was the anti-barefooters that started it so don't blame the barefoot lot!!!

Maybe they will do us justice next time and come up with something equally offensive so we can piss off someone else.
 
I like it. I thought someone said it and the barefooters adopted it to kind of take the mick out of themselves. Its pretty stuck now, I reckon.

The real Taliban have done far worse than shoot a girl in the head and no ones moaned about the monicker before.
 
Errr... I am FARRRR from a bunny hugger.

I know... that's why
I didn't object to the use of the word Taliban when it first came up because, rather than being the insult intended, the word means "students", which is actually quite appropriate.

As I said above, I did wonder about it earlier today because it has come to mean something rather different these days.
 
I believe the term 'taliban' arose because of the zero tolerance exhibited by some barefoot practitioners. Essentially their way was the only way.

But it's now used as a term of affection toward all batefooters - especially those who are more tolerant of others opinions.

You'll always get names like this used in certain situations - and it's certainly not meant to be offensive.

How do we humanise those that we find most frightening? We make fun of them and their political ideals.

In an ever increasingly PC world, though, I can see how it might offend. Which is a shame.
 
I was not pissed off, had just noticed that I, as an individual, found it inappropriate in its context, through the power of independent thought, as I am allowed to do. I am barefoot (or rather Neddy is!). We are not part of any 'lot'.
 
I'm heartily sick of the constant whining on here about everything.

From being accused of cruelty regarding barefoot to being cultish and a bully.......

Now the HHO offendergasmers are on about the word Taliban.....

Shhesh :(

I'm signing off for a while.

Bye!
 
As said, the word taliban means 'student', so quite appropriate for those seeking knowledge and research into the barefoot horse IMO

Wouldn't it be more 'appropriate' to be offended by those who choose to hijack (sorry, now that is not a particularly appropriate word given the context) the word and tarnish its true meaning?
 
It was a name 'we' were called on occasion and we adopted it eventually. There will always be someone offended by anything at the end of the day. If you don't like it, don't read the posts ;)

I don't read the posts, I just think the term trivialises what is happening.
 
But it's now used as a term of affection toward all batefooters - especially those who are more tolerant of others opinions.

No really it's not - at least not by those of us who have been accused of mistreateimg our horses by having them shod. When used to describe that sort of bully it's the opposite.

Paula
 
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