. Ok, he was describing the BBC as ‘hideously white’, which is intended to be unflattering to a corporation I hate seeing flattered, but somehow I think Gregory and I have different universes in mind when we criticise the BBC. (thanks to Max for the link)
Try rolling round your mouth that commonly heard phrase, ‘hideously black’, or ‘hideously brown’, and you’ll get an idea of the kind of man who is still a regular in the BBC pages, a ‘Hutton celebrity’ for BBC hacks- and of course you’ll get an idea about that famous BBC impartiality, too.
Hideously off topic, but I have a post up about a BBC debate on the Guardian’s Clark County initiative. The ‘debate’ turned into an anti-US rant … the Today programme again (where else) ..
http://www.ukcommentators.blogspot.com/2004_10_24_ukcommentators_archive.html#109889197362715516
Hideously drunk, but there you go. And that’s the best way to be when thinking of the BBC these days.
Looking at the employment figures the BBC publishes I found that the BBC over-represents minorities, and under-represents the “ancient” UK groups.
Would Dyke now describe the BBC as hideously black?
Yes, this is one of those puzzles. Apparently it’s wrong for whites to be over-represented as judges, but not wrong for Asians to be over-represented (actaully by a staggering amount) among trainee barristers.
Apparently it’s also OK to have a “Black Police Officers” group but not a White one. Why?
The sooner this nonsense stops and we move on to a more sensible approach – ensuring there is no active discrimination rather than trying for numerical equalisation – chaos lies ahead. I see now that the qualifying standards for surgeons is to be reduced because the PC brigade cannot stand the idea of there being so few female surgeons. Prediction: in twenty years’ time there will still be very few female surgeons.
There are plenty of good reasons.
David
Funny how the BBC never seems to mind being financed by the “Hideously White”
What would be the point in a White Police Officers group?
There are very few male teachers, indeed they are now so poorly represented that were they an ethnic group, or women, or gays, their would be an outcry.
But, strangely enough, there is little anxiety over the fact that their are so few male teachers despite the fact that half the pupils are male.
PD
Do you really need it spelled out? David Field isn’t claiming a need for a White Police Officers Group, but stating the reasonable point that if a black officers Group exists then why isn’t it acceptable for one representing white officers? After all we are supposed to be equal nowadays. As usual its the hideously white, hideously male that is put upon with no repersentation.
When Greg Dyke appeared on that wonderful show (not) on Radio 5 with Simon Mayo I put in an email saying that Greg Dyke called the BBC hideously White, would he agree it is hideously left? And he did agree that the BBC has a (as he called it) a metropolitan view of the world. I took that to mean the chattering Islington Guardian reading elite.
The Government waste millions trying to recruit women into construction and engineering without any success. If they made half the effort to recruit more men they’d be far more successful, but that just wouldn’t be PC would it?
It is not important if the ranks of teachers, barristers, or BBC staffer are comprise predominantly one gender of ethnic group. It is important if those conditions can be attributed to the intent and actions of the people doing the hiring.
As for picking on the bias of The Guardian, that’s a bit unfair, isn’t it? The paper asserts its opinions, both on its editorial pages and by its selection and treatment of news stories. No one would look to The Guardian for unbiased coverage.
On the other hand, many people the world over look to the BBC for unbiased reporting, because that is what the BBC says it delivers. The danger lies in the fact that BBC reporting is, in fact, biased. As such, it propagandizes and indoctrinates many naive and innocent people. Whether BBC slants left or right is much less important than the fact that is slants at all.
A trifle OT but… Yo, Arnold! Thanks for a serendipitous glimpse into the rotten lying heart of the BBC’s propaganda mills.
The sinister krauty-with-intimations-of-jackboots pronunciation often given to the name of the governor of California by the BBC is to intone — rather solemnly — Schwarz- to rhyme with farts instead of warts, with a ‘v’ not a ‘w’, all in a manner deliberately contrary to the standard US pronunciation that follows Arnold’s own usage and preference. The American form, it must be said, is entirely consistent with the simple decency and directness built in to the American character, inclusive and hospitable in a manner that the British will never comprehend or emulate.
How alien this must sound to the modern Eurobigot in the BBC’s hideously brown and froggified newsrooms (pace G Dyke Esq) — also to their camp followers who whinge here.
Careful girls, your dress is over your head and the dirty undies are showing again.
wally thumper IV: Please tell me the above post isn’t serious? BTW, I’ve been to the Arnold Schwarzenegger stadium. Its initial impressiveness is undermined by its tiny capacity and lack of facilities. Not that I’m drawing a parallel between man and building…
Pete,
If White people were in the minority and suffered from racism on a regular basis then there would be a white police officers group. Being in the majority white people don’t need to be represented as a special interest group because they are in the majority!
Yes, we are supposed to be equal these days but time and time again cases pop up that show that in reality this is not the case.
I really see no point in whinging about a black police officers group. It smacks of a real lack of undestanding about the crap that ethnic minorities have to put up with.
When there is no need for the group anymore it will no longer exist. And I think I speak for all of us when I say that I hope that is sooner rather than later.
If officers started a White Officers group they would immediatly be decried as racist. However the black officers group gets a free pass from the press, and accelerated promotion. This is
a) racist
b) rather biased.
Can you not see this?
A white officers group would be pointless though and thus will never happen!
What’s the point in fussing over the reaction to something that will never happen? Again, I ask you, if there were to be a white officers group what would it do?
And please will you lot leave out the “Do you need it spelled out” and “Can you not see this?” comments. They’re really of no use.
PD –
So on your logic you would see nothing against a White Police officers group in South Africa or Zimbabwe, or indeed part of the USA where “white” (incidentally I don’t think there is any meaningful definition of that word) people are in a minority and are possibly disadvantaged because of their skin colour.
