Monthly Archives: February 2009

DR LOVE

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The BBC seems obsessed in continually advancing the gay agenda. It seems that whatever the subject the BBC can somehow find an angle to bring in the gay perspective. Take this piece it is running today about much easier it is to be gay in the NHS as it promotes the values of the Gay and Lesbian Association of Doctors and Dentists (Gladd). Why can we not discuss the virtues or otherwise of the NHS without having to contemplate the sexual preferences of those within it? I don’t care if the doctor treating me is straight, bi, gay, I just want a competent medical practitioner. But the BBC has to present this all through a pink prism. Why?

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Hypocrite’s Cakewalk

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Sarah Montague surpassed herself the other day with her barely concealed contempt for Israel’s spokesman Mark Regev. This brought home the fact that it is now the norm to hate Israel, and that hatred has come to include Britain’s Jews. Melanie Phillips has an alarming article which has attracted some suitably alarming comments.

The ever-increasing acceptability of antisemitic slurs and insinuations by all and sundry is in stark contrast to the hypocritical BBC furore over perceived racism inherent in the word golliwog.

Over the years the BBC has whipped up the public into a frenzy of righteous indignation. They portrayed recent events in Gaza in the uniquely emotive way that always accompanies anything to do with Israel.

Honest reporting has this review. The BBC is not the only offender, but it is probably the most influential, and it is the one that want us to believe it’s impartial.

This is my first post, so please forgive any peculiarities.

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THE GALLOWS AWAIT

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I happened to tune in to the BBC’s “Any Answers” a little earlier today. It was fascinating to hear caller after caller demonise the UK banking sector, demanding an end to bonus culture and the possible arrest and prosecution of senior bankers. There was also a call to stop the payment of bonus payments in the private sector. (No mention of the huge bonus payments the BBC have been awarding themselves for years now, oddly enough) It appears that the banks have been solely responsible for our current economic predicaments. Then the telephone hordes got stuck into Carol Thatcher with virtually 100% support for the brave BBC decision to get rid of her for the use of the word “golliwog” in a private conversation. Little short of her public execution would have satisfied some of these moonbats. It’s remarkable how so many of the people who get through the switchboard are so overwhelmingly supportive of the BBC, isn’t it?

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“If it’s not illegal it’s compulsory …”

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And if this comment, on Alice Cook’s economics blog UK Bubble, is correct, diversity is compulsory at CBeebies. The comment is by UK blogger Electro-Kevin.

I can’t bear to watch any soaps, police/hospital dramas … There is an overt left-wing bent in all of them. Even Life on Mars was supposed to be a snipe at bigotry but backfired as the audience (sick of crime) loved Gene Hunt.

I feel compelled to check BBC news sources with other channels for balance.

I’ve felt the need to write to David Dimbleby about his biased treatment of ‘right wing’ panelists.

My boy’s school was the site for a Cbeebies programme. A school comprising 95% white, they asked for ALL ethnic minority children to be used in filming. This resulted in Highwood Primary School looking 50% ethnic (not that I care) with a lot of kids disappointed. It wasn’t the ‘names out of a hat’ selection that would have given kids an even chance of being on their favourite programme.

Try explaining that to a 7-year-old who hasn’t even noticed colour yet !

Auntie’s definitely not right.

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“a credit to both his faith and to his country”

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The BBC are collecting tributes to Scotland’s first Muslim MSP, Bashir Ahmed, who has died at 68.

All well and good. The tributes are paid across the political spectrum, from Labour and the Lib Dems to Tories and SNP.

The BBC also offer us a potted biography of Mr Ahmed.

He came to Scotland aged 21 and worked as a bus conductor and bus driver before buying his own shop.

He subsequently owned shops, restaurants and a hotel before retiring from business.

He was elected five times as president of the Pakistan Welfare Association.

In 1995 he founded Scots Asians for Independence, and he had been a member of the SNP’s national executive committee since 1998.

In 2003 he was elected as councillor for the Pollokshields East ward of Glasgow City Council.

He was elected as an SNP member of the Scottish Parliament for the Glasgow region and Scotland’s first and only Asian MSP at the 2007 election.

He served on Cross Party Groups for Carers, Human Rights and Civil Liberties, Older People, Age and Ageing, Palestine and Tartan Day.

He was also a member of Holyrood’s Public Petitions Committee.

As well as his political interests Bashir was an active member of the Asian and Muslim communities in Glasgow attending a number of the committees of various mosques in the city.

Maybe it’s just me. But I can’t help thinking that if, say, a Tory MSP had died, and his CV featured the disruption of a religious service in a mosque, as part of a campaign for more Christian schools, that the BBC would find room to mention it. Probably in the headline and the first paragraph.

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Timewarped BBC

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The BBC online Have Your Say tonight is a classic. A 1950’s classic. The BBC evidently consider it a relevant 21st century question to ask: “Have 20 years of capitalism been good for E Europe?”

The most recommended comment thankfully sets things a bit straight:

“What a typical topic here on HYS. Only the crypto commies and sofa socialists on this site (and apparently the HYS staff who pose these questions) would even come up with such an absurdity as this. Communism appeals only those who have never lived under it. And they cannot get their head around the fact that it’s not economics but human liberty and personal freedom that it cannot ever enable or tolerate. It’s as simple as that. Unless you live in Islington or Berkeley.”

Difficult to put it better than that.

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General BBC-related comment thread!

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Please use this thread for comments about the BBC’s current programming and activities. This post will remain at or near the top of the blog – scroll down for new topic-specific posts. N.B. This is not an invitation for general off-topic comments, rants or chit-chat. Thoughtful comments are encouraged. Comments may also be moderated. Any suggestions for stories that you might like covered would be appreciated! It’s your space, use it wisely.

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WHY IRAQ IS A DISASTER

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The recent success of the Iraq elections clearly runs contrary to the tiresome BBC narrative that everything our military has tried to achieve in that land has been a disaster. The “We’re all doomed, it’s a quagmire “ theme has been a constant feature of BBC coverage for years now so how to handle some good news? Well, earlier this morning they trotted on journalists Sudarsan Raghavan and Patrick Cockburn to review whether the results will lead to greater stability. Cockburn was quick to put the boot on, determined to suggest that despite all the evidence Iraq was still a disaster. Begrudgery incarnate.

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IS JONATHAN DIMBLEBY A RACIST?

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I caught a trailer on Today this morning for the Jonathan Dimbleby hosted “Any Questions” programme on Radio 4 tonight and I noted that in it he made a reference to the Thatcher legacy including “golliwog”. Grins all round. But since it was Dimbleby who used this word – in public – I was wondering should he not be suspended forthwith? Or, and this is just a guess, is this what we can expect from the BBC in future – the direct association of the name Thatcher and racist language? If so, it rather confirms the blatant political agenda behind the alleged “outing” of Carol Thatcher’s private comments by unfunny comedienne Jo Brand.

As a further indication of BBC obsession on groupthink, there was a debate on Today between Thought for the Day contributor Anne Atkins (Church of England, mild) and Ben Summerskill (Gay and loud) on the use of language. Anne kept telling us how wonderful the BBC has been whilst the Stonewall Chief Executive got properly stuck into all who refuse to use only pc approved language. The BBC would be scared of a proper debate on langauge lest their innate fascism on the topic be exposed.

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