break-in(?)

What you're saying is that, even though skin colour was the most noticed feature of the intruder, the victim should have omitted this from her report on the grounds of political correctness.

While I agree with you and itsbruce that it's both unlikely to be a useful report in the prosecution of the crime and can give a misleading impression of the racial mix of burglars, since IC1 tends to go unreported by virtue of being the default yet it's omission leaves the reader to fill in the blanks based on his own prejudice, I'm against the kind of censorship you advocate, and I reject the proposition that accurate reportage is inherently racist even when it draws attention to the fact of some skin tones but not others.

In the end, the brand image of ethnic minorities will be improved by their achievements in legitimate fields of endeavour and their rejection of criminality, not by censorship and brow-beating of anybody who has the temerity to speak the truth. The stereotype of Chinese-British has been utterly transformed in the last century by exactly this process, with no assistance from po-faced Grauniad readers, who should go back to knitting their own muesli and leave immigrants and their descendants to make their own way in the world.

Look at the bigger picture: How often do YOU see the good, positive and cerebral endeavours that don't seem to get proper mentions. What about these truths? Most of what I see is /uneducated/grime spittin/pant's worn around the batty/caps with labels still on/muggings/fried chicken/gold/cyrstal/bitches/drugs and a street swagger. That is what irks. What about the black middle classes? The OP's mention of race doesn't help the story along at all but re-enforces or gives some credence to some very biased right wing media portrails that affect a whole diaspora.

I think I also remember Corny AND Multi Grooves calling me a racist 'cos I'm an Evertonian! TRUE FACT!

Graham, you're truly soft in the head if you believed that I (and Corny) called you specifically out to be R just because of whom you've chosen to support- that makes no sense. The fact that was gonna get in a car with you and travel nearly 300 miles to Liverpool should be some clue. I've stood drinking with you several times, you tool!! I stated that sections of your club's fans have a strong history of it, which, you wouldn't have. It was then Corny recalled a chant about "being one of the few clubs to have no black palyers within it" (IIRC).

Just for the record (sorry to repeat this for some of you) but my 10yrs there inevitably meant I've got some really good blue nose mates- some of them "county Road cutters" and even they've told me about some the 'unenlightened' vibes of some of the efc fans. FACT.