You say the Black officers group will disappear when the problem goes. I don’t agree. The Freemasons are still with us – their original purpose generally overtaken. Secret or special interest groups are highly dangerous in public service. They undermine good government and the rule of law.
This is an interesting debate – not one allowed on mainstream BBC.
David
Well, I think we’re just going to end up going round in circles here. Re: South Africa and Zimbabwe, if there was a serious problem there that people were being discriminated and disadvantaged because they have white skin then why not? Thing is though white people in those countries generally aren’t disadvantaged when compared to the rest, so again I doubt it would have much purpose.
Look my basic point is if everything was fine and dandy then this black police officers group would not have been started in the first place. I take your point though David that once these things are started its diffcult for them to go away even if the need is longer there.
Redken: Uhm, let’s just say your ‘parallel’ might be without, er, foundation.
You may have missed a flagrant bit of editorializing dressed up as news on the One o’Clock News today: a sympathetic report, delivered straight with flattering camera angles, of Bruce Springsteen on stage getting that creepy gay-gaze huggy thing from Kerry…followed by a shameless show-us-the-moron comedy cut as Arnold introduced W in Ohio — all coughed up by that faded beeb bimbette Laura Somebody (the flabby one w/ slugs instead of eyebrows, evidently shipped over on the BBC’s £750k election week budget, aka your licence fee at work).
Want to bet Rageh’s going to find ‘evidence’ of an over-tooted student Bush running over a handicapped black lesbian amputee while speeding to the emergency room to make the final cut on his debutante girlfriend’s late-term abortion?
Sorry, but a large helping of cold crow is imminent. This time, the BBC won’t be able to shrug and walk.
PD
“If White people were in the minority and suffered from racism on a regular basis….”
White people ARE in a minority in many inner city areas of the UK and DO regularly face racism….both from local councils/colleges, with their Orwellian sounding “Positive Discrimination” practices, and from street thugs.
But everything’s not fine and dandy for white police officers -“Do you need it spelled out” “PD”. Such is the PC drive to get anyone without white skin into uniform and promoted your average white male cop is being actively sidelined irrespective if they’re the best person for the job. To try to get around this discrimination some white coppers are apparently pretending to be gays to give themselves a chance of promotion!
Meanwhile as the senior metropolitian police spend their days in a PC fixation they fail to clear up 88% of crimes!What a country this is!!!!
OK Jumping Jack that’s in small localised areas but we’re talking about the bigger picture here.
Could you also provide me with some examples of these positive discrimination practices that go on? I’m not questionning their existence, but would like to know what in particular is annoying you. Some links would be handy if you have any.
I did see the said report (or perhaps a watered-down version, on the Morning News). I’m not quite sure the images connoted the same ideas though. “That creepy gay-gaze huggy thing” didn’t seem quite as you put it. I do agree that the cut to Arnie was for comic purposes, but then surely Arnold is joke, right? Not even the right could take him seriously as a politician.
jst – I think its important in a unique job such as the police that there should be a fair quota of ethnic minorities to better reflect the society which is being policed. I think it would help things a lot. My view on this really only applies to the police.
Its such a unique job that I think your ethnic background could actually make a difference and may help in a lot of situations when dealing with the public. But I’m not saying hire anybody! Everyone should of course have passed whatever tests are laid out.
Of course if there was no such thing as racism and we all were living happily ever after then there would be no need for the above.
Just to clarify what I wrote above. The reason for my thinking is more down to society as a whole rather than my belief in the abilities of white police officers. i.e. a white police officer could be doing their very best to sort something out in a black community but if people in that community do no trust or are not responding to that person because they are white then he can’t do an effective job.
Its a chicken and egg thing I guess, as I said earlier hopefully over time this will all change.
Big mistake to underestimate Arnie in any circumstances, anywhere, ever. BBC ideologues, as always, see only what they want to see.
Recall: the BBC predicted back in April that Howard Dean would be Dem. nominee and next pres. Four years ago, on election night, we were told that the election would turn on, ahem, Louisiana.
Beeb can’t get away w/ this drivel any more — hence the big budget. The hydra-headed Frei-Carver thing needs more than a bit of spackle and a wash-and-brush-up. (Prediction: the recent narcissistic puff piece by/about Frei will never air again: “We live and breathe real America every day.” Oh right.)
And speaking of clapped-out bags of bones: John Simpson. The stately galleon and all-around big-girl’s blouse — looking very Panamanian — has arrived but, as usual, hasn’t actually descended to earth and talked to any natives. As Grauniad would say, Where are the 500lb bombs when you need them?
No security in numbers this time — just wider fallout.
Ghost,
I’m going to have to second Wally Thumper IV regarding underestimating Arnold. (And I never thought I would say that either.) He may be a Republican, but I think the Republican tent is proving to be bigger, ideologically speaking, than the Democratic tent. I understand he has come up with some pretty surprising recommendations for the tax treatment of SUVs, for instance.
Regards,
James
Given the way the BBC aired a documentary called “Who killed PC Blakelock?” and managed to offer a platform for black criminals and racists to claim they were attacking the police because of what white society had done to them, I think a white police officers groups would be a good thing.
http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3691327
and maybe such a group could scrutinise this in more detail http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3956805.stm
Francis,
Ironically, according to a poll taken recently in predominantly black communities, the thing people fear most now are groups of young black men, and consequently would like to see more effective policing in their neighbourhoods. The police used to be public enemy number one, but it appears that there have been some real, palpable crime trends due to the police taking a more hands-off approach in black neighbourhoods since the riots that killed PC Blakelock. The Beeb may be behind the trend on the propagandising, now, regarding evil policemen.