If anyone wonders why Boris Johnson allowed the resignation of his advisor James McGrath over alleged racist comments one ought to consider the blatant misrepresenation which the BBC made in their initial report of the affair. In the poisonous media environment we live in, most often cheer-led by the BBC, potentially racist comments will be misrepresented maliciously- indeed they will be fabricated where it is possible.
The BBC reported, in quotes, that McGrath said “Black people who didn’t like it here should go back”. Ignore personal feelings for a moment- consider that this doesn’t even sound like a quote but was reported as one in the sensitive conditions we live in.
In fact they changed their article, without admitting their “error”, and said that (as was closer to the fact) ‘“Responding to a claim that some black people might leave the UK if Mr Johnson became mayor, James McGrath said: “Let them go if they don’t like it here.”‘. This “error” would probably not have come to light were it not for the observation and screen save of Tony Sharp.
Though not as bad, the latest BBC version is disingenuous- article here. The question posed by the journalist Mark Wadsworth was referring to a previous comment from Darkus Howe about whether older Carribean migrants might leave if Boris Johnson won the Mayoralty. Now this a detailed scenario in fact, and the BBC had (and still have really) wilfully simplified it.
Of course the fact was that this was a journalistic “sting” operation by a moronic sub-public interest leftist. The BBC fully approves.
That really was one of the most shocking examples of BBC mis-use of quote-marks ever.
Several people predicted that the BBC would pursue Boris Johnson mercilessly.
Expect more of the same.
There’s more.
The original BBC On Line News item on Sunday referred to Wadsworth as an “undercover reporter”.
Clearly to give more credence to the item.
He’s nothing of the sort of course. This has been removed for today’s bulletin.
I have been so disgusted by the whole affair I refuse to even mention it on my blog
This story’s revisions can be followed here:http://www.newssniffer.co.uk/articles/131560/diff/0/1
Sorry, here:
http://www.newssniffer.co.uk/articles/131560/diff/0/1
So it was a set up by Al Beeb?
This is such a non-story that its absolutely shocking someone had to resign because of it!
I wonder when someone will actually sue Al Beeb over something like this?
Mailman
I’m struggling to understand exactly what possible alternative answer to that question there could possibly be. Why the hell did the bloke resign? This is utterly bizarre??
Perhaps he should have reminded the interviewer that Frank Bruno promised to leave the country if the Tories lost in ’97. I don’t think he ever got round to it but a Ken victory might’ve tipped him over the edge, so either way we’d lose some Londoners of Afro-Caribbean descent.
Anyone remember some left wing twat calling a Jewish reporter a concentration guard?
Don’t think the BBC called for him to resign then.
If the Tories don’t finally slit the throat of the BBC when they get power, they will deserve all they get.
Darkus Howe — he’s that black racist and God-awful alleged “poet,” isn’t he?
And pet angry old black-man the BBC like to trundle out every so often to discuss the sins of whitey?
Or am I having an acid-induced flashback to the 1980s?
McGrath should have seen that tiger trap of a question coming a mile off though.
… and yes – the complete misquote was blatant misrepresentation.
“Darkus Howe — he’s that black racist and God-awful alleged “poet,” isn’t he?”
Yes, but he did make a surprisingly frank Ch4 documentary about gang rape a couple of years ago.
Probably a flash in the pan, admittedly.
So McGrath said “Let them go if they don’t like it here.” what other reply could he possibly have given? Bizarre.
As the father of a mixed race child I am shocked by the remark…oh wait..no I’m not….what the hell was the problem?
BBC radio 5 also misquoted the comment. The thicko camp beeboid said to Derbyshire that it was “black people” rather than Carribean. BLACK of course makes the comments sound more racist.
And how come that shit Livingstone was not forced to resign over his anti semetic comments?
Al-Beeb are definitely digging in for Operation Save Broon’s arse and try and also dent Boris Johnson’s poll ratings.
There’ll be plenty more of this between now and election day. If the Conservatives don’t see the BBC as the enemy now, they will soon.
Newsniffer has caught the Beeb red-handed – again.
Absolutely despicable reporting.
I made a formal complaint about this to the BBC. Of course they’ll claim it was only an error, quickly rectified.
It’s worth also recalling the slip-up last year when the BBC initially decided to headline a shocking report that two Labour MPs weren’t going to support Boris with ‘Black MPs spurn Boris mayoral bid’.
They rectified it – three days later – to read ‘Turkeys vote against Christmas’ – sorry, I mean ‘Labour MPs spurn Boris mayoral bid’.
http://www.newssniffer.co.uk/articles/58455/diff/0/1
I wonder how the BBC would have responded if he had said that Polish migrant workers can go back to Poland if they don’t like it here? When this story was reported on Ceefax, it didn’t say migrant workers from the Caribbean, it just said “some black people”, which makes it sound like “Tory tells blacks to go home”. Teletext managed to report the story more accurately:
“James McGrath was forced to quit his post after apparently remarking that Caribbean immigrants should go home if they do not like living in London.”
http://www.teletext.co.uk/news/national/d51d13751676c502aa5d147da9ba90b3/Sacked+adviser+'good+person‘.aspx
I also note that Teletext said immigrant rather than migrant, whereas the BBC has an aversion to saying ‘immigrant’.
