In life, unless a person or persons mistreat me or is unjust towards me I don't waste time and energy on them because I need to stay focus on what's truly important, my life, my family and my future. It's a little different though in my professional life.

Calling me names don't offend me, because I KNOW WHO I AM AND WHAT I AM, and MY GOD KNOWS WHO I AM AND WHAT I AM and I will conduct myself in a manner that will be clear to all WHO I AM AND WHAT I AM.

When you let small minded ignorant people politicians, neighbours or whomever offend you, you give them power over you. Their malicious intent is to break you down and make themselves feel empowered.

If your are called "muppet" and you know you are not, why be offended. I view it as being disrespected, but focus your attention on the person that so readily used the word. They conducted themself in a disrespectful and ignorant manner and people will see them for who they truly are. No need to stoop to their level and cause yourself any indignities by issuing choice words of your own. By no means ignore their statement, but definitely address it in a polite, smart and dignified manner and you'll be the wiser for it.

A guy called me the n-word one day in 1993, in hopes it would mentally unhinge me. I was to become beligerant and aggressive but I didn't. I rendered him powerless by not succumbing to his expectation of "black" ignorance. The incident happened after we both executed an almost synchronized right lane change in traffic. Although I was behind him and began my lane change seconds before he did, he failed to look and signal a lane change because he was engaged in conversation with his passenger. No worries, I continued on to the second right lane to accommodate the situation. As I drove passed him and casually looked at him not expecting any aggression and I'm certainly not displaying any, he shouted out the n-word at me. Absolutely shocked at his unwarranted outburst I slowed my sports car alongside his SUV and steadfastly asked, "so what's your point." He repeated his racial slang twice more and I repeated my question. He never did answer my question and his frightful female passenger pleaded with him to discontinue his behavior. There had been a child in the back seat. He complied with her request and I drove on. I actually believe what brought on his overeaction was because he was alarmed and thought I may have caused a collision between us. I can't imagine how he would have reacted if our vehicles did collide. Before that day I have never thought how I would react if someone called me a racial slang. I chose not to ignore his racial statement by debating him. I wanted to know if I am what he says, what of it. He made a statement and I posed a question.

Some people think that they can edit what was actually said in the tweet, you are in denial to the hand full of small minded racists that exist in this country and in the government!!!! SO LET ME SPELL OUT WHAT WAS ACTUALLY RACIST ABOUT CALLING SOMEONE A "MUPPET"!!!! and I quote from report above "Reading councillor Warren Swaine sent a Tweet that read: “I am waiting for the Labour guy to claim ‘Is it cos I is black’ as a defense [sic] for being a muppet”

So... if you still dont get it here it is again....'Is it cos I is black'

*shakes one head*

On the other hand, Mr Umunna IS an extremely impressive politician, who I expect to go far. Let's hope he actually does something for US, West Indians but, as he's African, I'm obviously not hopeful!

If I must b called a muppet, then please let me be called a BLACK muppet! I'm proud of being black!

Unfortunately racism cannot be fixed by training courses. We still have a couple of generations to go before Britain is mentally integrated. I suffered racism growing up in the seventies in London. I still harbour hostile thoughts sometimes about Europeans although I have many as friends.

I would say there's a need for MUCH MORE HONESTY in the world, NOT LESS!

Somebody calls somebody 'a muppet' and the world's gonna come to an end! LOL! U people mwke me laugh!

Time for all Councillors and elected officials (including MPs) to undergo compulsory Diversity Awareness/Equality Training methinks...

(This is entirely justifiable given that ALL elected officials regardless of their Party affiliations are actually elected to REPRESENT their ward/constituency etc - not just for the supporters of their Party but ALL of the people who live in that ward/constituency etc.)