“Racist!” Ah yes, the clarion call of the Gramscian Marxist. How well I remember the previous incumbent of the post using the same tactic. So the poor guy said something that could have been construed as something negative about black people if you chose to read it that way, but there wasn’t actually anything so harsh meant by it. Nevertheless the poor chap will have to get the push – Boris and Cameron can’t risk the Gramscian Marxists at the BBC making hay with that poorly chosen phrase. Although to be honest, I suspect it will play rather better with the 50million+ people in the UK that didn’t vote for Ken.
That big stick called “race” that the Gramscians at the BBC like to beat the rest of us with – could turn out to be a big stick to beat them with.
Classic. A set up. And the quote isn’t even accurate.
To LIBTARDS the accuracy of the quote is irrelevant. LIBTARDS believe they can take literary license and import what LIBTARDS think he meant.
It’s not a misquote if LIBTARDS believe he meant it.
This is what the BBC has come to…..LIBERAL editorial in every story.
Memo to BBC:
– it is NOT ‘racism’:
1.) to criticise Islam;
2.) to respond to any immigrants who may say that they don’t like it in the UK, to remind them that one option may be for them to return to their country of origin.
Melanie Phillips has this:
“The Joke Turns Sour At City Hall”
http://www.spectator.co.uk/melaniephillips/791971/the-joke-turns-sour-at-city-hall.thtml
Memo for the BBC:
‘ON THE MEANING OF RACISM’
by Lawrence Auster
[from
Chapter Three ‘The Path to National Suicide:
An Essay on Immigration and Multiculturalism’ (1990)].
“There is, of course, one inevitable and supposedly crushing rebuff to everything I have said so far about the danger posed by unrestricted immigration—that the very idea of such a danger is ‘racist.’ Since it is the fear of this charge that has prevented the American people from even touching the issue in a serious way, this essay will not be complete without examining the question of racism with some care. As we all know by now, racism, like witchcraft, is a difficult charge to defend oneself against. The reason is that the word no longer has a defined meaning. I was first struck by this phenomenon several years ago when New York City’s closing of a hospital in Harlem, as part of an economy move, was ferociously denounced as ‘racist’ by black leaders. This was a new and startling use of a highly charged word that I had associated mainly with race hatred. ‘Racism’ now apparently meant anything that, in the view of black people, hurt their interests or offended them or, indeed, anything they did not approve of.”
http://www.amnation.com/vfr/archives/001100.html
I don’t think its entirely fair to accuse the BBC of being soley obssessed with race. The media, dominated as it is by middle class types, considers racism the most heinous crime of all.
Taking drugs, bullying people, these are all acceptable in the eyes of the media…but if you say something racist you are the spawn of Satan.
Immigration is supported by the CBI. For Labour, it means votes, for the CBI, it means lots of cheap labour.
I don’t see the Tories standing up to big business over this, which means we are stuck with high immigration and plummeting wages.
BTW Who payed for the big shindig at Mansion House, it better not have been the taxpayer.
The resignation confirms to liberals and race-hustlers that their lies and misrepresentation work. So BoJo can expect more of the same in future. The chief rabbi diagnosed the roots of the disease last year:
Sacks said Britain’s politics had been poisoned by the rise of identity
politics, as minorities and aggrieved groups jockeyed first for rights, then for special treatment. The process, he said, began with Jews, before being taken up by blacks, women and gays. He said the effect had been inexorably divisive.
“A culture of victimhood sets group against group, each claiming that its
pain, injury, oppression, humiliation is greater than that of others,” he
said.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/914939.html
Those comments from James McGrath can only be construed as racist through the vitalist gnosticism of “Who – whom?”
“”Let them go if they don’t like it here.”‘.”
Sounds more like a Libertarian comment f you ask me.
—
Zevilyn | 23.06.08 – 6:55 pm |
Good comment.
After all, Liberals can make degenerate filth like ‘Hostel’.
Which is all okay according to the non-boundaries and ethics of liberalism. (Do what thou wilt)
But I’m not allowed to say in public “immigration is out of control” because it is “obscene.”
If Darcus Howe wants to go home I’d gladly contribute to his airfare…
John Howard (ex Aussie PM) made a similar point – to a standing ovation:
“This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom,
‘THE RIGHT TO LEAVE’.”
Zevilyn, the LEFT, specifically the BBC believe everyone is racist…..EXCEPT THEM.
They CLAIM to be above and beyond racism, and they believe they are….BUT, BUT, in order to PROVE that they aren’t racist (BUT YOU ARE), they treat minorities like PUPPIES. They pat them on the head and say good boy good boy, here’ a kibble boy!!
And when the DOG BITES. They blame US RACISTS.
gus | 24.06.08 – 3:28 am
Gus, lots of people on this blog have asked you politely, so will you please stop shouting?
Ther are , after all, plenty of other ways to lend emphasis to your key words……lots.
Ray:
Gus, lots of people on this blog have asked you politely, so will you please stop shouting?
Are you some SORT of LIBTARD???!!!